Q & A
Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.
How much does landscaping cost per square foot?
Thecost of landscapingcan vary widely based on the type of plants you wish to have, the amount of grading required, the condition of the land before work begins, and other factors. Adding in designer or high-end landscaping, as well as hardscaping such as sidewalks, walls, or patios will add to the cost. To find out how much your landscaping will cost,contact landscapers near you.
Is hiring a landscaper worth it?
A landscaper is worth it if you don't want to invest a significant amount of time and effort into planting, trimming, raking, weeding and performing other operations on your garden or yard.Hiring a landscaper to perform regular maintenance in your yards and complete bigger projects is valuable if you’re looking to sell your house. A professional landscaper can make your house more appealing to potential buyers.
Some landscapers may perform maintenance duties — remove leaves, mow lawns, trim trees and shrubs, etc. — but they can also help you bring bigger projects to life. This may include adding a misting system, an outdoor fireplace, water features, artificial turf, a patio and much more.
Start contacting landscapers near you to get free estimates and start planning your project today.
How much does landscaping cost?
Theprice of landscapingvaries widely due to the range of choices that can be made, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $320 and $20,000 for your landscaping work. The national average cost for a landscaping project is $2,600.
Factors like the choice of plants, the amount and type of hardscaping, the square footage of your landscaped area, and the region you live in will have a significant effect on your landscaping cost.
Where can you buy landscaping rocks?
You can shop for landscaping rocks from a variety of different sources. The first option is large chain retail stores specializing in home improvement and gardening. Often, landscaping rocks like slate and other slabs arrive on pallets and are sold in bulk, giving you a great deal. Your local landscaping store also carries rocks, and you may even have a stone or quarry seller nearby who can sell you the rocks you need. When in doubt,contact landscaping companiesnear you to see if they have rocks you can purchase.
What is landscaping?
Landscaping is the intentional placement and maintenance of living plants on an area of land or in your yard. This can include trees, lawn, flowers, bushes and other plant life and often incorporates mulch and other organic matter. The primary purpose of landscaping is to provide beauty to the house or building it surrounds.
Many landscaping companies also offer design, architecture and construction services. For example, they can help you design a yard that incorporates a patio, deck, pool, fire pit, lighting, walkways, retaining walls and more.
How much does landscaping improve home value?
Landscaping your property can boost the value of your home between 5% and 15%, according toBetter Homes & Gardens. They specify that this is the amount of value added when you upgrade the condition of your landscaping from poor to good, though these terms are subjective.
What is landscape design?
Landscaping design refers to the art of analyzing an existing landscape, planning how to transform it through flora and fauna design and working with a client to ensure goals are met. Landscape designers may completely transform an outdoor space or make minor modifications to enhance it. They may also call for grading and the construction of hardscaping surfaces like walkways or patios to add to the enjoyment of the space.
How do you find a good landscape architect?
Hiring a landscape architect is an investment in your home. Landscaping can reduce water bills, improve your home resale value, add to your daily living experience and significantly boost curb appeal. A landscape architect will draw the designs for your new landscape; you’ll want to hire a landscape contractor to carry out the plans. Many companies provide design-build landscaping services, with a company architect creating plans for your vision and the landscape contractor executing the vision. With the proper academic background and licensing, a person can be both landscape architect and landscape contractor. Here are a few tips for finding a great landscape architect:
- Research online portfolios and find several landscape architects whose work interests you.
- Read online reviews of client experiences.
- Research whether the landscape architects you are interested in are currently licensed and in good standing with the licensing board, and check whether any complaints have been issued against them. Each state will have their own searchable database. For example, you can search for California landscape architects via the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs.
- Request bids from your selected landscape architects.
- Hire the one you like the most, taking care to have a clearly written contract outlining scope of work.
For more, check out our tips for smart hiring on Thumbtack.
What does a landscape contractor do?
Landscape contractors work from outdoor architectural or design plans to build and install hardscaping or softscaping for the client, much as a general contractor uses architectural designs to build a house. Landscape contractors are experts in soil drainage, grading, hardscaping (installing concrete paths and retaining wall, building ponds, etc.), and planting. They have heavy equipment such as excavators and tractors to prepare the land as needed.
Some landscape contractors are also landscape architects or landscape designers. The titles can be compared with those in home construction: A building or landscape architect must earn a specialized architecture degree and pass an exam to have a license. A designer — whether an interior designer or a landscape designer — does not usually require a license to work. Landscape contractors are not required by law to work from plans designed by a landscape architect, so you may work directly with the landscape contractor to specify the work you’d like done. The national average cost for large-scale landscaping projects is $10,160. Pricing can vary greatly depending on the project scope, materials and design.
What should you look for when hiring a landscaper?
