Should you landscape it yourself or hire a landscaper?
On the defaults — 6 hours at $30.00 an hour, $80.00 of materials, no rental, a $450.00 quote and 4 projects a season — the DIY cost is $260.00 (6 × $30.00 + $80.00) and the hiring cost is $450.00, so DIY wins by $190.00 a project and by $760.00 a season. A professional landscaper typically charges about $50–$100 an hour for labour, or a flat quote per project that runs a few hundred dollars for a standard yard job — and a landscaper also brings the crew, so a job that takes a homeowner a full weekend takes a crew a morning.
Five things about the model are worth stating plainly. First, the DIY cost is the hours times what your time is worth, plus materials, plus rental — 6 × $30.00 + $80.00 + $0.00 = $260.00. Second, the hiring cost is the quote — $450.00. Third, the gap is the hiring cost minus the DIY cost — $450.00 − $260.00 = $190.00, so DIY wins. Fourth, the per-season figures are the per-project figures times the number of projects — $260.00 × 4 = $1,040.00 against $450.00 × 4 = $1,800.00, a $760.00 seasonal gap. And fifth, materials are the part homeowners underestimate — they run roughly $50–$200 for a small project, and equipment rental can add $50–$150 a day; all listed in Accuracy & limitations.
The worked example, line by line
Setup: 6 DIY hours at $30.00 an hour, $80.00 of materials, $0.00 rental, a $450.00 quote, 4 projects a season.
Line 1 — the DIY cost per project. The DIY cost is 6 × $30.00 + $80.00 + $0.00 = $260.00.
Line 2 — the hiring cost per project. The hiring cost is the quote: $450.00.
Line 3 — the gap per project. The gap is $450.00 − $260.00 = $190.00, so DIY wins by $190.00.
Line 4 — the season. DIY per season is $260.00 × 4 = $1,040.00; hiring per season is $450.00 × 4 = $1,800.00; the seasonal gap is $760.00.
Line 5 — the flip. Value your time at $50.00 an hour instead and the DIY cost is 6 × $50.00 + $80.00 = $380.00 — DIY still wins, but only by $70.00.
The season, not the single job
| Projects a season | DIY per season | Hiring per season | DIY saving |
|---|
| 1 project | $260.00 | $450.00 | $190.00 |
| 2 projects | $520.00 | $900.00 | $380.00 |
| 3 projects | $780.00 | $1,350.00 | $570.00 |
| 4 projects | $1,040.00 | $1,800.00 | $760.00 |
| 5 projects | $1,300.00 | $2,250.00 | $950.00 |
The per-project gap is $190.00, so the seasonal saving is $190.00 times the number of projects — $570.00 at 3 projects, $760.00 at 4, $950.00 at 5. Most yards need 3–5 landscaping visits a season, which is why the per-season total matters more than any single quote: a job that looks close on one project — $260.00 against $450.00 — is $760.00 apart over a season. The per-season winner is always the same as the per-project winner, because the gap scales with the count.
Every branch, checked
materials $200.00: DIY $380.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $70.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,520.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $280.00 — Materials are the line homeowners underestimate: at $200.00 of materials the DIY cost is $380.00 and DIY wins by only $70.00.
quote $250.00: DIY $260.00 vs hiring $250.00: HIRING wins by $10.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,000.00, HIRING wins by $40.00 — At a $250.00 quote hiring wins by $10.00 — the cheapest quote in the set flips the answer.
8 DIY hours: DIY $320.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $130.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,280.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $520.00 — At 8 hours the DIY cost is $320.00 and DIY wins by $130.00 — two extra hours cost $60.00 of your time.
your value $45.00/hr: DIY $350.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $100.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,400.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $400.00 — At $45.00 an hour the DIY cost is $350.00 and DIY wins by $100.00 — your hourly value is the lever.
rental $150.00: DIY $410.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $40.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,640.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $160.00 — A $150.00 rental leaves DIY ahead by only $40.00 — the forgotten line that decides close jobs.
quote $600.00: DIY $260.00 vs hiring $600.00: DIY wins by $340.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $2,400.00, DIY wins by $1,360.00 — At a $600.00 quote DIY wins by $340.00 — the dearer the landscaper, the bigger the DIY saving.
2 projects a season: DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (2 projects): DIY $520.00 vs hiring $900.00, DIY wins by $380.00 — At 2 projects a season the seasonal saving is $380.00 — half the default season, because the gap scales with the count.
