Landscaping, explained before the bid

A person at HyreYard reads it and replies by email. Matching with landscaping companies is still being built, so this is not an instant quote line. We answer your question and tell you when we can introduce companies in your area. No company gets your details unless you agree.

No. Sending the form costs nothing and commits you to nothing: not a company, not a design and not a start date. You decide whether to talk to anyone and whether to hire.

We publish no national average, because access, grading, drainage and base preparation move the price more than the plants and pavers you see.

A flat lot with machine access and a slope behind a narrow gate are different jobs at the same square footage.

Ask every company to price site preparation, base and disposal as separate lines.

Shade, compacted soil, poor drainage or the wrong grass for the spot can each cause it, and another product fixes none of them.

Start with a soil test from your extension service and a count of how many hours of sun the patch gets.

Deep shade under mature trees can suit a bed or ground cover better than turf.

It depends on your grass. Cool-season and warm-season grasses run on different calendars, so the right job in the wrong month can waste the season. Your state’s extension service publishes the calendar for your region, and it is the one to follow.

Water deeply and less often, early in the day, so roots grow down and leaves dry before evening. Light daily watering grows shallow roots. EPA WaterSense says as much as 50 percent of outdoor water is wasted through overwatering. Check your water utility’s watering rules first.

Ask your building department, because the local code decides. The model code exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing, and flatwork up to 30 inches above grade. Local codes change those numbers, and an HOA, easement or zoning rule can still apply.

The base is the first thing to check. A thin or poorly compacted base, a missing edge restraint, or water moving underneath will move pavers of any quality.

ICPI Tech Spec 2 calls for at least 4 inches of compacted base under a patio on well-drained soil, and 2 to 4 inches more in cold or wet ground.

They are a sound default where they suit the spot. Plants adapted to local rainfall and soil can need less water, feeding and replacement. Native does not mean no care: each plant still has to fit the light, drainage and hardiness zone where it goes.

For a whole-yard project, a drawing is worth having. It lets every company bid on the same plan, puts the work in the right order and keeps the yard from becoming a string of separate purchases. For a single job, such as a lawn renovation or a fence line, you may not need one.

Dead limbs over a roof or path, large cracks, fungus at the base, a new lean, or roots cut during construction are reasons to call a certified arborist. If a tree or limb touches a power line, stay away and call the utility. Be wary of anyone who offers to top the tree.

Deal with soil and drainage before planting. New-build lots can have thin topsoil over compacted subsoil, and water may have nowhere to go. Look up the lot on the USDA Web Soil Survey, watch where water stands after heavy rain, and fix both before beds or pavers go in.