- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Anyone did their own landscaping vs hiring someone? Cost difference?
Posted on 2/25/24 at 9:13 pm
Posted on 2/25/24 at 9:13 pm
I have approximately 100 feet of landscaping needing to be done. Has anyone looked into the price difference of doing it yourself vs hiring someone to do it?
I priced some nurseries in Forest Hills and plan on making the trip and doing it myself. Compacta Hollys, dwarf hawthorns, variegated liriopes and cone shaped boxwoods/hollys.
How far apart should I plant the compacta hollys? I’ve read 3-4 ft apart but every landscape photos I’ve looked at, seemed closer. Any help is appreciated.
Plants, dirt, mulch, labor help I’m looking at about 2k am I missing something?
I priced some nurseries in Forest Hills and plan on making the trip and doing it myself. Compacta Hollys, dwarf hawthorns, variegated liriopes and cone shaped boxwoods/hollys.
How far apart should I plant the compacta hollys? I’ve read 3-4 ft apart but every landscape photos I’ve looked at, seemed closer. Any help is appreciated.
Plants, dirt, mulch, labor help I’m looking at about 2k am I missing something?
10
Posted on 2/25/24 at 9:21 pm to shoelessjoe
I’m doing mine this spring after pricing from local places. You can save half the price or more diy.
Posted on 2/25/24 at 9:37 pm to shoelessjoe
I have done a fair amount around my houses and growing up when my parents moved or built a house we did a lot of our own landscaping.
Whatever the plants you want cost, you can figure 3-4 times that is what it will cost to get it planted professionally.
Pay attention to the spacing suggested on the label. Otherwise the plant will fill in and be too close and be higher maintenance trying to keep it pruned back. We spend a lot of time and effort trying to get a naturally 6 foot high bush not to block a window or keeping plants from overtaking sidewalks.
Builders plant too close for instant curb appeal and some landscapers will charge more for the additional (and within a few short years frequently unncessasary plantings) so they have incentive to plant too close together.
Some other advice is to dig a $20.00 hole for a $5.00 plant--meaning work the soil well, use ammendments and don't just dig it so the hole is only big enough for the pot it came out of. That is also a good reason to do it yourself if you get satisfaction from DIY stuff. Many of the people you hire will only do the minimum to complete the job and get paid.
Whatever the plants you want cost, you can figure 3-4 times that is what it will cost to get it planted professionally.
Pay attention to the spacing suggested on the label. Otherwise the plant will fill in and be too close and be higher maintenance trying to keep it pruned back. We spend a lot of time and effort trying to get a naturally 6 foot high bush not to block a window or keeping plants from overtaking sidewalks.
Builders plant too close for instant curb appeal and some landscapers will charge more for the additional (and within a few short years frequently unncessasary plantings) so they have incentive to plant too close together.
Some other advice is to dig a $20.00 hole for a $5.00 plant--meaning work the soil well, use ammendments and don't just dig it so the hole is only big enough for the pot it came out of. That is also a good reason to do it yourself if you get satisfaction from DIY stuff. Many of the people you hire will only do the minimum to complete the job and get paid.
Posted on 2/25/24 at 9:47 pm to shoelessjoe
Yes - about 8 years ago. I hired a landscape architect for the plan, and did all the work - bought all the greenscape at wholesale pricing + 10% sales tax in Forest Hill, bought the garden soil to build the beds locally. My cost was about $5K - I figure easily saved $5 to $ 8 K.
Plant your shrubs at the recommended spacing for future growth - they will fill in. Many plant smaller plants closer for a better aesthetic look initially, as they want instant gratification, but then they become overcrowded as they grow and fill in - don’t do that.
Re-think Indian Hawthornes and Boxwoods - disease prone - hate to see you having to re-plant shrubs several + years down the road.
Plant your shrubs at the recommended spacing for future growth - they will fill in. Many plant smaller plants closer for a better aesthetic look initially, as they want instant gratification, but then they become overcrowded as they grow and fill in - don’t do that.
Re-think Indian Hawthornes and Boxwoods - disease prone - hate to see you having to re-plant shrubs several + years down the road.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 2:34 am to shoelessjoe
If you're just planting stuff and not digging massive holes, I would do it yourself.
Hiring a crew is worth it when you have large amounts of mulch, large plants, and any type of hardscape
Hiring a crew is worth it when you have large amounts of mulch, large plants, and any type of hardscape
Posted on 2/26/24 at 4:17 am to shoelessjoe
Diy'd my main front bed last year. Quotes were in the 2-3k range. I did it for ~800.
It wasn't fun, but I feel like I did a better job than I would have received from a contractor.
A few tips:
Spend the extra money and rent a gas powered walk behind tiller (if you don't have a sprinkler system)
Just plan on removing 4-6" of dir and replacing with compost/topsoil mix. Your plants will look 10x better.
I personally planted all perennial stuff. Didn't cover anything during the recent freeze. Trimmed everything down to the ground, already have sprouts coming in.
It wasn't fun, but I feel like I did a better job than I would have received from a contractor.
A few tips:
Spend the extra money and rent a gas powered walk behind tiller (if you don't have a sprinkler system)
Just plan on removing 4-6" of dir and replacing with compost/topsoil mix. Your plants will look 10x better.
I personally planted all perennial stuff. Didn't cover anything during the recent freeze. Trimmed everything down to the ground, already have sprouts coming in.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 5:43 am to shoelessjoe
I did this, hauled from Forest Hill and paid to have installed. I got much better plants for half the price.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 7:42 am to shoelessjoe
We did it on a house we built several years back. I do not remember the exact amounts only that it was a tremendous savings doing it ourselves.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 8:07 am to shoelessjoe
I'm considering redoing my landscaping this spring.
