Wife received a quote from a local landscaping company here in Dallas to completely rip out our old front yard 1980's landscaping and put in all new stuff. Just wanted to make sure these costs seemed reasonable. Thanks!
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New landscaping pricing
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Last: 6 days ago by 500,000ags
I do this for a living & can no way tell if the pricing is in line or not.
Bid is pretty vague.... largely lump sums.
A few of examples:
Gravel price seems high, but without the gravel specifications could be dead on.
Same with planting costs. How many? What size/species?
No linear footage on the steel/stone option.
Things I would like to see on the bid are warranties (if any) & payment terms.
Bid is pretty vague.... largely lump sums.
A few of examples:
Gravel price seems high, but without the gravel specifications could be dead on.
Same with planting costs. How many? What size/species?
No linear footage on the steel/stone option.
Things I would like to see on the bid are warranties (if any) & payment terms.
Apache said:
I do this for a living & can no way tell if the pricing is in line or not.
Bid is pretty vague.... largely lump sums.
A few of examples:
Gravel price seems high, but without the gravel specifications could be dead on.
Same with planting costs. How many? What size/species?
No linear footage on the steel/stone option.
Things I would like to see on the bid are warranties (if any) & payment terms.
Thanks so much for the reply.
For the gravel, I tried to mark up the picture below where it would go based on our conversation with him. Basically on both sides of the walkway from the new steel border back to the house. 2 small sections on both sides so we can put planters there, etc. I'm guessing 3-5 feet in width for each side. He didn't give dimensions but just said approx 1.5 cubic yards total for the gravel.
This is what he said in the email regarding the plants:
Quote:
Regarding the plant line item, this is an allowance for the decorative trees, and plant selections I have for in mind for your layout. We are looking at approximately 3 decorative trees, and 11 shrubs as the base work and then add in all the perennials and decorative grasses that will work for your environment.
For the steel border I went out and measured and it was 38.5 ft on one side and 31.5 ft on the other, so approx 70 feet total in length.
Hopefully this helps a little. Thanks again Apache!
You need to clarify type of gravel... that is very very high. A yard of most gravels is going to be less than $300.00 and can be installed at most by a couple of guys in 2 hours. There are likely delivery charges mixed in there that drive up the cost.
Same thing with the plants, get real quantities & sizes, species as well. This is way too vague. You need to know what you're getting in advance so both you & contractor don't get in a p*ssing match when it's all done and you don't like the way things look.
I'd want to know manufacturer of lighting components as well. Unique, MAC, Lumien etc.
Make sure those aren't plastic Malibu lights. Go with 2700 kelvin on these, not 3000k. Also, how is it controlled? Kichler makes a wifi antenna that makes controlling the system through an app very easy and it's cheap. You can find it on Amazon.
Your steel edging cost is good. I prefer using 1-1/2" angle iron stakes vs. rebar as they are less likely to move around or lean.
A detailed proposal protects both you & the contractor and sets proper expectations. Insist on it & explain your reasoning, they should respect that.
Same thing with the plants, get real quantities & sizes, species as well. This is way too vague. You need to know what you're getting in advance so both you & contractor don't get in a p*ssing match when it's all done and you don't like the way things look.
I'd want to know manufacturer of lighting components as well. Unique, MAC, Lumien etc.
Make sure those aren't plastic Malibu lights. Go with 2700 kelvin on these, not 3000k. Also, how is it controlled? Kichler makes a wifi antenna that makes controlling the system through an app very easy and it's cheap. You can find it on Amazon.
Your steel edging cost is good. I prefer using 1-1/2" angle iron stakes vs. rebar as they are less likely to move around or lean.
A detailed proposal protects both you & the contractor and sets proper expectations. Insist on it & explain your reasoning, they should respect that.
Can you break this down to $$/sf or post a total SF scope of work, so others can use it as a ruler ... while Apache tweaks it?
Thinking there must be a ton of labor figured in but when I was a cog in a design-build firm, sometimes they got us to figure "to the nail", then added a vacation cost for each of the two partners.
Very interested in this thread and hope you got a good deal!
