• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Where your landscape is a living investment

Call: (845) 658-9148
  • Home
  • Landscaping
    • Softscapes
    • Lighting
    • Outdoor Living
    • Landscape Design
    • Blog
  • Hardscapes
    • Walkways
    • Steps
    • Walls
    • Patios
      • Pool Patios
    • Fire Pits
  • Drainage
    • French Drains
    • Permeable Pavers
    • Foundation & Gutter Drain Repairs
    • Erosion Control
    • Regrading
  • Our Work
    • Material Examples – Walls
      • Rosetta Grand Ledge Wall Stone – Material Examples
      • Rosetta Outcropping Wall Stone – Material Examples
      • Rosetta Kodah Wall – Material Examples
      • Stone Veneer Walls – Material Examples
    • Material Examples – Patios
      • Full Color Natural Cleft Dimensional Bluestone – Material Examples
      • True Blue Thermal Cut Bluestone – Material Examples
      • Irregular Bluestone – Material Examples
      • Mirage Porcelain Tiles – Material Examples
    • Material Examples – Walkways
      • Full Color Natural Cleft Dimensional Bluestone – Material Examples
      • True Blue Thermal Cut Bluestone – Material Examples
      • Irregular Bluestone – Material Examples
    • Material Examples – Steps
      • Thermal Cut Bluestone Steps – Material Examples
      • Other Bluestone Steps – Material Examples
      • Kennedy Concrete Steps – Material Examples
      • Belgard Landing Steps – Material Examples
      • Rosetta Steps – Material Examples
  • About
    • Team
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • | Call: (845) 658-9148

Building a Landscape Budget – “But What Will it Cost?”

March 2, 2016 By Elle Riccardi

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

“But what will it Cost?”

That’s probably the most frequently asked question in the industry. We’d love to answer it for you – really, we would. But, it’s not that simple.

Multi-image display of home landscaping.
A landscape in Highland, NY. The property features a tiered retaining wall, patio, outdoor kitchen area with a grill, a fire pit with gas insert, a man-made water wall and outdoor lighting.

Landscapes are as individual as their owners, meaning they come with unique strengths and pitfalls. So when it comes to cost, no matter how identical one project might look to another, it’s going to differ in cost. What makes that difference can’t be determined until someone with professional know-how has seen your site and knows what you want.

Why? Again, a tricky question. Most of the differences are going on behind-the-scenes. Two patios may look the same, but what goes on underneath to ensure stability and longevity will differ based on soil composition, surrounding landscape grades, existing drainage systems, and myriad other things.

So, if we can’t tell you how much it’s going to cost, why are you here? While we can’t give you a number, we can offer some insight into breaking down a landscaping budget. We put together this guide based on our experience writing estimates and proposals for the past 15 years. While there’s no exact science to it, we hope this can give you a solid start on tackling that first big obstacle between you and having the backyard you want.

    1. Fees and Permits – Up to 5%. Doing your homework before you get started on your project is important. Sure, researching local building regulations might sound like a snooze fest, but if you keep them in mind while putting a budget together, you’ll avoid spending extra money later.
    2. Earthwork and Drainage – 30%. Lay a good foundation – literally. Well-constructed hardscape never sits directly on soil or earth; it requires some kind of base material, usually a variation of gravel. And if you really want something to last, it’s a good idea to look at drainage options, whether it’s fixing what you already have or installing something new.
    3. Hardscape – 35%. Here’s where things start to get fun and flexible. There are so many options for pavers, wall stone, and kits for other features that it’s really a matter of figuring out what you want, and finding the product that fits. Traditional materials like bluestone or natural boulders can be pricey, but there are plenty of manufactured options out there that offer the same natural aesthetic with increased durability and building options. Sometimes you might find you want a combination of products – and that’s no problem!
Bluestone patio and precast stone wall.
This project in High Falls, NY, features a design blending the natural blue stone patio with pre-cast concrete wall stone by Rosetta. It’s a great example of mixing materials to save money!

This is also a great opportunity to work with your contractor. An industry professional will know the pros and cons of any material they’ve worked with, so they can offer insight that won’t be available in catalogs or brochures.

  1. Plantings, Lighting, and Amenities – 20-25%. This will probably be the most flexible part of your budget. While items like these may not seem essential, they will impact how much enjoyment you get out of your landscape. Want that new patio to last into the fall? You might want to consider making room in your budget for a fire pit. Love an evening barbecue, but hate those store-bought tiki torches and citronella candles? Lighting is always something we recommend not just for enjoyment, but for safety and security as well.
  2. Finishing – 5-15%. You’ve seen a construction site – not a pretty picture. After your project has been completed, your contractor will have to clean up any disturbed areas. Regrading, filling in low spots and planting new grass doesn’t just give your yard a finished look, it’s also required by the New York State Department of Conservation.This is also where you want to start thinking about things like furniture and decoration. What’s a patio without a table and chairs, or a pergola without twinkle lights? Little things like this really make the space yours, so we recommend working these things into your budget up front.
Landscaping budget pie chart.
A sample breakdown of a landscaping project budget.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Remember that a budget is flexible, and it evolves just like your project does. And you can always get some friendly advice on the subject – just drop us a line.

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

Filed Under: Hardscape Construction, Landscaping, Landscaping Resources, Stormwater Management Tagged With: landscaping, outdoor living

Primary Sidebar

Thanks for stopping by the blog …

Mark Masseo discussing landscaping services in New Paltz.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch.

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Natural Stone, Precast Concrete and Porcelain, what should I use?
  • How Landscape can Increase the Value of your Home
  • Landscape Designs without the Frustration of Grass
  • Landscape Lighting: A Beautiful Detail, Often Forgotten
  • Nine Easy Landscape Ideas to Revamp your Yard this Summer
  • Brookshire Wall by Belgard: Product Spotlight
  • Surface Drainage and a New Basement Entry in Gardiner, NY: Case Study

Serving The New Paltz Area

Contact Info

Masseo Landscape Inc.
801 Route 32
Tillson, NY 12486

Phone: (845) 658-9148

Connect With Us

Home | Landscaping | Maintenance |Drainage | Our Work | About | Blog | Contact



Copyright © 2025 Masseo Landscape Inc. | Site: Venturi Web Design