“So, what’s this going to cost?”
This is a common question from our clients, sometimes even asked during the initial site consultation. For many clients, budget is a primary concern before they engage with us to help create their ideal outdoor space and remains a priority throughout the design process. For those clients without previous landscape design or construction project experience, it can be particularly challenging to envision how all the elements they desire will come together, and what the final price will add up to be. That’s where we come in.
With many years of experience in designing and building outdoor living spaces and landscapes, our team is adept at understanding our clients' visions and delivering cohesive, well-thought-out, and innovative designs, all with a client’s budget in mind. In order to do that successfully, it is essential for us to collect relevant information from both the project site and from our clients. We need to familiarize ourselves with the site, and learn not only which design features a client wants to include in their outdoor space, but also how much a client is comfortable spending on their project. So where do we start?
After entering into a design contract, we conduct a comprehensive site assessment to identify potential opportunities and challenges to consider during both the design and estimating phases. We also ask clients to complete a questionnaire that outlines the features they want for their yard, such as patios, pergolas, fire pits, water features, outdoor kitchens, etc. In addition, we require clients to indicate their intended budget range. Although there are phasing and financing options to consider in some cases, it ultimately comes down to this: Are we designing a space that will cost $25,000-$50,000, $200,000-$300,000, or somewhere in between?
What isn’t always clear to our clients is where their project might fall within the different budget ranges given their yard and their list of desired elements. Without a point of reference for how much landscape construction can cost, it can be difficult to know what is realistic. While it is impossible to create a master price sheet for every element for our clients to use—since every site is unique with varying levels of access, existing elements to be demolished, slope, drainage, etc. and the estimating process is intricate—we thought it would be helpful to provide example projects along with their associated costs. Here’s an overview of how much it cost to build these projects:
Sample Outdoor Living Projects and Associated Costs:
1. Small Backyard
Description: Small paver patio, block/stucco retaining wall with built-in bench, fire pit, small composite deck and steps, planting, irrigation, low voltage lighting
Estimated Cost: $50,000 - $75,000
2. Medium Backyard with Lounge Area + Outdoor Dining
Description: Concrete slab patio and retaining/planter wall, built in seating, fire pit, small water feature, fencing, planting, irrigation, low voltage lighting
Estimated Cost: $75,000 - $100,00
3. Medium Backyard with Custom Structure + Outdoor Kitchen
Description: Full outdoor kitchen and bar, paver patio, patio cover with fire feature and built-in seating, heaters and integrated lighting, string lights, low voltage lighting, planting and irrigation
Estimated Cost: $100,000 - $150,000
4. Large Backyard with Custom Structures + Fabricated Steel Elements
Description: Two steel pergolas, detached studio, hot tub and deck, paver patio, Corten steel fire feature and built-in seating, outdoor kitchen island, steel planters, water feature, bocce ball court, low voltage lighting, raised garden beds, planting and irrigation
Estimated Cost: $150,000 - $200,000
5. Luxury Backyard with Pool + Custom Patio Cover
Description: Pool installation, porcelain paver pool deck and walkway slabs, custom fabricated steel patio cover over outdoor lounge area, small retaining wall, synthetic turf play area, outdoor shower, planting, irrigation and low voltage lighting
Estimated Cost: $200,000 - $400,000
6. Complete Estate-Level Transformation
Description: Terraced yard with expansive patio and deck, large patio cover with louvered extension and outdoor TV, heaters and integrated lighting, full outdoor kitchen and bar, large custom water and fire features, hot tub, sauna, bocce ball court with drink rails, concrete flatwork and planter/retaining walls, low voltage lighting, planting and irrigation
Estimated Cost: $400,000+
General Information Regarding Project Costs:
The cost of each project is influenced by many factors such as:
Site location: Is the site accessible? Are there existing structures or challenges that need to be considered?
Material choices: High-end materials like natural stone or custom elements will add to the cost.
Labor and design complexity: More intricate designs, specialized features, and detailed landscaping can increase costs.
Scale of the project: Larger projects with more elements or more space to cover will typically cost more.