Thinking there must be a ton of labor figured in but when I was a cog in a design-build firm, sometimes they got us to figure "to the nail", then added a vacation cost for each of the two partners.
Very interested in this thread and hope you got a good deal!
Gotta draw since me got no grammar
Have to agree with tgivaughn and Apache. I estimate for a commercial DFW landscaper and this bid's vagueness just screams hidden upcharges. On the commercial side, $8-9/sf is a good metric, so I'm sure residential is a little higher, but that is only for affected areas, not total lot size. I don't see replacing the sod in this pricing and there definitely is not 2000 sf of bed area at your house according to the photo so something seems off. Also, since they are in charge of the demo, you need to make sure repair of any irrigation they damage is already included in this price.
Gadzooks. If that is normal pricing holy crap. The older I get the more I hate doing anything landscaping related. But damn.
Unsolicited opinion incoming...
I think your existing landscaping looks pretty good.
Maybe swap some of the hedges out for pops of color and add the new metal edging if needed, but starting from scratch and letting it come in fully will make it look very "thin" for a long while.
If you're trying to update the 80s vibe of the house, I'd paint it first.
I think your existing landscaping looks pretty good.
Maybe swap some of the hedges out for pops of color and add the new metal edging if needed, but starting from scratch and letting it come in fully will make it look very "thin" for a long while.
If you're trying to update the 80s vibe of the house, I'd paint it first.
The yaupon may have out-grown that space, but is worth a pretty penny. The 3 CMs can be removed carefully and reused.
I'd be interested to know if they are just going to chop them off and dig them out or try to use them elsewhere.
Third the need for a much more detailed estimate. You need to know exactly what you are getting.
I'd be interested to know if they are just going to chop them off and dig them out or try to use them elsewhere.
Third the need for a much more detailed estimate. You need to know exactly what you are getting.
Thanks guys. We are emailing the landscaper with your suggestions and questions to get more detail. Also seeing if he can come down in price at all. Appreciate the help!
ktownag08 said:
Unsolicited opinion incoming...
I think your existing landscaping looks pretty good.
Maybe swap some of the hedges out for pops of color and add the new metal edging if needed, but starting from scratch and letting it come in fully will make it look very "thin" for a long while.
If you're trying to update the 80s vibe of the house, I'd paint it first.
All good my man, I don't necessarily disagree. But half the houses in our neighborhood have been painted some sort of white/gray. My wife is strongly against doing that. Also, this is what she wants to do and I just spent 10 days in the mountains in WY bow hunting elk this past September, so arguing with her on this and trying to save money by keeping some existing plants really isn't an option if you know what I mean, haha.
My one request for her with this project was to get trees/shrugs/plants that I have to spend very little to no time pruning/trimming/maintaining like every other tree/shrub we have currently. Honestly I'd pay good $ just to not have to F with anything in the front yard anymore. I mow/edge/fertilize my own grass, but I really hate pruning shrubs!
Ok I copied/pasted below his response to my questions. For what it's worth he seems like a really nice guy. I've met with tons of contractors over the years and I feel comfortable using him based on our initial meeting.
New estimate is $15,543.43 so reduction of $3,278.78 with the proposed changes which is more in line with what I was hoping for. I may see how much more it would be if we keep the original river rock plan. I'm going to ask for pictures or examples of each river rock proposal since I'm a visual person and having a hard time understanding the difference between the changes he's talking about.
Please review my response below to your questions. All good questions. I can adjust the estimate to get you within your budget. We can make the following adjustments: reduce the river rock, reduce the plant total, and make some adjustments to the size of some plants. I had 30G decorative trees in mind for you. We can reduce them to 15G and still get you a nice size. The plants and shrubs will be 5G-15G in size, and the perennials will be 1G-3G in size. You will have a good variety in size to give you a nice look. We will not plant any shrubs smaller than 5G in size. I will also reduce your light fixtures and only use up lights and remove the path lights. I'm assuming you will want to go with the steel edging.
