Costs to landscape a backyard ?

[gsethi]

We are looking to buy a house and saw couple of houses with no landscaping/backyard etc.

The backyard is ~2500-3000 sq ft. I was wondering if someone can give any rough calculations as to how much it would cost ?

Looking at Cemented and grass (with sprinklers) (or perhaps cement and grass mix)...other suggestions ?

EDIT: House info:
Lot Size: ~10k sq ft (~0.25 acres)
House Size: ~3500 sq ft
Back Yard size: ~2500-3000 sq ft (~60-70ft wide x 40-50ft depth - havnt measured exactly..just a guess by looking)

This is in SF Bay Area, California (House cost will be ~600k-700k range) (These houses sold for ~900-1mil+ few years ago)

Basically, I am looking at houses and putting offers. Today, I saw a house that I like inside but has no landscaping done in the backyard, so I wanted to get a rough estimate for the landscaping cost so that I can make my offer according. My initial rough estimate was ~10k for the backyard (concrete + grass w/ sprinklers).

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: gsethi
We are looking to buy a house and saw couple of houses with no landscaping/backyard etc.

The backyard is ~2500-3000 sq ft. I was wondering if someone can give any rough calculations as to how much it would cost ?

Looking at Cemented and grass (with sprinklers) (or perhaps cement and grass mix)...other suggestions ?

I think that it will vary wildly depending on where you live.

Here in northeast Ohio, I was quoted $2400 last year to completely redo my suburban-sized yard (on a 70 x 140 lot). It included re-grading, a nice new 2" layer of topsoil, and new grass, but no sprinklers or any other additions.

 

[Chaotic42]

2500ft²? Do you mean 25000?

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
2500ft²? Do you mean 25000?

If his profile is right, he either meant 2,500 square feet or he's super filthy rich. Land's expensive here. My lot is 3,600 square feet total, for example.

 

[DrPizza]

I'll narrow it down for you: somewhere between $100 (lots of work to do yourself) to $10,000 or more. In your area, I wouldn't even know where to begin looking for materials, or what their costs would be.


Then again, it's only 2500 square feet; that's not enough to call it "lots of work."

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Then again, it's only 2500 square feet; that's not enough to call it "lots of work."

I don't know about that-- after looking at your brick paver patio thread I would think if he decided to make the whole backyard a brick patio I would call it "lots of work".

I was all set to lay down a brick patio myself until I cam across that thread-- all I can say is you are a better (and more patient) man than I. Now I'm just gonna grab some lumber and build a wood deck instead.

:thumbsup:

 

[Slew Foot]

Simple concrete grass and sprinklers should run a few thousand in your area depending on how desperate contractors are for work and how many illegal Mexicans are willing to work cheap.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: Dirigible

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
2500ft²? Do you mean 25000?

If his profile is right, he either meant 2,500 square feet or he's super filthy rich. Land's expensive here. My lot is 3,600 square feet total, for example.

It is more than possible for a person to have 1/2 acre lot, however it would be expensive in a city.

The OP wouldn't ask how much it cost to landscape if he is rich that have 1/2 acre back yard.


3000 sqf isn't that large, and it depends on what type of features you are looking for. Water features are expensive, and grass is the most inexpensive.

Materials for a sprinkler system cost less than $500.00, 3-4 inch top soil/sand mix (30 cubic yards) would cost around $1000.00 (pending your local price & delivery fees), grass seeds would cost around $50.00.

With some elbow grease you should be able to have a lawn & a few plants for less than $2000.00.

Paving stone & concrete work can increase the cost dramatically. However, you should be able to keep the total cost of the lawn, garden, and patio to around $3000.00 if you do your own work.

[add]I don't know the price of sod (doesn?t need top soil), but if you have decent soil it wouldn't hurt at looking into sod for instantaneous gratification .

Good luck.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Keep in mind....if you grow grass, it will be the easiest to maintain. (meaning weed & feed + reseed + mow every 5 days)

The more stuff you add to that, the more expensive it will cost. I would look at maintenance costs and work required to maintain the look as major factors. You can put in retaining walls, and shrubs, etc. as low-maintnance features.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Just blacktop the whole yard. Easy maintenance.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Just blacktop the whole yard. Easy maintenance.

Gravel would be cheaper and low maintenance, same as let the damned thing grow wild.

 

[djheater]

I know I'll be thought crazy but consider that you could over a couple of years transform the yard with permeable pavers and native species.

There are likely people in your area that specialize in this (if you don't want to do it yourself), and it can be done to beautiful effect.

The benefits of native species is that they are adapted to your environment and therefore require little to no maintenance or watering. Permeable pavers (like bricks in sand) alow water into the surface and therefore preserve for the plantings.

 

[gsethi]

Updated house info

 

[MagicConch]

It can vary a lot depending on what you want to do. I have a lot about the same size & paid about $60k (whole yard) but there were some other things they put in besides concrete & grass. If that is all you want, you can probably just get a concrete guy to do the concrete and have some landscaper put in the watering system and sod.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: QED

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Then again, it's only 2500 square feet; that's not enough to call it "lots of work."

I don't know about that-- after looking at your brick paver patio thread I would think if he decided to make the whole backyard a brick patio I would call it "lots of work".

I was all set to lay down a brick patio myself until I cam across that thread-- all I can say is you are a better (and more patient) man than I. Now I'm just gonna grab some lumber and build a wood deck instead.

:thumbsup:

A lesson I've learned. Even with a couple of spotlights, don't even bother trying to lay bricks at night. I went out this morning to inspect my fine work and noticed that I'd have to pull out about 25 bricks because 5 weren't quite right.

lmao, I figured "about 15 seconds per brick." I didn't factor in the time to load 100 bricks onto the trailer, drive around to the back of the house, unload the bricks... And, I especially didn't think it would take me well over an hour just to level an 8x8 area.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Just blacktop the whole yard. Easy maintenance.

And then I'd have somewhere to park all my cars...

 

[Gothgar]

what is this thing "concrete grass" everyone keeps talking about, sounds.... stabby