The first thing to do before you get any tools out is to come up with a budget and a plan. Creating a budget and plan before starting will help your project stay on track and cut costs.
What will it Cost
Every landscape project will be different in cost. The best way to know how much you should budget for your project is by knowing what you need and how much. Start with getting your measurements and do your calculations.
Cubic Yards → For materials such as gravel, soil and mulch use an online Cubic
Yard Calcualtor. Or take Width (ft) x Depth (ft) x Length (ft) / 27.
Pavers → For interlocking brick, know the square footage of the area. Width (ft)
x Length (ft).
Walls → For sizing of walls, take Length (ft) x Height (ft) for face foot
calculations. Also know how deep you want the wall to go, as this will
help you choose wall blocks. Don't forget you will want to bury some.
Knowing the amount of product that you will need will cut back on waste and unnecessary costs.
Wants and Needs
Create a list of the needs and wants you have for your landscape and rank them. What needs to happen first, what can wait until next year, what’s not necessary, etc.
Start with what projects are a must. A front walkway, a backyard living space, front steps or a driveway. What’s first?
With each project, know your needs and what you would want. For your backyard living space you NEED a patio with a retaining wall, but you WANT a pool installed.
Knowing your priorities and needs, you can make sure your budget includes the necessities.
Extra Considerations
There are a few other things to remember when budgeting for your landscape.
Machines and Tools: Will you need to rent any machinery like excavators or skid
steers? What about tools? Will you need to purchase
anything new to help you get the job finished?
Property: What is your property like? Property with a lot of bedrock will cost
more as you will need heavier equipment to dig down to the
appropriate depth for your project.
Time: Landscaping takes time. If you want it done quicker, you may need to take
time off of work. For some people this means one less paycheck.
Starting Point: Are you starting from scratch or doing a replacement? When
doing replacements you need to consider removal costs and
waste costs. Will you have to pay to bring the broken concrete or
soil away?
Deliveries: Unless you have a super heavy duty pick up and are willing to make
multiple trips (then you also have to consider gas), you should plan
for the cost of a delivery or multiple deliveries for the material.
Creating a budget and sticking to it will help relieve some stress that can come from doing the project. Make a budget for your landscape project, so you can focus on the project itself.