Landscaping can be costly — though it usually pays off in curb appeal and home resale value — so finding a landscaper who is worth the investment is important. When hiring a landscaper, look for proven success with the type of results you want. For example, if you know you want a drought-tolerant yard, research websites, reviews and portfolios that showcase beautiful drought-tolerant yards that the landscaper has installed. In addition to relevant experience, you’ll want to find a landscape contractor who has good client reviews. Good communication skills are another important quality in a landscape contractor, since everything from plant selection to hardscape installation needs to be discussed and agreed upon. A landscape contractor who is reliable, easy to understand and able to listen to what you want will help make the process seamless and enjoyable.
Reviews for Los Angeles landscapers
Thumbtack Customer
Great job upgrading landscaping at a reasonable price.
Brie P.
This landscaping company completed the project, however there were many delays.
Thumbtack Customer
When requesting a quote San Augustin Landscape went above and beyond by providing a landscape design prototype right away without even requesting one. Pricing was also very competitive. I was very impressed.
Andy S.
Very responsive, worked around our schedule, offers wide range of landscaping needs.
Lily K.
If you're looking for a landscaping company that is reliable, resposive, top quality and easy to work with, J. Valdivia Landscaping is the one. They also use good quality materials at very reasonable price. They send you itemized invoices so there is no price guessing. Highly recommend!
Alex J.
I’m a realestate investor and have worked with many landscapers. Mike is awesome!! Very professional, timely and went above and beyond with recommendations for this rental property landscape project. Very reasonable rates as well. I will use him again and highly recommend him for his services.
Al H.
Arrived on short notice and did an excellent job. Check out DM Landscaping for your next project.
Yesika a.
Hernandez landscape was professional and quality of work excellent. I will be hiring them again for future projects! Thank you.
Thumbtack Customer
I hired J. Valdivia Landscaping for regular yard maintenance, and have been very happy with the results. Highly recommended!
Daniel M.
Complete Gardens was great!They did everything they said they would plus more. They landscaped front and backyard. Eddy and his crew are nice and respectful and even helped me dismantle a old shed we had been wanting to get rid of. He will be maintaining our new landscaping now.I will recommend him to everyone!! Daniel McCabe
Clay G.
I have just finished our first month of service from Carlos and his company Houseface Landscaping. So far everything has been perfectly executed. They are on time on the service days and get the work done with great professionalism. Looking forward to having them continue to care for landscaping and gardening. Highly recommend them.
Matt K.
Martinez landscaping has been excellent. Quick to respond with an on-site estimate and arrived ready to perform work. Professional, responsive, and reliable!
Aishia S.
Manny’s Landscaping completed new sprinklers to existing sprinklers system in front lawn. Punctual and good experience recommend his service.
Betsey K.
I was very happy with Joaquin’s Landscaping. They were prompt in responding and scheduled the maintenance right away. They did a very nice job
Vanessa S.
My garden has never looked this good! What an amazing job he did on landscaping and fixing my sprinkler system! Rare find.
Daniel D.
Even better than expected, I definitely recommend Daniel and Pacific Oasis Garden Landscape. They do a great job and keep me informed of everything.
Daryl R.
Solid, efficient and very personable. This was my first experience with Thumbtack and if Our Community Landscaping is representative of your vendors, I will enthusiastically use your services.
Thumbtack Customer
Juan Valdivia did a fantastic job on a very difficult landscape on our property. We are so pleased and recommend him for any project you have in mind.
Anthony F.
GR Brothers Landscape checks the boxes for professionalism and quality work that exceeded my expectations--my yard is already looking much better! Hire them with confidence!
Sally D.
Art's work is outstanding. I gladly recommend Art to anyone that needs an outstanding landscape job done. Art loves what he does. Thank you Art!
Diane l.
Really happy we chose HouseFace! Hardworking team that has already started to transform our landscaping in just a few weeks of normal maintenance. They are communicative and really nice!
Thumbtack Customer
I would highly recommend David Conde!! He is nothing less than AMAZING!!! My husband & I bought our home and completely renovated, from top to bottom. We also replaced the landscaping around our entire property. We had hired other gardeners to maintain the grounds. Needless to say, they destroyed our landscaping. I found David & asked if he could take a look at our property & meet with our new landscaper, as we had to replace what the last gardener had killed. David was more than willing to talk to our landscaper & offer his advice too. We are so happy with David. If we are not home when David arrives, he calls us in the evening to explain what should be taken care of. He is a perfectionist & I'm grateful we found him. Our yard is finally starting to look beautiful again. He is very reasonable in price & very punctual too.
David B.
George at Monarca is fantastic. Very professional and reliable, with good and creative ideas for solving landscape problems. It took two years but I'm glad we found Monarca through Thumbtack.
Thumbtack Customer
We just hired the Progressive Landscaping for our condo's yards. They are doing a great job! Much better than our previous gardener. We are very happy hiring Progressive.
Claire R.
Incredible service, interaction, and work. I highly recommend their excellence to any yard project or revamp you may have in mind. I can now enjoy the beauty of my landscape!
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