Quick Answer
Residential lawn mowing runs $30-$70 per visit. A fertilization and weed-control program runs $300-$600 per year. A custom landscape design from a degreed designer runs $1,500-$8,000. A paver patio installed correctly is $15-$45 per square foot. A residential irrigation system is $3,000-$8,000. Tree removal is $400-$2,500 per tree depending on size and access. Every range below comes from actual line items on actual bids — not a national average.
Detailed Guide
Why "national average" numbers are useless
The single most repeated number in landscaping content is "$3,000 to $15,000 national average," which covers nothing useful. A spring cleanup in a 2,000 sq ft suburban Phoenix yard is not the same job as installing 320 feet of French drain in a Boston basement-flooding situation. Spend the next 10 minutes reading the line-item ranges below for the actual service you need, in the actual region you live in, and you will have a defensible budget number for the conversation with your partner.
Recurring lawn care
Mowing — $30-$70 per visit. Lot size and frequency drive the number. A standard quarter-acre suburban lot runs $35-$50 per visit on a weekly schedule April through October. Add $10-$15 per visit for trimming around 8+ obstacles (trees, beds, fence posts). Bi-weekly service runs higher per visit ($45-$70) because the grass is taller and takes longer.
Fertilization and weed control program — $300-$600 per year. A standard 6-application program (early spring pre-emergent, late spring weed control, summer grub control, early fall fertilizer, late fall winterizer, dormant feed) on a 5,000-7,000 sq ft lawn. Pre-emergent (a herbicide applied before crabgrass germinates — typically when soil temps approach 55°F) is the most valuable single application. Skip it and you pay for post-emergent weed control all summer.
Aeration and overseeding — $200-$500 per visit. Core aeration (pulling 2-3 inch soil plugs) plus a 4-7 lb per 1,000 sq ft overseed of a regionally appropriate grass. Cool-season turf (Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass) aerates in early fall. Warm-season turf (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine) aerates in late spring after green-up.
Mulch refresh — $75-$120 per cubic yard installed. One cubic yard covers about 100 sq ft at 3 inches deep. A typical 1,500 sq ft of bed area in front and side yards takes 4-6 cubic yards annually — $300-$720.
Spring cleanup — $200-$600 flat rate. Bed cutback, dethatching, debris haul, pre-mulch prep.
Fall cleanup — $250-$700 flat rate. Leaf removal (multiple passes through November in deciduous regions), perennial cutdown, bed prep for winter, gutter cleanout often add-on.
Project work
Landscape design — $1,500-$8,000. A schematic plan from an APLD-certified designer (Association of Professional Landscape Designers — a credential earned through portfolio review and exam) runs $1,500-$4,000 for a residential property. A full set from a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA — state-licensed, required for stamped plans where permits demand them) runs $3,500-$8,000 and includes grading, drainage, and irrigation plans. Most design fees credit 50-100% toward installation if you hire the same firm to build.
Paver patio — $15-$45 per square foot installed. The range reflects real installation quality, not branding. The low end ($15-$22/sf) is a basic concrete paver on 4 inches of base. The mid range ($22-$32/sf) is a premium paver (Belgard, Unilock, Techo-Bloc), 6-8 inches of compacted base, polymeric sand joints, edge restraint, and ICPI-certified (Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute) installation. The high end ($32-$45/sf) is natural stone, complex patterns, multiple elevation changes, or built-in features.
Retaining wall — $25-$65 per face foot. Face foot = wall height x wall length. A 3-foot tall, 30-foot long wall is 90 face feet. Segmental retaining wall (SRW) block under 4 feet does not require engineering in most jurisdictions; over 4 feet typically requires a stamped engineering drawing and a permit, adding $800-$2,500. Natural stone walls run $50-$100+ per face foot.
Residential irrigation system — $3,000-$8,000. A 5-7 zone system on a quarter-acre lot with rotors for turf zones, MP rotators for mixed beds, and drip line for shrub beds. Smart controller (Rachio, Hunter Hydrawise) adds $250-$450. Backflow preventer install (required by code on any system tied to potable water) adds $300-$600. Texas, Florida, and several other states require a licensed irrigator to install — DIY install in those states can trigger fines and force a tear-out.
