Landscaping Cost Calculator
Add the projects on your list, pick your region, and get an installed 2026 total range. The same line-item prices as our landscaping cost guide, made interactive.
Mulching + basic planting (per 200 sq ft bed)
$500 to $1,500 per beds
Sod lawn (per 1,000 sq ft)
$1,000 to $2,500 per 1,000 sq ft
Paver patio (per 200 sq ft)
$2,500 to $7,000 per 200 sq ft
Retaining wall (per 30 linear ft, 3 ft tall)
$3,000 to $10,000 per walls
Drip irrigation system
$1,500 to $4,000
Path + accent lighting
$2,000 to $5,000
Mature trees (per tree, 15 gal planted)
$300 to $1,200 per trees
Gas fire pit, built-in
$3,000 to $8,000
$2,000 to $5,500
Installed, 2026 US prices. Itemize your quotes: "site prep" catch-alls hide 10-20% of most bids.
Why itemized beats averaged
The $10,000 national average quoted everywhere is technically correct and practically useless: it averages a weekend mulch refresh with quarter-acre redesigns. What actually predicts your bill is the list of line items you commit to, so this calculator makes you build that list. Each range is the installed price (labor plus standard materials) for a residential yard in the 5,000 to 10,000 square foot range.
The design fee appears automatically once your project passes roughly $8,000, because at that size most contractors bundle one in at 8 to 15 percent. You can beat that number by hiring an independent designer for a flat $500 to $1,500 and having contractors bid the build only. And phase the work across seasons if the total is uncomfortable: hardscape and irrigation first, planting second. Plants grow into finished hardscape gracefully; the reverse order destroys beds.
Put the budget on your actual yard
A number tells you what it costs; a render tells you if it's worth it. Upload a photo of your yard and preview the project you just priced, the patio, the beds, the lighting, before committing to any of it.
See the project before you pay for it
Upload a photo of your yard and preview the redesign in about a minute. 5 free designs, no credit card.
Try it on your yardFrequently asked questions
How do I estimate landscaping costs?⌄
Itemize, never average. National averages mix a $500 mulch job with a $50,000 full redesign and tell you nothing. List the actual line items (beds, sod, patio, walls, irrigation, lighting, trees), price each against installed ranges, add a design fee of 8 to 15 percent once the project is real, and apply your regional multiplier. That's exactly what this calculator does.
How much does a backyard renovation cost in 2026?⌄
Planting and mulch only: $1,500 to $4,000. A full makeover with patio, planting, lighting and irrigation: $15,000 to $50,000 for most homeowners. Luxury projects with mature trees, pools, or extensive hardscape pass $100,000. Where you land depends almost entirely on which line items you sign off on, which is why the calculator makes you pick them.
What do landscaping quotes hide?⌄
Three things, consistently: a bundled design fee ($1,500 to $5,000 that an independent designer would charge half for), plant markups of 100 to 150 percent over wholesale, and catch-all 'site prep' line items that quietly absorb 10 to 20 percent of the bid. Ask for everything itemized and compare against the per-item ranges here.
How can I cut the total in half?⌄
Phase the project (hardscape and irrigation year one, planting year two), bring your own plan instead of buying bundled design, buy plants in fall at 30 to 50 percent off, use 1-gallon plants where you can wait two years, and skip or shrink the lawn, the most expensive square footage to install and maintain. Our landscaping cost guide walks through each move.