We all think about investing in landscaping at some point in life. It makes your home more vibrant, attractive and comfortable. It is also an excellent way of raising its value if you intend to sell it in the future.
You also don’t need to worry about the outcome because there will always be a company with exceptional landscaping prices in Calgary to give you the exact look you’re looking for. This guide will help you understand how the figures came to be based on your ideal project and the determining factors.
Let’s first look at some of the most common landscaping projects.
Different Landscaping Projects
The word landscaping is quite broad, and it covers a variety of projects. You can hire a landscaper to do different things like building a deck, planting flowers, creating a wall or any other task.
In simple terms, any project in your mind that makes your yard look better or more attractive by adjusting the existing design is defined as landscaping. Some landscaping projects for your home include:
- Planting flowers, trees or other plants of your choice
- Planting grass or maintaining the present lawn
- Installing a walkway out of stones
- Building wooden structures like gazebos or decks
- Designing the layout of your yard
- Adding lighting or water features
- Installing a sprinkler system
The Estimated Landscaping Prices
Like insurance costs, the cost of landscaping in Calgary is different for each home, but experts estimate that you’re likely to spend between $1,809 and $6,901 for your project. Some homeowners report spending over $17,204 for an entire landscaping overhaul.
How much you pay depends on a few factors about your home. In most cases, you’ll need to look at your yard’s size, both front and back and the specific landscaping project you want to work on. A good rule of thumb is to set aside about 5% to 10% of your home’s total value for your landscaping project.
Let’s now discuss these factors more extensively.
Factors Affecting Landscaping Prices in Calgary
Even if your home design, size, and structure are similar to your neighbour’s, don’t expect to pay exactly what they paid, even if you are taking on the same project. Always keep in mind that there will be factors affecting the total price of the project.
Sometimes it could be the minor details like the difference in what you are planting, level of maintenance, type and design of lights, stones or other features. That’s why it’s always a prudent idea to get quotes from multiple companies before settling down on a specific company.
The Space Available
Size is a significant factor when it comes to prices. Typically, the bigger the space, the higher the costs. For instance, it will cost you somewhere between $500 to $900 for a project on a 1,000 square foot. Double or triple that based on the square feet you need landscaping.
The Type, Size, and Design of Features to Be Added
Large and complex projects such as installing massive structures like swimming pools may attract additional costs for hiring both a landscaping architect and a landscaper. Both professionals will charge you separately, which can easily hike the prices. However, simple projects like lawns may not cost you much, even if you have a large space. However, they do require lots of water and careful maintenance, particularly at the beginning.
The Plants and Materials
Be sure to have an idea of the plants, trees, or flowers you need planting for. Let your landscaper know if you want a garden to grow yourself or you want the company to plant the flowers themselves.
The type of plantation you need and the amount vary by price. The amount of square footage to be worked on also determines the overall costs. Fortunately, landscapers charge roughly 30 cents to 80 cents per square foot. That would translate to $420 to $1,200 for a 1,000 square foot.
Water Availability and Irrigation
A big part of your landscaping project will involve using water. Whether you’re installing a water feature, planting flowers, or building a swimming pool, you’ll need to seriously budget for water before you start growing or planning which plants will go where think about how you will water them.
Remember, an irrigation system needs a whole new budget as it can be costly. Be sure to ask your landscaper about your options, and you might find that hiring one can be cheaper than actually buying one.
The Cost of Hiring a Designer vs Architect Vs Landscaper
Your type of project also determines the landscaping professional you’re going to hire to get the job done right. You can choose to work with a landscaper, an architect or a designer. In most cases, you will need to use one or two depending on what you want to achieve, as every professional handles a different part of the project.
The Cost of Hiring an Architect Landscaper
The landscaping architect provides the construction drawings and works closely with engineers, Surveyors and contractors as they mainly work on large-scale projects like schools, public parks and shopping centers. You will need an architect landscaper if you have a complex project like installing a pool to create the initial design and construction.
Landscape architects are costly to hire as they only work on large and more complex projects. Fees vary based on experience. For instance, an intern will charge $60 to $104 per hour while a firm or principal will charge $195 to $300 per hour.
The Cost of Hiring a Designer Landscaper
A designer landscaper does not require to work with other parties like engineers and surveyors. Instead, they work with the landscaper and provide the design plans based on what you had envisioned. They typically handle small-scale residential landscaping projects. They do not do any actual landscaping work but can recommend who to hire for the physical work. A landscaper will charge between $65 to $195 an hour.
The Cost of Hiring a Landscaper
The landscaper is the contractor who will handle all the physical work planned out by the designer. They will plant and maintain plants, flowers or trees that are part of your landscape. They also take care of your lawn, design and install outdoor features like gazebos and other large projects like walkways and water features. Landscapers are not paid on an hourly basis but per square foot.
The more space they work on, the higher the cost. Different companies charge different rates per square foot, so it’s always wise to inquire from multiple companies before choosing. You can expect to spend anywhere between $1,600 to $8,168 on hiring a landscaper.
Final Thoughts
Landscaping is not a simple project. It requires proper planning and lots of research. Now that you understand better about various costs from different landscaping projects to which professional to hire, the next part is to find the right professional for your landscaping project. You can rest comfortably and focus on other things that matter to you more, knowing that you have the right people at work.
