How much to charge for landscaping
Landscaping spans one-time design and installs (priced per project) and ongoing maintenance (priced per visit or monthly). The install is the big ticket; the maintenance contract is the recurring income, so try to win both.
You should charge
$2,950
per project · typical $500–$15,000
Why this number. Charge a separate design fee before the install, and credit it toward the work if they proceed. It pays you for the planning that clients otherwise expect for free, and filters the ones who were only collecting ideas.
Typical landscaping prices
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Yard cleanup | $200 – $600 |
| Garden bed design & install | $500 – $3,000 |
| Full landscape redesign & install | $5,000 – $20,000 |
Also common: Ongoing maintenance is usually $100-$300 per visit or sold as a monthly contract.
What changes the price
- Yard size and terrain
- Scope: cleanup, planting, full redesign, hardscaping
- Materials and plants
- Equipment and crew time
The pricing move most people miss
Charge a separate design fee before the install, and credit it toward the work if they proceed. It pays you for the planning that clients otherwise expect for free, and filters the ones who were only collecting ideas.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for landscaping?+
Most landscaping is priced $500–$15,000 per project, with a typical rate around $3,000 per project. Where you land inside that range comes down mainly to yard size and terrain and scope: cleanup, planting, full redesign, hardscaping. Use the range as your anchor, then adjust up for experience, strong demand, and a higher cost-of-living area.
Should I charge per job or by the hour for landscaping?+
Most landscaping is priced per job, and that is the stronger model. It pays you for the result rather than the clock, and clients far prefer one fixed number they can plan around. Estimate the hours a job takes, multiply by the hourly rate you want, then add a 15-25% buffer for the jobs that run long. Ongoing maintenance is usually $100-$300 per visit or sold as a monthly contract.
How much should I charge for landscaping as a beginner?+
Starting out, price near the lower end of the range, roughly $500 to $3,000 per project. Resist going below that to win work: a price that is too low attracts price-shoppers, signals low quality, and is hard to raise later. Once you have a few happy clients and reviews, move toward $15,000.
What affects how much landscaping costs?+
The biggest factors are yard size and terrain; scope: cleanup, planting, full redesign, hardscaping; materials and plants; equipment and crew time. Two jobs that look alike can price very differently once these are accounted for, which is why a quick walkthrough or a few questions before quoting protects your rate.
How do I quote landscaping so the client says yes?+
Charge a separate design fee before the install, and credit it toward the work if they proceed. It pays you for the planning that clients otherwise expect for free, and filters the ones who were only collecting ideas. Put the quote in writing with exactly what is included, state the price once without apologizing for it, and give one clear next step. A confident, well-structured quote wins jobs at a higher price than a vague one at a lower price.