New Build - How much did you budget for backyard development?

[cycosis]

We moved in last summer to our house and now we are staring at a backyard that is completely infested with weeds. The builder left us with 6 inches of loam and thats it. We didn't do anything last summer as we were monitoring costs.

We have a fairly generic backyard for a new community on a zero lot line. Not huge.

We just have no idea where to start nor do we have any concept of what it would cost to put in a deck, a fire pit area, perhaps some raised beds. I also don't know if its worth even having the conversation of how much investment is likely to be gotten back if we decide to sell down the road.

[88CRX]

Getting ready to do this in a new house we just moved into and we're going to do as much ourselves as possible.

Last house we got quotes and pretty much everything was roughly double the cost if you had someone do it. If fence materials were $10k then it was $20k to pay someone to supply and install. Sod was approximately the same, what it cost for supply was doubled up for supply and install.

Are you doing any of it yourself?

[403ep3]

I've spent about $20-25k on my backyard so far.

Patio + retaining wall, 14x14 circle = $3920+2800
Firepit = $950
SOD = $2519
Planter box = $1750
One side of fence $1500 (neighbour built)
Other side of fence $2000 (contractor built)

I've got a huge pie lot so my fence is about 77ft long on both sides, rocks on the side of house, small fire pit/retaining wall, and the rest has grass/wood chips. We wanted a full retaining wall as there is a bit of an angle, but couldn't justify the cost.

[Kloubek]

We have a reasonably large back yard for an urban new build, and our fence was about 2800, but my neighbour built it and got me to pay for it. I sodded myself so that was about $1200 including delivery of screened loam. Just had 11 trees planted for a total cost of $750. Had the builder build the deck (even though I could have done it, I wanted it right away) for 4g. I built a second deck for 1g myself, and will put a gazebo on it for another 1g. Finally an area with rock for my dog to do his business for a couple bills. So I guess I'm all-in for a little shy of 10g, though I did much of the work myself. All done for me it probably would have been at least 15g. I would say this is the minimum to have a nicely equipped back yard, but it can go waaaay up from there if you want to get fancy.

[Doozer]

Yard development can go on literally for the entire duration that you own your home. There are always things to do. Every lot is different, every month costs change, so providing costs here is pretty useless.

What I'd suggest is measure out the area that you're talking about, then prioritize what you want and make some phone calls.

Our order was:
Fencing
Deck
Sod
(pause of several years)
Playcenter for the kids
Trees
Some flower beds against the house
Raised garden

The main thing is to get the sod down because that's what helps with your water drainage away from the house. I'd suggest the fencing first so you know the property lines and don't ruin the sod, and likewise with the deck. Plus, if you do the deck first, you don't have to sod that area and can save some money.

I wouldn't worry too much about resale, because new owners always have their own ideas about what they like. Hell, our plans have changed from when we had no kids, to young kids, and they'll change again in a few years when we ditch the playcenter and make room for a patio/firepit.

Don't get overwhelmed - get the basic layout, get some sod, and take a few years to let your property and your ideas evolve.

[cycosis]

Fence was done last summer due to everyone having dogs which is fine. Ideally I have no sod in my future as them I gotta now it, weed it, water it. That’s why I have the all natural weed forest right now haha

[benyl]

Give your RPR to a designer. Spend $800 and get the designer to create a plan for your yard. It is way easier to get quotes if you have a plan. Get the landscaper to itemize the quote so you can cut down costs.

Get mature trees. $1K per tree, but you have instant shade, rather than waiting 10 years for it.

[cycosis]

Is that $1k per tree installed? or more to plant?

[88CRX]

Anything that you do in the yard requires some sort of maintenance. And sod isn't that bad if you proactively water and fertilize in the early spring.

Love it when you see the 'xeroscape rock garden special' that looks immaculate year 1 only to look like complete shit after a year or 2 because nobody has picked a single weed thats busted through their half-assed weed barrier.

- - - Updated - - -

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Get mature trees. $1K per tree, but you have instant shade, rather than waiting 10 years for it.

Or (unlike someone mentioned above about waiting to plant trees) get little ones planted ASAP and don't wait 2, 3, 4 years to plant anything. We planted small trees in our last yard immediately after we moved in and after 4 years they were pretty damn big already. All our neighbors were complaining that big trees cost too much, which is BS cause you can plant small trees for less than $100/tree and then water and fertilize them and they'll grow like weeds.

[Doozer]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

...
Or (unlike someone mentioned above about waiting to plant trees) get little ones planted ASAP and don't wait 2, 3, 4 years to plant anything. We planted small trees in our last yard immediately after we moved in and after 4 years they were pretty damn big already. All our neighbors were complaining that big trees cost too much, which is BS cause you can plant small trees for less than $100/tree and then water and fertilize them and they'll grow like weeds.

Yeah, I was the one. We had other priorities, had the house for probably 10yrs before we planted trees, about 4yrs ago. I wish I would've planted them earlier, but at the same time, our yard layout plans have changed and 10yr old trees are tough to relocate. At least now they're in the right spot for the long term (we think), but we lost a few prime growing years.

[dirtsniffer]

Consider irrigation at this point. Having a plan made early can go a long way

[craigcd]

What I have done since last August:

-Fence
-Deck, tore apart builders deck and rebuilt larger and with composite
-Rock on the side of the house
-Landscaping curbing to frame yard, 10 trees, shrubs, more rock to make maintenance free beds
-Shed to match house
-Loam and sod
-New patio furniture

Still have to paint the fence and build one gate so maybe do that next week. I would say I am closing in on 20k for sure. The deck was a major expense, pretty sure I wouldn't use composite again way to expensive. I need to figure out how to post pics and share some of my work!

[craigcd]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Consider irrigation at this point. Having a plan made early can go a long way

I was debating irrigation, it super simple to install and cheap if you do it yourself. I had it in my last house and decided against it this time.

[K3RMiTdot]

I've run into the same issue as OP. My lawn/yard is infested with weeds. I'm thinking of using the killex from a previous thread to clean up the weeds, I don't really have the time to invest into pulling them manually. After that I might just throw down grass seeds.

[88CRX]

Post up some pictures of your yards!

[cycosis]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Post up some pictures of your yards!

May be a new thread? Ill start one

[88CRX]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

May be a new thread? Ill start one

Yea!

I'm about to get started on ours.... could always use some new ideas.

[G-ZUS]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Yea!

I'm about to get started on ours.... could always use some new ideas.

+1