How to get landscaping quotes (without wasting your time)

What landscaping actually costs

Before you call anyone, it helps to know the ballpark. Landscaping pricing swings more than most categories because the work spans everything from seasonal cleanup to major construction.

The range on full projects is huge because “landscaping” is not one thing. A 400 sqft paver patio with a few planting beds is a $10,000 job. Add a retaining wall, outdoor lighting, and an irrigation system and you are at $25,000. Same yard, very different projects.

How to describe your project so quotes are comparable

This is the part most people skip, and it is the reason most landscaping quotes are impossible to compare side by side.

“I want my backyard landscaped” gets you three wildly different quotes. “I want 400 sqft of paver patio, 200 sqft of planting beds with native perennials, and 60 linear feet of aluminum edging” gets you three comparable ones. The difference is specificity.

You do not need to be a landscape architect. But you should know, roughly:

• The square footage of the area you want worked on
• What stays and what goes (existing trees, structures, old patios)
• Materials you want or are open to (pavers, natural stone, gravel, concrete)
• Whether you need grading, drainage, or retaining walls
• Whether irrigation is part of the scope or separate

Walk the yard with each contractor and point at things. “This hedge stays. That concrete pad goes. I want plantings along this fence line.” The more specific you are, the tighter the bids come back.

If you are not sure what you want, say that up front. Some landscapers are happy to help you figure it out, but they need to know they are designing, not just pricing. Those are two different conversations.

How many landscaping quotes to get

Three minimum. We say that for every home project, but it matters more here than most places. Landscaping has some of the widest bid spreads of any category we track. Two contractors looking at the same yard will interpret the scope differently, specify different materials, and come back with numbers that are 40 to 60% apart.

That spread is not necessarily a sign that someone is overcharging. It usually means they are pricing different projects. Which is why the previous section matters so much. If you give each contractor the same written scope, the bids tighten up.

For projects over $10,000, consider getting four or five quotes. The extra hour of your time is worth it when the spread could be $5,000 or more. Read more about how to compare contractor quotes for a framework that works across project types.

What to look for in a landscaping quote

A good landscaping quote reads like a recipe. You should be able to tell exactly what you are getting, in what quantity, and at what size.

Plant sizes matter

A 1-gallon shrub costs $8 to $15. A 5-gallon shrub of the same species costs $30 to $60. Both will eventually reach the same size, but one gives you instant curb appeal and the other gives you a row of sticks for two years. If the quote says “boxwood hedge” without specifying container size, you do not know what you are paying for.

Hardscape materials specified

“Paver patio” is not a spec. Concrete pavers at $3/sqft for material are a different product than natural bluestone at $8 to $15/sqft. The quote should name the product or at least the material category and thickness.

Base and drainage prep

A patio is only as good as what is underneath it. Proper base prep (excavation, compacted gravel, leveling sand) adds cost but prevents the surface from settling and cracking within a few years. If one quote is significantly cheaper than the others, check whether base prep is included or skipped.

Warranty on plantings

Most reputable landscapers offer a one-year warranty on plant material. If a shrub dies within 12 months and you have been watering it, they replace it. Some offer no warranty at all, and a few offer two years. This is a real differentiator and worth asking about.

Irrigation: included or separate?

On larger planting projects, irrigation can add $2,000 to $5,000. Some landscapers include it in the quote. Others assume you will water by hand or hire an irrigation specialist separately. Make sure you know which approach each quote takes before you compare totals.

Red flags in landscaping quotes

Some of these apply to any contractor quote. A few are specific to landscaping.

No plant list

If the quote says “landscaping — $8,000” with no breakdown of plants, materials, or labor, that is not a quote. That is a guess. You have no way to compare it to anything, and you have no recourse if the finished product does not match what you had in mind. A real quote has a line-item plant list with species, sizes, and quantities.

