Budget Guide
How much will my project cost?
Let’s just get it out of the way now - nobody likes talking about budget at the beginning of a project.
It’s not easy to determine a budget for a new landscape project. Projects come in all shapes and sizes with varying levels of complexity, all of which can affect final price.
That’s why we feel it’s critical to take a deep breath and start every project with a budget goal.
The worst possible outcome is to be unclear on budget and then provide you with a design that won’t work for you.
While we don’t need a precise budget at the beginning, starting with a budget range helps us to give you guidance and recommendations that will keep your project in alignment with your desired budget so that we can create a landscape that’s just right - aesthetically and financially.
We are not those landscape designers who ignore budget and create something that you can’t afford to install! Our process is collaborative, so you have the opportunity to give us feedback before your design is completed, and we take this seriously. While we may not be able to achieve installing everything on your wish list for your desired budget, it is important to us to provide you with the best possible outcome, and the best possible value, for the price.
We recommend that you gather a little bit of information before we meet for the first time. With this information, we can work with you to get the most out of your wish list while sticking to your budget.
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Wish List & Inspirations: What do you want to achieve with your new landscape? What kind of lifestyle do you want to have? What features or elements do you want? Do you love or hate working in the garden? Assemble a Pinterest board or take photos of yards you like around the neighborhood.
Timeline: When do you want your project to be complete? Do you have a firm deadline or is it flexible?
Budget Range: How much do you want to spend to get your dream landscape? How do you want to pay for it, and how do those pieces align? Are you interested in financing, or do you prefer to use savings?
Read through this guide to learn how your wish list items might line up with some of our completed projects. Let us know where you may fit and we can work together to hone in further.
We are confident that we can help to guide you through the process of designing, planning, installing, and caring for your landscape to ensure that you can enjoy it for years to come. We can’t wait to work with you!
Budget Levels Compared
It helps to start on a broad level. Think about the scope of the project you’re envisioning. Some examples of things to think about:
Do you want to upgrade your plantings but keep the beds you have now?
Do you want to add a patio or hardscaping elements, terraces, deck or retaining walls?
Do you want an entirely new landscape?
How big is the area you want to landscape?
$15,000 - 50,000
Projects that make minor alteration to hardscape with minimal grading
Higher end construction in smaller space, or larger space with simpler construction
You may be thinking…
“I have a typical Austin lot. I don’t want to make major changes, but I do want to redo all the front beds and make the house look great.”
“I’ve struggled to keep my plants alive with the more extreme weather we’ve been experiencing here in Austin. I want to install new plants that will be more reliable.”
“My yard is muddy and I can’t keep grass alive. I want to find another solution for these spaces.”
May include:
Modest new planting
Small areas of sod or turf
Minimal sitework
New irrigation or irrigation repair
Gravel patios
Small stone walkways
Project with easy access
$50,000 - 100,000
Projects that make modest alterations to topography and grading
Moderate scope with more custom hardscape, decks, and steelwork
You may be thinking…
“I have a typical Austin lot and I want to redo my entire backyard with a new patio and a pergola to make it an amazing place to hang out.”
“I have a large lot and have just added a deck or pool. I would like to make repairs to my irrigation and rework the landscape to make the most of these new elements.”
“I have a sloped lot and would like to add more useable space with terraces, retaining walls, deck, and drainage solutions.”
May include:
Substantial new planting
Larger areas of sod or turf
Small retaining walls
Substantial grading and sitework
Large patios
Substantial custom steelwork
Projects with normal access
$100,000 +
Projects that require extensive alterations to grading, hardscape, and topography
Complete redesign and installation for large properties
You may be thinking…
“I have a large property and I want a totally new look throughout.”
“I want to do something spectacular. Let your imagination and creativity run wild!”
“I have just built or renovated my home and want to extend my living space to the outdoors.”
“I entertain a lot and want to create a patio and pool area for gatherings and play.”