I bought out house almost two years ago and it needs to be all redone. Is it a thing to go to a nursey and get them to give you a layout they recommend and me buy all my stuff from them but still do it myself? I feel like I can save lots of money if I do it myself.
I bought out house almost two years ago and it needs to be all redone. Is it a thing to go to a nursey and get them to give you a layout they recommend and me buy all my stuff from them but still do it myself? I feel like I can save lots of money if I do it myself.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 8:15 am to shoelessjoe
The word "landscaping" can mean different things. If you need grading, drainage, irrigation, lighting, hardscape, planning, etc. hire a professional landscape architect and use their crew. Costs will be in $1000's per day.
If you are fine with your yard as it is, draw your own plans and do all your own shopping and planting at your own pace...only if you enjoy the work. For quicker results work with a good local nursery that will deliver and plant for a reasonable fee.
The northern Gulf coast has a great many excellent wholesale and retail nurseries. It's a great area for DIY landscapers.
If you are fine with your yard as it is, draw your own plans and do all your own shopping and planting at your own pace...only if you enjoy the work. For quicker results work with a good local nursery that will deliver and plant for a reasonable fee.
The northern Gulf coast has a great many excellent wholesale and retail nurseries. It's a great area for DIY landscapers.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 2:56 pm to Tree_Fall
I'm at the point now where I do everything myself. I know it will take me longer, and the first time I do something it will have its faults. But, over the years I've figured a few things out. It saves money and is rewarding.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 3:29 pm to SteveLSU35
I am doing it myself with a little help. Got a guy who used to do landscaping to help at $300. Was just wondering the prices because I thought I was missing something. Talked to two people today who paid someone to do it for them, buy plants, till, haul dirt, plant and mulch for 5k. I’m doing all of that for 2k. I guess what materials, like amount of plants, mulch and other things factor but it’s not different from what I’m doing.
Posted on 2/26/24 at 6:06 pm to shoelessjoe
Put in half as much as you are planned and put them further apart. You can always add stuff in later. Everything is going to branch out more than you expect.
Posted on 2/29/24 at 3:15 pm to greenbean
Let's delve into this a little more. I'm looking to pull the trigger on our landscape around Easter week and take a few days off. The landscape area has been tilled over and all grass removed. I've also installed a rock barrier around the house between the landscape and foundation.
The plan is to make it a small mound higher than the grass in front, plant shrubs and trees, and top with pine straw. Planning on borrowing a box trailer or something big and making a run to Forest hill and purchasing all the plants. I'm also going to work on planting 400' of sweet viburnum hedge which is why we're going wholesale.
I'm trying to find the best place around here to buy the extra soil i need in bulk or i may just make it out of bagged soils and supplements from lowes. I'm figuring 7CY is what it will take. Bulk prices and bag prices both come out to about $60-$70/CY.
What about weed barrier. I've seen people say yes and no for if it's required. I'd preferer no because when i eventually till this whole thing up in the future, don't want to deal with that. i stay on top of pre and post emergent so feel good about controlling weeds.
I'll also be installing a drip irrigation system that i have all the components for already.
What am i missing?
This is the look we're going for except not boxwoods, and instead of cone holly probably dwarf magnolias.....
The plan is to make it a small mound higher than the grass in front, plant shrubs and trees, and top with pine straw. Planning on borrowing a box trailer or something big and making a run to Forest hill and purchasing all the plants. I'm also going to work on planting 400' of sweet viburnum hedge which is why we're going wholesale.
I'm trying to find the best place around here to buy the extra soil i need in bulk or i may just make it out of bagged soils and supplements from lowes. I'm figuring 7CY is what it will take. Bulk prices and bag prices both come out to about $60-$70/CY.
What about weed barrier. I've seen people say yes and no for if it's required. I'd preferer no because when i eventually till this whole thing up in the future, don't want to deal with that. i stay on top of pre and post emergent so feel good about controlling weeds.
I'll also be installing a drip irrigation system that i have all the components for already.
What am i missing?
This is the look we're going for except not boxwoods, and instead of cone holly probably dwarf magnolias.....
This post was edited on 2/29/24 at 3:17 pm
Posted on 2/29/24 at 3:42 pm to poochie
What material are you using as fill dirt? I'm seeing topsoil at 45~ yd in Houston, compost even cheaper.
Might be worth the couple hundred bucks to price shop if you have time.
I'd stick a piece of 2" pipe down 2' below the magnolias. Water and fertilizer direct to the roots will make a big difference and promote healthy root growth.
I swear by landscape fabric. Same as you I'm pretty diligent on pre and post treatment and my bed still gets weeds. It goes on top of the soil but under your mulch. Easy to remove if needed.
7cy is a ton of material to move by hand. Prepare yourself.
Might be worth the couple hundred bucks to price shop if you have time.
I'd stick a piece of 2" pipe down 2' below the magnolias. Water and fertilizer direct to the roots will make a big difference and promote healthy root growth.
I swear by landscape fabric. Same as you I'm pretty diligent on pre and post treatment and my bed still gets weeds. It goes on top of the soil but under your mulch. Easy to remove if needed.
7cy is a ton of material to move by hand. Prepare yourself.
Posted on 2/29/24 at 4:35 pm to baseballmind1212
So the fabric goes between the dirt and mulch?
On the dirt, this was landscape dirt with other additives like compost and moss and what not.
Great idea on the magnolias.
I have a small tractor to move dirt around if needed. But would still be finishing by hand.
On the dirt, this was landscape dirt with other additives like compost and moss and what not.
Great idea on the magnolias.
I have a small tractor to move dirt around if needed. But would still be finishing by hand.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News