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How to Develop a Budget for Your Landscape Project
by Tom Stephens, Landscape Architect of
Your Landscape Solutions |
HOW TO GET STARTED BUDGETING
How to determine a realistic budget for a landscape project is one of the most difficult
challenges facing homeowners when they first decide to landscape a new home or to renovate
an existing home landscape. Over 95% of my clients and students have
no idea about how to begin to develop a budget for their
landscape projects.When you decide to landscape your home or
business, or a public space, where do you look for price and
cost comparison information to help you develop your landscape
budget? There is no such thing as a price tag on a
landscape project as you would find on a car, TV,
computer or any other large consumer-type purchase. To determine
budgets for residential landscaping projects I recommend two
general rules of thumb:
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THE PERCENTAGE METHOD
First, is to allow 10 to 15% of the current value (not cost) of your house and
property for the general landscaping needs of a project. Included would be a small entrance walk and patio (about 400 square feet each); grading and soil
preparation for lawns and planting beds; planting of shade,
evergreen, and ornamental trees, deciduous and evergreen shrubs,
ornamental grasses, flowers, and ground covers; installation of
organic
mulches for plant beds; sodding or seeding of lawn areas; and a basic, but efficient
drip-type
irrigation system. Not included would be major construction or hardscape elements such
as fencing, decks and pergolas, spas or hot tubs, swimming or ornamental pools and
waterfalls, play structures, major retaining or screen walls, lighting, and other amenities that are
nice, but are not essential to enjoyable outdoor living. |
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THE SQUARE FOOTAGE METHOD
The second method is to determine the total square
footage of the property or site (from a plot plan, an on-site survey). By deducting the
footprint or ground floor area of the house and the hard surfaces areas such as the
existing drives, walks, and patios, you can then determine the total area available for
landscaping. Then apply a range of $4.34 to $5.95+/- per square foot, depending on
the complexity of your project, to determine the budget range for a landscape
project. See the accompanying chart for average dollar figures
and percentage of the total costs/budgets for five basic
landscape operations. |
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COSTS STUDIES OF 100 PROJECTS
These average budget range figures were developed in a study we did in 1997-98
and updated in early 2005 of over 100
randomly selected residential projects we had completed for our clients since 1989. These
projects were made up of both new and renovation projects, ranging from a small deck and
patio project of less than 1,000 sq.ft. in Ken Caryl Ranch (Photo A)
to a large single family residence and home/office on a 77+ acre ranch in Aspen (Photo B), and with an almost equal representation of contractor and
do-it-yourself projects. For this study we did the estimates in
1007-98 and 2004 contractor installed dollars. We have
found that do-it-yourself projects can be done for between
45-55% of these figures. |
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| The average size residential project in the
study was 19,600 sq.ft., with a landscape area of 15,680 sq.ft. (80%). The total average
costs per square foot was $4.34 to $17.83 for contractor installed projects and $4.94
to $19.53 for
professionally designed and coordinated and contractor installed projects. The average
costs for a do-it-yourself project in the study was $2.20 to $9.77 per sq.ft.
These cost figures will change depending on inflation and your
local economy. Many of
these projects were completed in as many as five or six phases and over as much as ten
years. Less than 1% of the projects were completed in only
one phase. Several were done as a combination of contractor and
do-it-yourself completed landscapes.
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LANDSCAPING ADDS VALUE
In a 1986 Gallup survey on landscaping it was discovered that new home buyers and buyers
of previously owned homes estimated that landscaping, on the average, added 14.87% to the
value or selling price of their home.
In another Gallup survey in 1995, it was stated that since 1993, more than 20 million
U.S. households have spent over $14 billion annually on professional landscape, lawn care,
and tree care services. Total homeowner spending in the professional landscape
installation and construction services category showed the largest increase, rising by 5%
to $6.2 billion. Annual projections for 2005 are for $67 billion. Landscape installation and construction also saw the largest increase in
the average amount spent by homeowners, rising 40% to an average of $4,173 per household
per year. Factors that influence this growth include: increasing
homeowner focus on the outdoor living spaces as a target for home
improvement, less available time for homeowners to spend on establishment
and maintenance of their landscape projects, and a growing awareness of the
environmental benefits of well-designed landscape and the need to design,
install, and maintain them with a high-level of environmental sensitivity. |
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LANDSCAPING BRINGS BENEFITS
Landscaping your home brings several economic and environmental benefits. Money
Magazine researchers say landscaping is one of the best home improvements you can
make, with a 100 to 200% recovery value. Unlike many large ticket
purchases; trees,
shrubs, and other landscaping elements appreciate in value over time. Landscaping is an
important aesthetic and economic factor for homeowners while they occupy their home, and
is an important selling point when it comes time to sell it and move to
another home. |
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EXAMPLE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT |
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Lot size 60' x 95' |
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5,700 sf |
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House footprint |
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1,350
sf |
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Hard surfaces |
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503 sf |
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Landscaped Area |
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3,847
sf (67.5%) |
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| CONSTRUCTION
/ HARDSCAPE |
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$2.54/sf
x 5,700 sf |
= |
$14,500 |
| BED
PREPARATION |
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$0.37/sf
x 5,700 sf |
= |
$2,100 |
| PLANTS
& PLANTING |
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$0.82/sf
x 5,700 sf |
= |
$4,700 |
| IRRIGATION |
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$0.36/sf
x 5,700 sf |
= |
$2,100 |
| LIGHTING |
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$0.25/sf
x 5,700 sf |
= |
$1,400 |
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| TOTAL
BUDGET |
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$4.34/sf
x 5,700 sf |
= |
$24,800 |
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| $24,800
(budget for total site area) |
| x 67.5%
(landscaped area) |
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| $16,740
to $24,800 Budget Range |
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| Tom Stephens, Landscape Architect, of Your Landscape Solutions specializes in challenging and unusual
residential, public, commercial, and industrial landscape architectural design,
construction and maintenance co-ordination projects. Since 1964 he has focused on creating
environmentally sensitive and economically efficient landscape projects using natural,
recycled and low maintenance materials and techniques; colorful and eye-catching
multi-seasonal color effects; and low-water use techniques (Xeriscape). Several of his
projects have won awards; have been featured in newspapers, magazines, and on TV; and have
been selected for various garden tours. Contact Tom at 303-797-6700 or on our web site
at www.YourLandscapeSolutions.com. |
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