When to tackle yard work yourself and when to call a pro, with one published set of labor, service and material prices to compare.
Professional landscaping services add up over a year. For many routine tasks, fertilizing, mulching, basic lawn care, doing it yourself removes the labor from the bill and takes less time than you might think.
The key to successful DIY landscaping is knowing your yard measurements and buying the right amount of materials. Over-buying is the most common mistake, followed by under-buying and needing a second trip.
The difference between doing a job yourself and hiring it out is the labor. LotSite has no price data of its own. The figures below are from Angi's cost guide How Much Does Landscaping Cost? [2026 Data] (updated September 23, 2026), which says labor makes up 40% to 65% of the overall cost of a landscaping project.
Read the three tables together: what a professional charges by the hour, what a finished job runs, and what the materials cost on their own. LotSite does not compute a savings figure from them, because the source does not print one and the jobs behind each range differ.
| Professional | Rate (Angi) |
|---|---|
| Landscaper | $50–$100 per hour |
| Landscape designer | $50–$150 per hour |
| Landscape architect | $70–$100 per hour |
| Service | Average cost (Angi) |
|---|---|
| Mulch installation | $30–$120 per cubic yard |
| Tree planting | $120–$2,500 |
| Flower bed installation | $800–$3,000 |
| Sod installation | $950–$4,300 |
| Lawn grading | $1,025–$3,300 |
| Material | Average cost (Angi) |
|---|---|
| Mulch | $0.20–$0.60 per square foot |
| Grass seed | $3–$10 per pound |
| Sod | $0.35–$0.85 per square foot |
| Topsoil | $12–$55 per cubic yard |
| Border plants | $2–$50 per plant |
Source: Angi, "How Much Does Landscaping Cost? [2026 Data]", updated September 23, 2026. Figures are shown as published.
What these numbers are. Angi says its figures come from projects on its own platform and surveys of its customers, paired with outside research. That makes them one company's data. They are not an official statistic and they are not a quote for your job. Prices differ by region, yard and company, so get two or three local quotes, and price your own materials with the calculators linked below, which start from labeled assumptions you can replace.
Routine lawn care: Fertilizing, weed control, and overseeding are straightforward with the right measurements and a broadcast spreader. You pay for the materials and nothing else.
Mulching garden beds: Spreading mulch is physical work but requires no special skills. Measure your bed area first, buy the right number of bags, and spend a Saturday morning.
Small plantings: Adding plants, shrubs, or flowers to existing beds is manageable for most homeowners with basic garden tools.
Grading and drainage: Improper grading can cause water to flow toward your foundation. This requires specialized equipment and expertise.
Large tree removal: Dangerous and requires specialized equipment. Always hire a certified arborist for trees near structures or power lines. Our tree removal cost calculator shows how height, trunk and access move the price, from starting prices you can edit.
Irrigation systems: Installing or repairing underground sprinklers involves trenching, plumbing, and electrical work. Mistakes are costly to fix.
Hardscaping: Patios, retaining walls, and walkways require proper base preparation and drainage. A poorly built patio settles and cracks within a few years.
Start by measuring your yard. Enter your address and paint each area to total its square footage.
Then calculate materials with our fertilizer, mulch, and seed calculators, and estimate your weekly commitment with the mowing time calculator.