The Hidden Costs of Landscaping

Landscaping, whether doing it yourself, or having a professional company do the work for you, is an expensive and extensive process. Proper planning prior to breaking ground can be the make or break point for any budget, large or small. Take a look at some of the most overlooked costs that are associated with these substantial projects.

Miscommunication

One of the most common budget friendly tools you can utilize to get the most bang for your buck is proper communication. This can be done through a variety of options, but being over prepared will always trump being underprepared. When obtaining quotes in particular, having a clear plan to demonstrate to multiple contractors will make the quoting process more reliable. (Did you know that the cost for a landscaping company to replace a plant that was already planted can be upwards of $250 for labor and materials for just one plant?) Multiplying this by 5 or more and you can see how quickly the costs build up if the plants chosen aren’t what you envisioned. Having a design, sketch, or pictures of exactly what you want before getting quotes done can save you thousands of dollars and hours of headaches prior to ever breaking ground.

Over-Complication

Not everyone is an expert in everything, and sometimes we want things that we weren’t aware of cost extra. When planning to do your landscaping, depending on the scale of the project, it can be important to take a step back and look at the overall project scope. Ask yourself, where can complex shapes and features be eliminated, is the built in seat on the patio worth the extra money or would a free standing bench be sufficient, will the extra money I put into this project ever see a return? Whenever it is applicable, it’s always more budget friendly to utilize simple shapes, basic materials, and try to position the project in a way that eliminates as much work as possible leading up to the landscaping itself. 

Location

Ensure the space available to you is enough to allow the landscaping company to bring in their equipment to speed up the process of completing the work. If the company has to bring in more labor to substitute the lack of equipment, the cost of the project can skyrocket quickly. Make sure to analyze the size of the fence gate, patio door, ceiling height under the patio, trees and rocks that may obstruct the path to the project all have to be taken into consideration to get the most affordable quotes for your project.

All three of these are complementary and they all work together, so as you are planning your next project; Overprepare and make sure you take a walk around your property and think of anything that could hinder the process of your landscaping projects. If you are unsure of any of that, call an expert who can give you some guidance before you make a final decision.