Average Garden Landscaping Cost: $2000 to $3000
Most homeowners spend between $1,809 and $6,901 on garden landscaping projects. Custom features, intricate designs, and extensive landscaping can drive costs to $10k or more.
In Canada, the different seasons and how the weather can vary from place to place make it harder or easier when you’re planning your garden. Whether you're in British Columbia, basking in a milder climate, living through the dryness of the Prairies, or dealing with the big changes of weather in Eastern Canada, having a planned outdoor space can make your yard look nice and help it work well for everyday life.
But before jumping right into a big landscaping project, you should know about how much it might cost, starting with the initial planning and going all the way to construction and any upkeep that comes after. In this helpful guide, we’ll look at what you can expect to spend when planning your gardens, what affects the price, and some good ways to keep your costs in check.
Landscaping costs can be pretty different based on how big your yard is, what type of work you need done, where you live, and how complicated your design plans are. For Canadian homeowners, most landscaping jobs usually cost somewhere between $5,000 and $30,000, but if you want something bigger or more expensive, they can add up to $50,000 or even $100,000.
Here’s a general look at how much money you might spend depending on the size and scope of the project:
The lower end of the scale might include things like putting in a lawn, planting flower beds, or putting down some mulch, but a bigger budget could get you stone patios, irrigation systems, lights for the yard, water features, an outdoor kitchen, or even tall walls to help separate the yard.
A successful landscaping project starts with a plan. Engaging a professional landscape designer or architect can make things quicker and simpler and help you avoid making mistakes that could end up costing you more. Their job is to check out your home, listen to what you want, and then make a clear plan or 3D drawing of how everything will look once the project is done.
The cost of the final design will depend on aspects like the size of your property, the difficulty of the terrain, and how detailed you want everything to be. Paying a little more than average is expected in provinces like Ontario or British Columbia.
In addition to basic plant arrangement, a flawless design can incorporate sloping the site, choosing hardscaping elements, planning lighting, including features like water fountains, and suggesting eco-friendly ideas.
Grass, plants, trees, and the soil are considered part of your garden’s softscaping. Even though this is a simple idea, costs increase quickly as the number and maturity of crops increase.
One reason for using sod is its quick results, while you will save money using seed, but it takes more time to show results. While artificial turf is the costliest type, it requires less maintenance and so saves you money over the years.
You can usually buy native plants at a lower price, and they do not need much upkeep.
Hardscaping elements often cost more than any other part of landscaping. These include things like patios, walkways, decks, fences, retaining walls, and other features made to help make your yard more useful and pleasant.
Walkways and paved areas can be anything from a basic gravel path to a lovely design made with stones. Labour, digging the site, and getting the base ready all add to the cost of your escape room.
Fencing prices can change depending on what kind of materials you use, how tall you want it, and what type of look you want. For modern looks, a lot of people in Canada put up horizontal slats or use decorative metal fences.
Retaining walls are often needed on sloping lands, and they help keep the ground in place while also adding a nice look to the property. Engineering and drainage considerations can also make the house more expensive to build.
Canada's different weather means that farmers often need to use irrigation and drainage to help their crops grow, especially in places where it's dry in summer or there is a lot of rain.
Poor drainage can harm your house's foundations and ruin your plants, which is why taking care of water is such a key thing to do when you're improving your landscape.
If you want to add elegance or entertainment to your garden, it’s possible to have almost anything you can imagine.
These features make your outdoor space nicer and more fun to use, but they also make the project much more expensive, especially if you need to add in things like electricity or gas to the area.
A beautifully designed garden must be looked after regularly. While doing the work yourself is an option, most Canadians prefer to work with landscaping companies on a regular or seasonal basis.
A lot of companies bundled mowing, caring for gardens, and getting ready for seasonal changes. The average rent for a mid-sized home is between $150 and $300 each month.
Before you can start planting, laying down paths, or putting up buildings, the area might need some work, like leveling out the ground, getting rid of weeds, or cleaning up any trash. This situation applies mainly to old buildings, land with uneven ground, or properties that already have obstacles that must be taken out.
If you want to get rid of large tree stumps, grinding them can cost somewhere between $300 and $800, and the price mostly depends on how tough the roots are to get to. Levelling a sloped site or fixing the drainage might need more earth-moving work done, which can make the construction much more expensive.
In many Canadian towns, you might need to get permission from the local government or get them to check your work if you’re adding things like new pathways, making changes to the water flow, building a retaining wall, or putting up an outdoor structure.
How much you spend on landscaping depends a lot on your city or region in Canada. Here’s a quick regional snapshot:
Landscaping improves your lifestyle and is still valuable years later. According to some real estate experts, adding professional landscaping to your yard can help increase how much your house is worth by 15% or more, especially if you make your backyard a nice place to relax and spend time.
Landscaping your garden can make a big difference to your home. But it can also cost a bit of money. Whether you’re working with a small $5,000 budget or planning a big $100,000 renovation, it’s important to know what things like design, getting ready, buying materials, and hiring labour will cost, so you can get the most value for your spending.
From the time you plan the installation till you maintain the project, every detail has both a cost and a benefit for your home and your life. With proper planning, a real budget, and a good contractor, you can turn your perfect outdoor space into something you enjoy for many years through all the different seasons.
Costs of various services and materials in this cost guide should be taken as estimates. These depend on location, preference and demands in the market.
