Pricing – How Much Does Landscaping Cost?
Our Core Services: Starting Prices
We want to give you a clear starting point based on real numbers from a Seattle landscaping company. While every project is unique, understanding the key cost factors and typical price ranges will help you budget confidently. Here’s what Seattle homeowners can generally expect to invest.
$300/month (scroll to details)
Landscaping services: $75/hr
Clean green waste (trip and disposal): $150+
Mulch: $175-$250 per cubic yard
(scroll to details)
Formal designs typically start at $2,500 but greatly vary by scope. (scroll to details)
Core Services Details: What Impacts Your Project Cost?
> Ongoing Yard Care
Yard care costs can vary drastically depending on the needs of the property, expectations of the client, size of the property, and types of plants and surfaces.
At Seattle Sustainable Landscapes we have annual agreements with a uniform monthly cost. Whether it is June or January the cost remains consistent.
The exact cost will depend on your specific property and expectations, but our agreements start at $300/mo and go up from there.
The most important factors are the needs of the landscape and expectations of care.
The needs of the landscape will be impacted by:
– Maturity of the plants
– Frequency of watering
– Types of plants.
1. If you have a lawn that you do not water in full sun, by the time late summer comes along the lawn will be in hibernation, whereas if you water or have more dappled sunlight the lawn will be happier and need more care.
2. The style of care can impact the cost as well, if you prefer a natural garden then selective pruning can be quite time-consuming compared to those that prefer estate hedging of their plants.
3. There is an element of care that comes down to expectations, there are some that want frequent mowing, so more visits are required, and others don’t mind if things are a little less neat or a bit overgrown.
We often do not like to agree to contracts that under-serve a property. Over time we’ve found that it is hard to keep a client satisfied who tries to convince us to a lower standard of care for a budget price.
Read more about our Ongoing Yard Care and Maintenance service.
> Yard Clean-Ups
Clean-ups are very similar to yard care as the needs of care vary significantly. We often have initial clean-ups for new yard care clients. In these instances, we can be most flexible as the property is in our normal maintenance area so it allows us to be the most flexible.
For clean-ups outside of our service area, we like to have at least a full day’s work for a crew to minimize travel time.
The clean-up usually has three line items:
- Landscaping Services: $75/hr
- Clean Green Waste: Typically a flat fee of $150+ for a clean green waste trip and disposal
- Mulch: $175–$250 per cubic yard
Landscaping Services will depend on how long it takes to clean the property.
Clean Green Waste will depend on the nature of the clean up, whether it’s a leaf clean-up, large hedging, etc.
Mulch depends on the quantity of mulch because it takes the same amount of time to pick up a single yard as it does eight, as well as the attributes of the landscape—whether we have good access or must move the mulch by buckets up stairs or down a hillside.
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Landscape Design and Installation
Formal Design typically starts at $2,500 for small projects, prices increase with design complexity and property size. Often our clients prefer a less formal design process to reduce the costs.
Formal design is usually incorporated into larger projects from $25,000 to $100,000+. We’ve found that most of our clients prefer the process that we lay out in our Design + Installation process which results in something that more closely resembles a sketch as opposed to a blueprint.
Here are the key factors that impact your project cost:
- Scope of Project
Larger projects and intricate designs require more resources, time, and expertise. Complex layouts demand additional labor, materials, and design effort. - Material Choices
We avoid cheap materials and offer sustainable options at varying price points. Different materials can achieve similar functions at different costs—for example, a gravel patio costs less than a paver patio due to labor and material differences. - Design Complexity
Custom designs with intricate features and personalized elements increase design time and material needs. Many clients choose less formal “sketch versus blueprint” approaches to reduce these costs. - Quality of Materials
Premium materials have higher upfront costs but offer better durability and long-term value. Material upgrades—whether wood type, paver style, or plant maturity—can range from negligible to 10X the base cost. - Access to Property
Topography, staircases, hills, fences, and gates affect project timelines and costs. Challenging access requires additional time and effort, extending duration and increasing expenses. - Project Management
Complex designs, permitting needs, and project coordination increase management requirements. For example, a complete garden refresh needs less management than carefully altering a mature, densely planted space.
Our pricing reflects our commitment to quality, sustainability, and client satisfaction. We work with you to create solutions that meet both your vision and budget.