May include:
Extensive new planting
High-end materials and details
Significant site work and grading
Large retaining walls up to 4’
Custom stone staircases
Extensive custom steelwork
Projects with difficult access
Tree mitigation and permitting
$25,000 - 50,000
South Austin residence with custom terraced masonry front beds and planting
Completely redesigned back yard with no hardscaping in N Austin
Existing garden refresh & repair
Your project will be within this budget range if you’re looking for curb appeal or back patio updates, full property cleanups, smaller hardscape areas with minimal new planting, or planting-heavy projects with minimal hardscape. In this range, we often solve drainage issues around the house, build new front walkways, or replace front or back lawns. You can expect your project to be in this range if you have a typical-sized Austin lot with a work area of 2,000 sf or less.
Updated or extended flower beds
Clearing brush and trimming trees
Replacing gravel and mulch
Sod replacement & repair
Adjusting or expanding existing irrigation
Gravel & step stone pathways
Small areas of grading or drainage
Custom steel or masonry features with minimal planting
Larger planting and gravel areas with minimal hardscape
New sod, artificial turf dog run, and perimeter flower beds around back yard in NW Austin
Large resodded front lawn and new planting give the existing walkway new life in NW Austin
Lueder stone front walkway, new sod, and limestone edging in South Austin
$50,000 - 100,000
Poured concrete pavers and turf give relaxed comfort to this existing backyard pool
A new path, lawn and pergola created a shady place for quiet repose in Mesa Oaks
Front or back yard overhaul or full property refresh
These projects typically consist of a more extensive and customized front or back yard replacement with some changes to topography, some custom elements (fire pits, pergolas, trellises, patios, decks), use of select materials, and more mature plants. Full property projects are also possible in this range with larger areas of sod or gravel, minimal hardscaping and minimal planting areas. These projects are usually in the 2,000 - 4,000 sf range.
Extensive planting
Leveling and small retaining walls
Installing large areas of sod
Modest alterations to site grading
Minimal landscape lighting
Minimal custom steelwork
Large patios
Multiple hardscape areas with minimal planting
Larger planting and gravel areas with a few built features
Full front yard xeriscape planting and paver walkway for this stately west Austin new build
Custom steel steps control drainage in this sloped side yard in Barton Hills
Extensive sod and entry planting with site-cast concrete pavers finish this new build in Westlake
$100,000 +
Mediterranean inspired courtyard with 6’ steel planters and custom path in Westlake
Custom steel terraces, custom pergola, mature planting and new lawn in Barton Hills
Detailed construction and extensive planting
Anything you can dream up is possible within this budget range! These projects are often filled with custom details and use the best quality materials available. Special features like sport courts, outdoor kitchens, large patio areas, pools, custom fountains, etc. are often incorporated. Projects on larger properties (1 acre or more) with fewer custom details may also fall into this budget range.
Extensive bespoke welded steel
Full property resodding
Large terraces and retaining walls
Extensive and mature planting
Custom pergolas and fountains
Large Lueder stone patios
Full property redesign
High precision, complex construction
Extensive landscape lighting
Creative privacy screening with custom steel planters, curved retaining wall, and integrated steps and fountain.
Pickleball court with concrete retaining wall reimagined as a shady seating area for onlookers
A versatile back yard with space for lounging, play, sports, and entertaining.
What Our Clients Think
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![grasses and stone retaining wall]()
“It's not very often you can find someone who is very professional, responsive, respectful, very punctual, and care[s] enough about the service quality they provide to customers.”
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![tropical plants and bamboo with stone pathway and gravel]()
“Highly professional, honest, on time and communicates constantly. I’ve received dozens of compliments from the neighbors who are now envious of my new yard.”
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![yellow sage flowers]()
“After the job's done, [she] still came...to check my plants. She is so passionate about her work, and she wants to make sure that everything is going well....super responsible!!! I want to recommend … Under the Oak Canopy to everyone.”
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![tropical orange flowers with statue]()
“Oak Canopy has been working with us for several years on several projects (xeriscaping and edging, planting, stone walkway, new custom fence). She consistently delivers great work and her team is top notch. She even stops by occasionally to make sure everything is thriving. My wife and I trust her and would recommend her and her team for any project.”
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![colorful spring flowers]()
“I am loving my experience with this company. The owner is amazing! She is very knowledgeable, professional, responsive, diligent and very thoughtful. She has a great team of people who take great care in what they do.”
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![agave along retaining wall]()
“Better get on her schedule soon, because her work is creative, gorgeous, drought and deer-resistant, and she’s in demand year round!”