Tree removal — $400-$2,500 per tree. Small tree under 30 feet, open access — $400-$700. Medium tree 30-60 feet, moderate access — $800-$1,500. Large tree over 60 feet, tight access or near structures — $1,500-$2,500+. Stump grinding adds $100-$400. ISA-certified arborist (International Society of Arboriculture — the credential for tree work) is the right call for any tree near a structure, power line, or property line. Crane removal on a hazard tree can run $3,000-$8,000.
Sod installation — $1.50-$3.50 per square foot installed. Cool-season blends (Tall Fescue, KBG mix) on the low end. St. Augustine and Zoysia on the high end because the sod itself costs more. Includes site prep, soil amendment, sod delivery and install, and starter fertilizer.
Landscape lighting — $200-$400 per fixture installed. Low-voltage LED with a 300W or 600W transformer, 12-gauge direct-burial wire, brass or composite fixtures. A typical 8-12 fixture install runs $1,800-$4,500 including transformer and timer.
French drain — $30-$80 per linear foot installed. 4-inch perforated pipe in a gravel-filled trench wrapped in filter fabric. Cost depends on depth, soil type (rocky soil doubles labor), and outlet method (daylight, dry well, or sump pump).
Regional cost variation
Sun Belt (Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Tampa) — baseline to -10%. Lower labor cost, year-round work, abundant local material suppliers, no winter shutdown. Watering restrictions in some metros (Las Vegas Valley Water District turf-removal rebates pay $3/sf to take out grass) shift demand toward xeriscape and drip irrigation.
Northeast (Boston, NYC metro, Philadelphia, DC) — baseline +20% to +40%. Higher labor, 6-month season, permit overhead in dense suburbs, frost-line requirements (footings to 42-48 inches in MA, NY, PA) drive hardscape cost. Tree removal trends $200-$500 higher per tree because of property density.
Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland) — baseline +10% to +25%. Drainage and moss-management work commands a premium. Hardscape contractors require pressure-washing and sealing programs that don't exist in dry climates. Rain-garden installs are common ($1,200-$4,000).
Midwest (Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Indianapolis) — baseline to +10%. Strong frost-line requirements (42-48 inches), but lower labor rates than the coasts. Snow plowing as a winter add-on for many landscape companies — $300-$800 per season residential.
Mountain West (Denver, Salt Lake City, Boise) — baseline +5% to +15%. Xeriscape demand high. Hail damage to plants and irrigation drives repair work. Short installation window (May-October) compresses contractor schedules.
Southeast (Charlotte, Nashville, Raleigh) — baseline -5% to baseline. Long season, lower labor, strong landscape contractor density. Bermuda and Zoysia turf programs run $250-$500 per year on standard lots.
How to build a defensible budget for the partner conversation
A budget that survives the partner conversation is itemized, not lumped. List the actual scope:
- Recurring annual cost — mowing weeks x rate, plus the fertilization program, plus mulch refresh, plus spring and fall cleanup. This is the number that recurs every year.
- One-time project cost — design fee, hardscape sq ft x rate, irrigation zones x zone cost, plant material allowance, lighting fixture count x rate. This is the year-one capital.
- Contingency — 10-15% of project cost for change orders, plant substitution, and discovery (rocks, old foundations, broken irrigation lines from a previous owner).
- Permits and inspection fees — call your municipality before assuming zero.
A defensible number looks like: "$420 annual recurring + $8,400 project + $1,260 contingency + $180 permit = $10,260 year one, $420 thereafter." That is a number you can both look at.
When to Hire a Pro
Hire a pro when the line item is hardscape over 100 sq ft, irrigation tied to potable water, tree work near structures or power lines, grading that changes drainage, or any work requiring a permit. The reason is liability and permanence: a settling patio rebuilt at year two costs more than installing it right at year zero; an irrigation backflow failure can contaminate the municipal water supply and trigger fines plus a forced tear-out; an unpermitted retaining wall over 4 feet can fail an inspection at sale and become a closing-table problem. Recurring lawn care, mulching, seasonal cleanup, and small planting jobs (under 10 plants, no irrigation tie-in) are the work most homeowners can DIY if they want to. Everything that requires a license to undo, hire out.
Related Reading
- How to Choose a Landscaper — license verification, contracts, red flags
- How to Plan a Landscape Design — the 5 phases before the first bid
- How to Find a Local Landscaper — every search channel ranked
- Yard Cleanup Services: What's Included and What It Costs
- Lawn care guides by state — region-specific timing and pricing