No timeline

Landscaping projects drag more than almost any other trade. Weather plays a role, sure. But a contractor who will not commit to even a rough timeline (“two weeks, weather permitting”) is telling you something about how they manage their schedule. For more on this and other warning signs, read our guide on red flags in contractor quotes.

Full payment upfront

A deposit is normal. Anywhere from 10 to 30% to cover material costs is standard. Full payment before work starts is not. A reasonable payment schedule ties payments to milestones: deposit, rough grading complete, hardscape complete, planting complete, final walkthrough. See our guide on how to avoid contractor scams for more on protecting yourself.

No photos of previous work

Landscaping is visual. If a contractor cannot show you photos of finished projects similar to what you are asking for, that is a concern. It does not mean they are bad at their job, but it raises the question of whether they have done this type of work before. Before photos are nice too — they show you the starting point, which helps you judge the transformation.

Landscape design fees

For projects under $5,000, most contractors will sketch something out during the estimate visit at no charge. Once you get above $10,000, a professional design is worth the money.

Landscape designers typically charge $500 to $2,000 for a full plan, depending on the size and complexity. Many will apply that fee toward the project cost if you hire them for the installation. That is a reasonable arrangement and it is common enough that you should ask about it.

The real value of a professional design is not the pretty rendering. It is that every contractor bids off the same document. Same plant list, same hardscape layout, same grading plan. You go from comparing three different visions to comparing three prices for the same vision. That is a much easier decision.

RI and southeastern Massachusetts specifics

If you are in Rhode Island or SE Mass, a few things affect your landscaping project that do not apply everywhere.

Growing season

The planting window runs roughly May through October. You can install hardscape outside that window, but anything going in the ground needs to happen during the growing season to give roots time to establish before winter. Spring is the busiest time, and most landscapers in the area book out 4 to 6 weeks from April through June.

Frost depth and hardscape

Frost depth in this region is 36 to 48 inches. That affects any hardscape with footings — retaining walls, pergola posts, fence posts. Proper base prep for a patio needs to account for freeze-thaw cycles, which means deeper gravel base than you would need in a milder climate. Cheap base prep here leads to heaving and cracking within two to three winters.

Coastal considerations

If you are near the coast (Narragansett, Westerly, Fairhaven, Marion), salt spray is hard on plants. You need salt-tolerant species — bayberry, beach plum, rosa rugosa, ornamental grasses. A contractor who proposes boxwood hedges 200 yards from the ocean either does not know the area or is not thinking about long-term survival. Related outdoor projects like fence installation and driveway paving face similar coastal durability questions.

Scheduling

Spring is when everyone calls. If your project is flexible, late summer and early fall are often better times to book. Crews are less slammed, and fall is actually a great time to plant — cooler temperatures and fall rains help roots establish without the stress of summer heat.

Common questions

How many landscaping quotes should I get?

At least three. Landscaping has wider bid spreads than most home projects because each contractor interprets the scope differently. Three quotes give you enough data to spot an outlier and understand what the job should cost. For larger projects ($10,000+), four or five is better.

How much does landscaping cost?

It depends entirely on scope. Basic cleanup and plantings run $500 to $3,000. A patio runs $15 to $50 per square foot. Full design and installation for a typical backyard runs $5,000 to $30,000+. Ongoing maintenance is usually $100 to $300 per month. See the cost table above for a fuller breakdown.

Should I pay for a landscape design before getting quotes?

For projects over $10,000, yes. A professional design ($500 to $2,000) gives every contractor the same plan to bid against, which makes the quotes directly comparable. Many designers apply the fee toward the project if you hire them for installation. For smaller projects, a contractor's free sketch is usually enough.

What should a landscaping quote include?

A specific plant list with species and container sizes, hardscape materials named by product or category, base and drainage prep details, a warranty on plant material (one year is standard), whether irrigation is included or separate, a project timeline, and a payment schedule tied to milestones. If any of those are missing, ask before you sign.