Need help with estimating the cost

20 years ago

Hi,

I moved into my first home about 6 months ago. The houses are pretty close together in my neighborhood. The people who owned my home before me though did a great job with the landscaping. It's easy to keep up and maintain...mowing and the occassional pulling of the weeds, edging..

Since the houses are so close together, I was considering a privacy fence in the backyard. My backyard is natural looking and already looking pretty good. It has Leyland Cypresses along back of backyard and boxwoods lining one side of backyard. My problem is the other side where neighbor house is in full view and right there. His long side porch looks into my backyard and there's many windows on that side too. I decided not to put up a fence but maybe it would look better with a natural fence, i.e. shrubs, bushes, trees. I was thinking maybe a hodge podge of greenery on that side. I also wanted one of the boxwoods that's dead, dug up and replaced and maybe one bed with herbs dug up and replaced with something else. I hate herbs..don't cook. Another thing is perhaps he would plant something in yard where I could hide my trash can so it doesn't sit in front of house. Anyway those are the type things. My yard is only .25 acres. I called a respected nursery here in my town and they will send landscape designer to my house. It cost 50.00 for him to just come out. He's actually supposed to call tomorrow (today is his day off) and I'll learn more about things like does the 50.00 cover some plants if I decide to use him, etc. Anyway, what would something like this cost? I just needed estimate. Yes, I know it's hard without knowing what plants he will use, etc., but what would be lowest and highest. I have no idea what to expect. What do the landscape designers usually charge just for their service alone? Thanks guys.

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Comments (4)

diddlydoo
Original Author
20 years ago
I figured out how to post pics. Here's a few to give you an idea of yard...front and back.

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Brent_In_NoVA
20 years ago
$50 sounds about right for a nursery employed designer to come to your place and give you a few tips. They may do more than that with the idea that they will make money from you purchasing plants from them. Some nurseries have a deal where you can apply design charges toward the cost of plants or installation, but you would have to check.

The pictures are pretty (reminds me that I need to plant some oakleaf hydrangeas) but do they show the area that you want landscaped? How big is the area that you want to have landscaped?

- Brent
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diddlydoo
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks Brent. No, the pics don't really show the area of backyard with house next to me that I'm wanting the bushes/trees. I'm at work and these are only pics I had of my yard on my work computer. I just figured at least it would show how natural it looks more or less. lol Total yard is 1/4 acre so it's a tiny yard. I'm wanting landscape guy to suggest/design and plant everything for me...not just give tips. You think I could get that done for less than 2,000.00? ...all my little odds and ends I want him to work on? I just didn't have anything to compare to to know if his price was about what I'd be looking to pay.

Good to know the 50.00 isn't out of the norm. Thanks!
diddlydoo
Original Author
20 years ago
When I talk to the landscape guy tomorrow on the phone, what type questions should I ask? I'm trying to get a list of what I want to ask him, but have never hired anyone like this before so am clueless pretty much.

I'm in SC. Anyone know about what a good hourly rate would be. I've been reading these forums trying to get as much info as possible. I see where they markup the prices of plants by 15%? That normal? I also see where labor and cost of plants should be about equal?

I know of the nursery this guy works at and it's a respectable place, but know nothing of his work. Am I supposed to ask for references?

I know you guys in here have probably answered these questions a million times, but could you please make it 1,000,001?

Thanks!