The cost of landscape design varies based on how you envision your yard to look.
A good, experienced landscape design company will discuss your budget with you, and give you options that you can afford. They will help find a nice cohesive aesthetic for your home that fits both your style and your budget.
It is important to note that the landscape designer can come up with a plan that suits your vision, but may need to tweak it a bit when the design process is in motion. Many factors must be considered for a home landscaping project to be a success. Upon seeing the area take shape, a better, more affordable option may pop up.
There is a lot of creative work that is done for the client behind the scenes on paper and with the help of computer-based programs. The designer will work with what is important to you: cure appeal, style, shade, sun, animal-proof, etc. It may seem silly to you, but every plant really does have a purpose- and it isn’t just to make the property look pretty!
There are three main things to take into consideration when factoring the cost of your design.
- Season. Generally, the warmer months are most costly for landscape design. If you wait until Spring, you may find that you are waiting longer for services to begin or to even get a design quote. There are a lot of people calling during this time, as this is when the foliage begins to pop up! For the Spring rush, you may be waiting up to six weeks for your project to begin. If you contact the company sooner, you will be first on the list come Springtime. If you are looking to save money, consider consulting with a company in the Winter. During this time, most companies are slower and are looking for work to complete. Of course, when you look for work to be done during the winter, you have to take into consideration that there is a limited supply of plants, the ground could be frozen and create a delay, grass can be destroyed, and there could be a lot of mud! While it may be cheaper, it could be less effective.
- Location. If you live in an area that is hard to access, you can expect to pay more for landscape design services. The company needs to be able to get their crew and trucks to the area efficiently and safely. Most companies will factor travel time into the quote. Steep slopes, hills, jagged edges, and other land faults could also create an increase in the pricing. There is also a cost for removal, so you may want to pull up those old shrubs yourself!
- Materials. There is a great difference in the price of pea gravel vs. bluestone. The materials you pick will drive the price of landscape design up or down. Every tree, bush, and flower has its own cost and purpose.
A quality landscape design company will tell you, based on their experience, what the most realistic price would be for them to complete the job that you describe.
They will provide the highest level of quality, planning, and actual design implementation for the price that they come up with. A company that allows for haggling probably isn’t the company to go with. Saving a dollar today could cost thousands tomorrow for a job that is improperly done.
Landscape design costs are truly variable beasts. With all of the factors and variables, the price truly depends on the actual area that needs the TLC. When you have a realistic budget and consult with the landscape design company, they will be able to come up with something that suits both your budget and your needs.
