Budgeting A Landscape With A Landscape Contractor

Budgeting A Landscape With A Landscape Contractor

Interlocking concrete pavers, pergola, planting and pond make up this outdoor living area.

It really doesn’t matter if you are extremely wealthy or middle class. When you have a landscape contractor install your project, a budgeting a landscape must be considered. We all have our dream list of things we desire and feel we need in our outdoor environment, but can we afford them? Landscaping can be expensive, especially if you are considering adding any hardscape elements. Hardscapes include retaining walls, flagstone or paver patios, seat walls, water features, brick work, boulders or simply put, anything hard and permanent.

The new front entry really added some curb appeal to this home.

Budgeting a landscape is important because landscaping and hardscapes can cost many dollars a square foot. So, a landscape budget is a must.
Much of the time, my clients want the whole dream list, but when they get the estimate, they are quite discouraged. I try to ask for a budget, but usually they hesitate.They don’t realize landscaping costs that much and they don’t have any idea of what they are getting into.. I’ve done many landscape estimates for my clients in which landscape designers, have designed the landscape. Many landscape designers neglect the budget process with their clients. The plans were exceptional. Paver patios, walls, and water features, beautiful plantings and the list goes on and on. The budget however wasn’t ever considered. The design and the bidding process was a waste of everyone’s time. The potential client just couldn’t afford the package as designed. If only a budget was considered from the beginning, the design could of been scaled down, to a landscape they could afford and attain.

Who would not like to come and enjoy this lovely front yard?

Don’t be afraid to talk budget with your landscape designer or landscaper. Once you develop a good relationship with them, please talk about what you can afford as well as what you want. The shock will go out from the estimating process.

The landscape budget process also makes the estimating easier for all. Howver you must make sure all bids are apples to apples. Make sure quanities and sizes for each landscape proposal are the same. If one  contractor is installing a 200′ sq. foot patio and the other a 180 sq. foot patio there may be a difference of $300.00 in costs. Keep it apples to apples. The quanities and sizes should compare all through the landscape estimates. A smaller lawn is less money. Less soil mix is less money. Smaller sizes in plant material means less money. However, as you may of noticed each bid item is getting less product. It is up to you the homeowner to make sure you are in fact getting the best price, product and service.

Woody’s Custom Landscaping, Inc. has been serving the Pacific Northwest with exceptional landscape services for over twenty years, we are here to help our clients realize their landscape dreams. Call us @ 360-687-1882 or visit our website@ https://woodyscustomlandscaping.com and use our easy to fill out contact form. Here are more landscaping blog posts Professional Hardscapes Vancouver Washington or Landscapers Are The Green Industry.