My in-laws spent $100k on landscaping (front and back) nearly 15 years ago in Phoenix, AZ (no pool); that same year, my husband and I spent $20k on just the back, and that didn't include any design services, trees, pavers, or concrete work, never mind anything fancy like an outdoor kitchen or a pool. Ours was literally rock (xeriscape) and grass with a few shrubs and an irrigation system. Oh and our entire lot was a fifth of an acre, with a 1-story 2,000 sqft house on it.

So, to me, based on what I think I'm reading in your photos, I'd say you aren't paying enough for a job well done. I'd be worried at such a low estimate (but I don't know your area -- maybe landscapers are a dime a dozen?). So sorry... I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear. :-(

Most of the prices are average. Not high or low.

A middle of the road paver from a national brand will run $15 per sqft minimum. Don't pay more than $20 sqft. Look at color stamped concrete as an option. You can find small independents that could run as low as $8 per sqft. Don't pay more than $15 sqft.

Where you can save money is planting the plants yourself. I calculated roughly $2500 in materials for the plants and supplies so you're paying $5000 for the labor to install plants, amendments and mulch. I'll fly to NY and do it for you and do a much better job than anyone would do for you lol.

More than any other trade I've noticed landscapers try to reap the benefits of feast.

For final grade and seed I had one place want $16K. But they where bringing in 80 yards of soil. I told them to revise as I had quite a bit of topsoil that was stripped. They brought it down to $12K. At the end of the day I ended up doing some work myself and paid $3K to final grade and seed roughly 3/4 acre.

Next it was time to put in two patios and all the plantings. I told the design firm my budget was $30K to be phased over three years. They came back with $100K....this was more than my excavation, foundation and framing!

Here again I've been doing some of my own work and getting help from small independents here and there. I'm about $16K all in so far and perhaps another $5K to go. I have way more plants than most. Probably 40 b&b trees that I planted my self thus far.

It would be impossible to cost it out for you. It's work, takes time, and one would need to know all the factors. Here, we're getting a snippet of them. Do you have existing hardscape that is being covered? Or is this from scratch. If the latter, it sounds like they're giving you high quality, lasting products ... pavers over concrete! I don't know if that's required by your conditions or just to make it last forever. It would not happen like that in Florida!! This adds to the cost substantially. Outside of the cost of very high quality, it seems like the costs are not out of line for those square footages.

You didn't ask about it and maybe don't care or it's too late, but there is one change that jumps out to me in the planting plan as something-to-regret-in-the-future: the river birch is very close to the house. I'm sure it'll seem fine for the first few years. But it will get big and it's very close -- too close. I'd move it now and reconfigure the bed.

I'm adding the other pictures reoriented for anyone who wants to look.

We custom built 20 years ago, and our landscaping bill was $25,000 for a paver patio, walkway, beds and shrubs. I considered that a great price back then, so no yours is not unreasonable at all!

You're getting totally ripped off. Get several quotes.

Caroline.....what kind of sf are you talking about? Paver/patio/walkway? That sounds outrageous for normal. At least here in the SE.

What area of NY?

Here in NC - those would be a little high but not unheard of. We pay about $10 a sqft for basic pavers - not $15. When I last built, I paid $13k for plants (about double the quantity you have). My builder said this guy was the cheapest but his customer service was terrible. My builder always felt he got the best product. By dumb luck, I found a way in to wholesale prices from this landscaper's nursery.

My builder said that what LS did was charge double wholesale to cover install and profit. So $100 wholesale tree would be $200 to me. When I found the nursery after the fact, it turns out the conversion factor was 3X.

Flash forward to 2nd round of landscaping. Big lot that we had to clear. I bought $3k of product. Delivery was $50. Hired a crew of 3 for $240 that planted everything in 4 hours. Did a better job than original landscaper but the design was my own. I made some mistakes but at 3X, you can afford to.

Did I mention that my builder said this landscaper was close to 50% the cost of others?

You have a lot of hardscape in that quote. You also have a lot of profit likely in that quote from the landscaper to your GC. This is super easy to do after the fact. I am gathering this is a tract build given the $850 "discount" by deleting the basic package.

Low to average pricing. Sure, you could DIY fot half that. If you own the bobcat, dump truck, flatbed, and can speak Spanish to supervise very closely a bunch of unskilled labor.

But, it would take twice as long, and you’d end up with 25% mistakes that could range from choosing unsuitable planting material to, planting too deeply, to having to redo the walkways entirely because you didn’t really understand Frost heave in your climate.

Surprise for ya... All Landscaping Quotes are "Rip-off". They make money during summer. You need wholesale license to purchase some of these plants, bobcat, and the ability to speak Spanish. My current HOA just stupendously spent $19,000 on 12x$50 (5') [druppy] norway spruces, 6 oak leaf hydrangeas, 10x yews... and in the end looks bad. So your 25k looks like a bargain.

I think this is a reasonable quote but if you question it, get another. If you DIY, you will wish you had someone else do the hard stuff, all at once. In 2011, we spent $17,000 on a very low stone wall (stone supplied by us), had the soil properly prepared and graded, plantings (maybe 40) were delivered and planted, mulch spread in an area about 105X30ft, according to a plan provided by me. Underground sprinklers are golden, were installed separately from these planting. So for their expertise, sweat and labor, plants and hardscape, I think you're getting a deal.

You now have a plan. Get bids. I don't see many quotes that low without hardscape.

It seems very reasonable to me. I've been DIYing the landscape at my new house and it's really, really, hard work since my soil is mostly rocks and very difficult to work with. I would gladly pay someone to do my landscaping, but everyone is so busy, they can't get to me until next spring or summer and I don't want to wait that long. I did luck out and find a wholesale tree nursery to come and plant three 25 gallon 6-8' tall trees for $739.00. There was only a 6 week wait time for them.
There was no way I could lift and plant those trees by myself, so I consider this a Godsend.

Since you have a plan and a list of materials, I would call some other landscapers and get some more quotes.

Roll with Yardvark's revision. He or She revised some of my lines. Turned out much nicer after I implemented them. Easier to mow as well.

From Sophie.. could range from choosing unsuitable planting material to, planting too deeply,

Hah! Most installation crews will plant too deeply! Its literally an epidemic. You can easily get good advice on the tree/conifer forum and plant better than most install crews. Don't substitute that advice for a good design though.

The south & southeast generally is less expensive for hardscaping. There is no such thing as $10 sqft for pavers if putting down the proper 10" deep stone base around here.

I had a modest paver patio and two walks put in last year, no plantings, no sod, just the base and pavers, 10k. And they re-used some pavers from the very tiny old patio that was taken up. You can estimate the size by the 4 ft wide walk.

Costs are going to vary by region. The scope of work described--which includes a lot of hardscaping--would cost more in our (coastal VA) area than what you've been quoted.

If the landscaping/hardscaping contractor produced the plan at their expense, please note that they own the plans and copyright to the design. You'd need to hire an independent landscape designer and purchase the plans in order to bid them around.

OMFG,

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

"Surprise for ya... All Landscaping Quotes are "Rip-off". ".. "So your 25k looks like a bargain."

>That is really a very unfair and inaccurate assessment. Sure there are some LC's that are less scrupulous than others and will try to price gouge. But it is not valid to tar all landscape contractors

=

Do I need to put <sarcasm> symbol.

Normally landscaping quoted at $70/hour (at least here) plus $1k per heavy equipment + $xxx/hour. The quote that he got is not that outrageous. But if you going to do the work yourself or hire out $12/hour savings are there.