If possible, we would like a little more detailed estimate on the following items:
1. What type of gravel/river rock would you be using and what is the approx. square footage of the river rock? This cost seemed high so we may have to do this on our own to bring the cost down. I have a mix of salt and pepper river rock in mind for your design. I have 1.5 cubic yards in the quote now, which is to cover the front edge of the full bed and a wider strip from the front entrance. We can reduce the river rock to just use it in the front entrance area and not apply it to the full bed. I was going for a nice contrast in the bed to separate the mulch and river rock from the front yard. I was trying to lighten things up with the salt and pepper look.
2. As far as the lighting components go, what manufacturer do you normally use for these? Can 2700 kelvin be used for these lights (not a fan of 3000k)? Also, how is it controlled? Our friends have an inexpensive Kichler wifi landscape controller from amazon that they use an App to control everything that they really like so not sure if something like that can be used. We use FX Luminaire and Kichler light fixtures, with Unique low-voltage transformers. The transformer works with a light photocell or a plug-in timer. If you want a smart transformer, we can install them, but they are usually double the cost of a standard transformer. I would not recommend a smart transformer unless you have a larger property and you have a lot of light fixtures in different zones where you want to manage them. I recommend the plug-in timer over the photocell. The photo cells do die and go out and you have to replace them regularly. The plug-in timer is the best way to go; you will never need to replace it. All you have to do is adjust the timer for daylight savings, and we do this for our clients, where we manage their quarterly maintenance.
The LED lights we use for the fixtures are warm white light 2700-3000K, depending on the size of the light fixtures. The bulb will also have a beam angle between 15,30,60, and 120, depending on what we want to accent.
3. What's the plan for the current irrigation or any damage from the demo? We will perform an audit on the irrigation system to ensure it is working well. We will provide you with a report of findings after the audit if there are any major issues with the existing system or recommend any necessary changes based on the new plant layout. If we damage anything during the demo, we will repair it. We will also adjust any existing heads to ensure proper coverage for the beds.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I'll send over a revised estimate.
New estimate is $15,543.43 so reduction of $3,278.78 with the proposed changes which is more in line with what I was hoping for. I may see how much more it would be if we keep the original river rock plan. I'm going to ask for pictures or examples of each river rock proposal since I'm a visual person and having a hard time understanding the difference between the changes he's talking about.
Please review my response below to your questions. All good questions. I can adjust the estimate to get you within your budget. We can make the following adjustments: reduce the river rock, reduce the plant total, and make some adjustments to the size of some plants. I had 30G decorative trees in mind for you. We can reduce them to 15G and still get you a nice size. The plants and shrubs will be 5G-15G in size, and the perennials will be 1G-3G in size. You will have a good variety in size to give you a nice look. We will not plant any shrubs smaller than 5G in size. I will also reduce your light fixtures and only use up lights and remove the path lights. I'm assuming you will want to go with the steel edging.
If possible, we would like a little more detailed estimate on the following items:
1. What type of gravel/river rock would you be using and what is the approx. square footage of the river rock? This cost seemed high so we may have to do this on our own to bring the cost down. I have a mix of salt and pepper river rock in mind for your design. I have 1.5 cubic yards in the quote now, which is to cover the front edge of the full bed and a wider strip from the front entrance. We can reduce the river rock to just use it in the front entrance area and not apply it to the full bed. I was going for a nice contrast in the bed to separate the mulch and river rock from the front yard. I was trying to lighten things up with the salt and pepper look.
2. As far as the lighting components go, what manufacturer do you normally use for these? Can 2700 kelvin be used for these lights (not a fan of 3000k)? Also, how is it controlled? Our friends have an inexpensive Kichler wifi landscape controller from amazon that they use an App to control everything that they really like so not sure if something like that can be used. We use FX Luminaire and Kichler light fixtures, with Unique low-voltage transformers. The transformer works with a light photocell or a plug-in timer. If you want a smart transformer, we can install them, but they are usually double the cost of a standard transformer. I would not recommend a smart transformer unless you have a larger property and you have a lot of light fixtures in different zones where you want to manage them. I recommend the plug-in timer over the photocell. The photo cells do die and go out and you have to replace them regularly. The plug-in timer is the best way to go; you will never need to replace it. All you have to do is adjust the timer for daylight savings, and we do this for our clients, where we manage their quarterly maintenance.