Our Additional Services: Starting Prices
Every property is different, so these are ballpark starting costs and ranges based on typical Seattle homes. We’ll give you a precise estimate after visiting your space, but this should help you plan your budget.
| Native plant installation |
$5,000 – 10,000 |
| Irrigation systems | $5,000 – 10,000 |
| Patios | $5,000 – 20,000 |
| Pathways | $500 – 5,000 |
| Fence installation | $100 per linear foot |
| Lighting system | 15 lights for $10,000 |
| Drainage | $1000 – 5,000 |
| Pergola | $10,000 – 15,000 |
Additional Services Details: What Impacts Your Project Cost?
> Native Plant Installation
Typically ranges from $5,000 to $10,000, depending on plant varieties and the area covered. This varies drastically depending on the plant budget and how detailed the client wants the design process. The maturity of the plants is a significant factor, there can be a difference in years of care for that plant at the grower and nursery, it also takes longer to install mature plants.
Read more about our Xeriscaping service.
> Irrigation Systems
Our typical irrigation system for a Seattle home is about $5-10K, but that varies on size and complexity. There are cheaper options for what we like to call a “homeowner special.” Some systems are significantly more expensive if they require many zones or have difficult terrain to navigate.
- Some examples that could increase the cost:
Significant elevation changes, going under or through retaining walls can be quite time-consuming. - Crossing barriers, and going under or through sidewalks, pathways, and driveways can impact the overall cost.
- Varied plant needs, a common situation that leads to more work is having significantly different needs for the plants. You may want an extra small zone for edibles, or extra zones due to shade and sun areas. Spray zones and drip zones can be another factor. A small patch of garden bed or lawn may need a new zone from a functionality standpoint. Ideally, these areas although small can be micromanaged to ensure sustainability and water efficiency.
- Poor water conditions on the property. It is not uncommon for old houses to have galvanized pipes that are beginning to fail. Everything may have been replaced inside but the piping from the water meter to the house may be old and rusting causing it to close like a clogged artery. There are other reasons why water issues can occur, but bad water flow or pressure can result in additional zones being required.
Read more about our Irrigation service.
> Patios
Prices vary widely, from $5,000 for basic projects to $20,000+ for extensive hardscaping with premium materials. The starting point is typically about $40-50 per square foot for patios and pathways.
Another under-considered factor is the difficulty of installation if we are using rectangular pavers on a curved pathway or patio. Many pieces need to be carefully cut which can significantly increase the time required for installation. Natural stone can have a huge variance. The difference between a stepping-stone path vs. an interconnect flagstone patio has a massive impact on labor and material costs. Gravel can be a great alternative to create a less expensive hardscape, but some decorative gravels are also quite expensive.
As patios get larger they tend to be cheaper by the square foot, so large patios are often less expensive per square foot.
- Some factors that can impact the costs include:
The shape of the patio. If you select a rectangular paver and a curved patio that will require additional cuts to the paver blocks resulting in additional work required in the installation and waste in the materials. Curved options are often lovely, but may cost more or be optimized with different pieces. - Size – the larger the patio the less it will cost by the square foot.
- Access, patios require a lot of heavy material. A 100 square foot patio is ~7000 lbs of material. If the patio is a hard-to-reach area that will impact the cost. Also if it is easy to get heavy equipment on the property that can save a lot of time in the installation process.
Read more about our Patio Installation service.
> Pathways
A small pathway could easily range between $500 and $5,000. If you have a long and wide pathway it can be significantly more than that.
Pricing of pathways is interesting because of the variance in material options. Pathways can be made out of mulch, gravel, flagstones, bricks, pavers, decking, and concrete. The pricing varies significantly depending on that. Additionally, the depth of the pathway can vary between 2”-8” and it may or may not have edging or need a retaining wall.
There can be a significant difference between a steppingstone pathway in which settling is not a concern and a formally installed walkway. I often like to think of these as ranging from $20-60/ft^2.
Pathways are very similar in terms of the cost factors to a patio, they are often the exact same installation process, and vary based on these factors:
- The shape of the pathway. If you select a rectangular paver and a curved pathway that will require additional cuts to the paver blocks resulting in additional work required in the installation and waste in the materials. Given the ratio of edges to middle sections comparing patios and pathways curves are an even more significant factor for rectangular pavers. We tend to do a majority of flagstone pathways because they are beautiful and very functional when it comes to meandering and curved pathways.
- Size–the larger the pathway the less it will cost by the square foot. The width of a pathway is a significant factor.
- Access pathways require a lot of heavy material. If the pathway is in a hard-to-reach area that will impact the cost. Similar to patios, good access for heavy equipment can reduce costs.
