Creative by Design Landscaping
– Nanaimo Landscapes

Why choose Creative By Design Landscaping?

How much does landscaping cost?

Your landscape budget in Nanaimo can vary a lot, depending on your project size, as well as factors such as access, site and ground conditions and design complexity.

If your existing landscapes are old and in need of our services, then excavation and disposal often increases your project costs. Bedrock, slopes and drainage issues can also greatly affect the overall landscape costs due to unfriendly working conditions where machinery is required and progress is slow.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN BUILD

We provide on site consultations for a fee of $195, and our 2D drawings start at $650, these services come with a colour printed or digital copy and a quote with detailed breakdown of our prices.

A standard landscaping design for a regular sized home in Nanaimo, which factors in soil, lawn, planting and sprinklers will cost around $20-30,000. However if you are looking to add hardscapes, walls, full-size trees and lighting, then the budget can increase significantly. Large projects which include a detailed design and multiple elevations can often exceed a cost of $150,000 quite quickly. A good rule of thumb is to calculate the project area, and multiply it by $12 -$15 per sq.ft. This will give you a good idea of the budget for a good quality in-depth landscape with some hard and softscapes.  

EXCAVATION 

Excavation for your landscape project can vary depending on project size, access, machines required, material type and haulage fees. Excavation with mini-excavators and skidsteers usually start at around $100 per hour plus fuel in ideal ground conditions. Where large amounts of bedrock is to be removed, we may outsource to a company with larger machines and rock breakers. 

WATER FEATURES

Building water features in Nanaimo, can add a great sound to any garden. A small concept, such as a bubbling rock or pond less water feature can be around $2000 to $5000, if you’re looking for a grand water feature with lighting and waterfalls than your cost would be around $10,000 and up.

HARDSCAPES

Patios, pathways, custom outdoor kitchens and block retaining walls can really enhance your home, but can significantly increase the project budget. Pavers average at $35 per installed sq.ft. Block retaining walls are a great addition for creating level areas but can cost from $65 to $95 for face square foot, depending on product style. Any poured concrete surface will be a lower cost but not as fancy. Natural stone walls and outdoor kitchens can be more expensive, depending on the style and stone type. Also remember many products have to be brought in from Vancouver or further, so delivery and shipping can affect schedules and costs. We are certified installers with many years of installation and design experience, so you’re in good hands.

ARTIFICIAL TURF

Artificial turf is usually installed at around $18-22 per square foot depending on lawn size and type. The larger the area, will sometimes make it cheaper. Remember synthetic turf is installed like carpet, so it comes in rolls of 6ft and 13 ft wide, and can often have a lot of wastage, if you want more creative lawn shapes.

LIGHTING

Outdoor lighting is a great way to enjoy your landscapes in the evening, without breaking the bank. Lights start at around $120-150 per fixture, with a transformer ranging from $600 to $800 depending on if you require a smart controller. Wire, marrets, delivery and labour also have to be factored into your system.

SOFTSCAPES

Lawns are great for a quick and low maintenance alternative to weeding, though they do require more watering. Our lawn soil is a local premium blend of soil, free of weed seeds, installed at a recommended depth of 4inch plus. With sod provided by a local premium sod supplier, you can usually expect to get a beautiful lawn for around $5-8 per square foot plus delivery. We do recommend sprinklers for any softscape installation. Seeding for a new lawn isn’t a service we offer at this time.

Soil for garden beds are a similar cost depending on bed depth, We recommend 12 inches if you don’t have any good quality growing medium to start with. 6 inches of soil, if your just amending to existing garden beds.

Costing plants, shrubs and trees are dictated by size and quality of the plants you would like. Some homeowners like to start small and grow with their landscape, others want the instant finish, which means a bigger budget and sometimes machinery as well. We only buy our plants from reputable nurseries like Dinter’s and Green Thumb, where we know they’ve got a good history of plant health.

IRRIGATION

In Nanaimo, we find irrigation is very important for any thriving quality landscapes. Not only does it keep your lawn green and plants vibrant, it also keeps water wastage down and gives you more free time to do more important tasks. Sprinkler cost is around $1350.00 per zone installation, depending on ground conditions. System size is dictated by gallons per minute and PSI. We are a certified installer and many years of experience installing sprinklers, micro, drip systems with perfect coverage. Any work undertaken inside the house or from the street, will require a certified plumber, which is an additional cost.

BUDGETS & QUOTES

When it comes to budgets and quotes, we honest and upfront about costs, and can work with you to find many different price points and materials. We are happy to discuss project phases to make your plan more manageable. We are fully licensed and insured, which does not allow us to cut corners or have homeowners ‘assist’ toward project completion. We are a professional installation company that thrives on ‘building it right, building it once’, so you don’t have to get us back for repairs!