Landscape Architect: What Are Some of the Costs You Need To...

...know when contemplating a landscape architect.

As Randy Randolph likes to say, "everything comes down to budget."

In general, you should figure the cost of an architect and total construction to be anywhere from 6% to 15% of your house.

For a barebone design and finished landscape figure roughly 6% to 8% of your house and if you have hardscape surfaces, then the price will range from 12% to 15% of your house. Therefore, on a $300,000 house, figure anywhere from $17,000 to $45,000.

If you have an architect that only does design, then hourly rates run from $40 to $120 an hour. You would then subcontract the work out yourself.

To go with a firm like Randy's, where they design and do the construction, the costs are a little higher. The advantage of doing that, is jobs tend to go more smoothly. They're experienced at doing everything in the right order.

Here are the general hardscape costs:

Plain concrete slab: $3 to $5 a square foot.

Colored concrete: $5 to $7 a square foot.

Stamped concrete: $12 to $14 a square foot.

Etched concrete: $9 to $11 a square foot.

Stone: $15 to $25 (More for exotic stone.)

One thing Randy states is that stone is even cheaper than wooden decks. He rarely recommends wooden decks, because they don't last as long as stone.

The important thing is that you know all of your costs before construction begins. Don't let any surprises happen to you.

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