- Stepping stones instead of solid pathways. This is an exceptional way to reduce costs. Often the base does not need to be as thick because settling is less of a factor for stepping stones given the gaps in between shifting tend to be less of a factor compared to a contiguous section of the pathway.
Read more about our Pathway Installation service.
> Fence Installation
Fence pricing can vary significantly. An easy rule of thumb is $100 per linear foot, but the styles, materials, and total project size can impact the overall cost.The common factors of access, overall size, and material selection play a role here as well.
Read more about our Fences and Gates Installation service.
> Lighting Systems
Our typical installation for a Seattle home is about 15 lights for $10,000K. Again, this can vary significantly based on materials, difficulty of installation, number of lights, functionality and more. Lighting functionality has continued to improve, now you can have an app on your phone that will control the color of the lights, the brightness of the lights and turn certain sections of lights on and off independently.
Read more about our Outdoor Lighting service.
> Drainage
Pricing can vary widely, it may range from $1,000 to move a downspout to 10’s of thousands for a substantial drainage project like a large French drain. The reason why is that the scope of work can be a 4” wide by 12” deep trench that goes into a small catch basin. Or maybe a 3’ wide by 3’ deep trench that wraps all the way around a house.
Read more about our Drainage service.
> Pergola Installation
Pricing often falls in the $10-15K range for a pergola. As with all landscaping, the materials and size can make a huge impact on the overall cost.
Why Our Pricing Works This Way
We’re upfront about our pricing: we’re not the cheapest option, and there’s a reason why.
Many landscapers undercut prices by avoiding taxes, skipping critical installation steps, providing poor communication, or operating with no real business overhead. Some underprice projects out of inexperience, then either lose money or surprise you with extra charges later.
At Seattle Sustainable Landscapes, our pricing reflects sustainable practices, skilled labor, proper business operations, and the true cost of quality work.
“Everything turned out beautifully and we couldn’t be happier with the result. The team was awesome to work with — super helpful, responsive, and creative. They completely transformed a small space we’d been struggling with for over a year. They solved every issue we had, and we felt we could really trust their design eye to make decisions on our behalf without cutting corners or compromising our vision.” – M.D.
What’s Included in Our Estimates
1. Consultation
We start with a conversation to understand your vision, priorities, and budget. This initial consultation helps us determine if we’re the right fit for your project and gives you a clear sense of what’s possible for your outdoor space.
2. Site visit
We meet you at your property to assess the space, discuss design possibilities, and understand site-specific factors like access, drainage, and existing conditions. This hands-on evaluation allows us to provide an accurate estimate tailored to your property.
3. Cleanup
We maintain a clean worksite throughout your project and complete a thorough final cleanup when we finish. All debris, excess materials, and construction waste are removed, leaving you with a pristine outdoor space ready to enjoy. property.
Payment Process
The preferred payment is bank wire or credit card, but we offer a variety of options to make it easy for you.
We also accept:
Venmo
Paypal
Check
Get a Customized Estimate
Every project is unique, and so is its cost. Contact us to discuss your landscaping needs, and we’ll provide a detailed, personalized estimate.
Begin Your Sustainable Landscaping Journey
Transform your outdoor space with Seattle Sustainable Landscapes. Reach out today for a consultation and a custom quote tailored to your specific needs and budget.
From Our Clients
“This has been my favorite home improvement project. This company literally made me a yard where there previously was overgrowth, concrete, large stumps and rocks. They were able to complete the project on time and their cost was much more reasonable than others I interviewed. The project lead Fernando was hard working and communicative. The owner David (and Jeff previously) as well as the GM Chris all stayed in touch throughout the project. I would definitely use them for other projects in the future”
“The team put in an irrigation system in our front and back yard, cleaned everything up and added many new plants to the sunny and shady areas around our home. The owner was very personable, explained everything well and did exactly what he said he was going to do. He was fantastic to work with. His team was wonderful, super hard workers, and very friendly. They helped create color and beauty in every nook and cranny of our yard. My husband and I are very thankful we used this company.”
“Happy with my choice. I had a very small townhouse backyard that was a bit of a mess (low quality builder-grade plantings) and had somewhat of an idea what to do with it. They provided good advice and the final result turned out very well. Finished ahead of schedule too! One year later and I'm still happy with the result. I definitely won't forget the attention and responsiveness of this company. Thanks a bunch! ”