The LED lights we use for the fixtures are warm white light 2700-3000K, depending on the size of the light fixtures. The bulb will also have a beam angle between 15,30,60, and 120, depending on what we want to accent.
3. What's the plan for the current irrigation or any damage from the demo? We will perform an audit on the irrigation system to ensure it is working well. We will provide you with a report of findings after the audit if there are any major issues with the existing system or recommend any necessary changes based on the new plant layout. If we damage anything during the demo, we will repair it. We will also adjust any existing heads to ensure proper coverage for the beds.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I'll send over a revised estimate.
Glad to hear you're saving some money.
Regarding the lights:
Kichler makes a transformer that works just fine, I would recommend you go with that.
It's a "dumb transformer" and they last forever. Mine is like 20 years old.
150 watt transformer
Add the Kichler Smart Control Timer (Amazon link here) for $68.00 to control from your phone. You can install this yourself... connects via bluetooth and is very easy. It's not going to control individual lights, but you can turn lights on/off, set a program and adjust from your phone.
https://a.co/d/6lUVAso
Keep all the fixtures either 2700 or 3000. You'll notice the difference if you mix and it will annoy the hell out of you. JMO.
Regarding the lights:
Kichler makes a transformer that works just fine, I would recommend you go with that.
It's a "dumb transformer" and they last forever. Mine is like 20 years old.
150 watt transformer
Add the Kichler Smart Control Timer (Amazon link here) for $68.00 to control from your phone. You can install this yourself... connects via bluetooth and is very easy. It's not going to control individual lights, but you can turn lights on/off, set a program and adjust from your phone.
https://a.co/d/6lUVAso
Keep all the fixtures either 2700 or 3000. You'll notice the difference if you mix and it will annoy the hell out of you. JMO.
Apache said:
Glad to hear you're saving some money.
Regarding the lights:
Kichler makes a transformer that works just fine, I would recommend you go with that.
It's a "dumb transformer" and they last forever. Mine is like 20 years old.
150 watt transformer
Add the Kichler Smart Control Timer (Amazon link here) for $68.00 to control from your phone. You can install this yourself... connects via bluetooth and is very easy. It's not going to control individual lights, but you can turn lights on/off, set a program and adjust from your phone.
https://a.co/d/6lUVAso
Keep all the fixtures either 2700 or 3000. You'll notice the difference if you mix and it will annoy the hell out of you. JMO.
Good stuff. I always do a Texags google search first for stuff like this so hopefully all this will help someone else out in the future when researching. Thanks again for all the advice Apache, I really appreciate it!
**Wrong damn emoji, meant for a thumbs up but looks like can't switch it**
We just had our landscaping redone. We knew going into it that we were going to have twenty 15 gallon pittosporum, forty 3 gallon lantana, three 30 gallon eagleston holly trees, etc. seems like your guy could just show up with whatever the heck they wanted. It seems to me like that estimate needs to be a whole lot more specific.
Apache said:
Glad to hear you're saving some money.
Regarding the lights:
Kichler makes a transformer that works just fine, I would recommend you go with that.
It's a "dumb transformer" and they last forever. Mine is like 20 years old.
150 watt transformer
Add the Kichler Smart Control Timer (Amazon link here) for $68.00 to control from your phone. You can install this yourself... connects via bluetooth and is very easy. It's not going to control individual lights, but you can turn lights on/off, set a program and adjust from your phone.
https://a.co/d/6lUVAso
Keep all the fixtures either 2700 or 3000. You'll notice the difference if you mix and it will annoy the hell out of you. JMO.
Why not just use the Alliance IT2-150? Basically, in line with the price point for both of those items. I just installed this for my front patio, and it allows me to segment lights into 3 different clusters on different time settings.
https://allalliancelighting.com/alliance-transformers/it2-150-intelligent-transformer/?srsltid=AfmBOoqatB6iVVczlGVF0jtD8IuFdKNBSXyQ0ik2mfCRwUqN2vCL2daG
For reference, I recently had this done and it was $8.5k. Pavers were $1,600 and the weathering steel was $2,400, definitely the largest costs.
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