Residential Landscaping - Edmonton

[vinegar]

AO,

Figured I would look here first. I need quotes for final grade/sod/trees for a small detached home in south edmonton. Thinking I can do the labor myself except for spreading the topsoil. I never had a new home before so any advice from those who have done this would be appreciated.

Cheers

[HyperMOA]

Buy a $50 landscape rake and a sod roller and yes you can spread the soil yourself. Its surprising to find out how much landscaping cost. I was quoted over 30k by 3 companies for dirt and sod alone. Rented a skid steer had 144 yards of dirt and 24 pallets of sod delivered for less than $7000. It took me a week and a half so even with my missing wages I was way ahead.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

Buy a $50 landscape rake and a sod roller and yes you can spread the soil yourself. Its surprising to find out how much landscaping cost. I was quoted over 30k by 3 companies for dirt and sod alone. Rented a skid steer had 144 yards of dirt and 24 pallets of sod delivered for less than $7000. It took me a week and a half so even with my missing wages I was way ahead.

And sore back!


If you have the time and physical stamina a guy can save a ton.

In my case I had to hire some work last year as I didn't have the time and heavy equipment for some major re-work. Cost a pretty penny but I paid a premium for a great contractor.

[HyperMOA]

I had a surveyor come in as well; and had him stake all the final grade slopes. Then you just level everything from stake to stake. No guess work involved.

If I were to redo it though, I would hire a landscape designer to come in and give you a plan. Its probably the best $500 you will spend. That way you can follow their design and they will save you the headache of wishing you had placed something elsewhere then the cost of moving it. Or in my case its cutting and digging out the sod previously laid to pour a slab for the ol shed, and the ol deck. . .

Also I would get my fence up first its much easier to have post holes dug out when you have no sod. Also your deck piles drilled as well.

[Ivo]

Get your wallet ready. I was quoted $65-90 thousand for landscaping. I priced out the material and it came to $16,000. Everyone is so busy while overcharging, they don't care if they don't get your job, people will still be lined up for their work.
I told the guy who quoted me $90,000 to take the driveway paved in gold out of the quote and get back to me with the revised quote... he never called me back.

[vinegar]

thanks for the replies. I havent gone for quotes yet but this job should be one day max for someone who knows what theyre doing. Its only final grade/sod and a few shrubs. Community bylaws are pretty easy for appearance and ill do it myself.

[Team Anzac]

Small yard should be fairly easy, you'd be surprised what you can do with a shovel and a wheelbarrow. FYI A pallet of sod will cover 700sqft, and should not cost more than $300. Buy a couple of different rakes for grading.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by vinegar

thanks for the replies. I havent gone for quotes yet but this job should be one day max for someone who knows what theyre doing. Its only final grade/sod and a few shrubs. Community bylaws are pretty easy for appearance and ill do it myself.

If a new home...get some advice on contouring the ground so that water goes away from the home. Also when landscaping the ground around the house settles a lot...so be prepared. Also if you have bobcat access...do some test digs for soil depth...hopefully you have lots of natural top soil for gardening...if not while you can remove as much clay as possible and bring in soil.

Remember what you plant today gets big. Keep trees set well back from houses/garages. Consider neighbor overhand in 10-20 years. Don't plant close together.

Consider putting in a do it yourself sprinkler system or have one installed. Some new systems have an above ground box with a rain monitor. The cost of the sprinkler will be offset by the sod to a degree. Cost it out. Once a sprinkler is in you can just seed the lawn, fertilize and water.

Just a few thoughts.

[Bretoneer]

Hey there, I’m hoping to get some insight on something here.
We have a condominium of about 18 yards requiring landscaping. The yards are currently an eye sore and the building manager is requiring the following to be done:
- cut grass down to nothing and lay landscape fabric over it
- install landscape edging around each yards fence to hold in rock
- cover entirety of yards with a river rock/limestone
- lay paving stones from stairs to gates in everyone’s backyards

It’s basically eliminating all the greenery as the owners and tenants are letting the yards go and are peppered with dog poop, weeds, garbage, etc.

I need to know a couple things...we are talking bout shy of 5000 sq.ft here. What is the best way to go about this process and is this even a proper way of landscaping?

If there are any landscapers who could provide basic insight or costs as to what we’d be looking at would be great.

Thank you!