The reverses, worked backwards
landscaper quote for an exact tie: The landscaper quote for an exact tie is $260.00 (exact 260.0000). At $260.00 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $260.00: Tie — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,040.00, Tie. At $259.99 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $259.99: HIRING wins by $0.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,039.96, HIRING wins by $0.04 — hiring wins by $0.01; at $260.01 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $260.01: DIY wins by $0.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,040.04, DIY wins by $0.04 — DIY wins by $0.01.
smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote: The smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote is 12.34 hours (exact 12.3400). At 12.34 hours the figures are DIY $450.20 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.20 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.80 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.80. At 12.33 hours the DIY cost is $449.90 — DIY wins by $0.10.
smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote: The smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote is $61.67/hr (exact 61.6700). At $61.67/hr the figures are DIY $450.02 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.02 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.08 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.08. At $61.66/hr the DIY cost is $449.96 — DIY wins by $0.04.
materials for hiring to win by $100.00: The materials for hiring to win by $100.00 is $370.00 (exact 370.0000). At $370.00 the figures are DIY $550.00 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $100.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,200.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $400.00.
smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00: The smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00 is $210.00 (exact 210.0000). At $210.00 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $210.00: HIRING wins by $50.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $840.00, HIRING wins by $200.00. At $211.00 hiring wins by only $49.00 — a dollar too much to reach the $50.00 gap.
smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00: The smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00 is 3 projects. At 3 projects the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (3 projects): DIY $780.00 vs hiring $1,350.00, DIY wins by $570.00. At 2 projects the saving is only $380.00.
What the defaults assume
The defaults are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $760.00. With materials $200.00, DIY $380.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $70.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,520.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $280.00 — Materials are the line homeowners underestimate: at $200.00 of materials the DIY cost is $380.00 and DIY wins by only $70.00.. With quote $250.00, DIY $260.00 vs hiring $250.00: HIRING wins by $10.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,000.00, HIRING wins by $40.00 — At a $250.00 quote hiring wins by $10.00 — the cheapest quote in the set flips the answer.. With 8 DIY hours, DIY $320.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $130.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,280.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $520.00 — At 8 hours the DIY cost is $320.00 and DIY wins by $130.00 — two extra hours cost $60.00 of your time.. With your value $45.00/hr, DIY $350.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $100.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,400.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $400.00 — At $45.00 an hour the DIY cost is $350.00 and DIY wins by $100.00 — your hourly value is the lever.. With rental $150.00, DIY $410.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $40.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,640.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $160.00 — A $150.00 rental leaves DIY ahead by only $40.00 — the forgotten line that decides close jobs.. With quote $600.00, DIY $260.00 vs hiring $600.00: DIY wins by $340.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $2,400.00, DIY wins by $1,360.00 — At a $600.00 quote DIY wins by $340.00 — the dearer the landscaper, the bigger the DIY saving.. With 2 projects a season, DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (2 projects): DIY $520.00 vs hiring $900.00, DIY wins by $380.00 — At 2 projects a season the seasonal saving is $380.00 — half the default season, because the gap scales with the count.. With landscaper quote for an exact tie, $260.00 (exact 260.0000) — at $260.00 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $260.00: Tie — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,040.00, Tie; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $259.99: HIRING wins by $0.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,039.96, HIRING wins by $0.04. With smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote, 12.34 hours (exact 12.3400) — at 12.34 hours the figures are DIY $450.20 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.20 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.80 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.80; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $449.90 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $0.10 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,799.60 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $0.40. With smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote, $61.67/hr (exact 61.6700) — at $61.67/hr the figures are DIY $450.02 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.02 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.08 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.08; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $449.96 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $0.04 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,799.84 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $0.16. With materials for hiring to win by $100.00, $370.00 (exact 370.0000) — at $370.00 the figures are DIY $550.00 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $100.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,200.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $400.00; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $549.99 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $99.99 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,199.96 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $399.96. With smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00, $210.00 (exact 210.0000) — at $210.00 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $210.00: HIRING wins by $50.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $840.00, HIRING wins by $200.00; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $209.99: HIRING wins by $50.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $839.96, HIRING wins by $200.04. With smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00, 3 projects (exact 3) — at 3 projects the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (3 projects): DIY $780.00 vs hiring $1,350.00, DIY wins by $570.00; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (2 projects): DIY $520.00 vs hiring $900.00, DIY wins by $380.00. With 0 DIY hours, DIY $80.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $370.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $320.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $1,480.00 — With 0 DIY hours the DIY cost is just the $80.00 of materials — DIY wins by $370.00.. With $0.00/hr your value, DIY $80.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $370.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $320.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $1,480.00 — Value your time at $0.00 an hour and the DIY cost is $80.00 — DIY wins by $370.00.. With materials $500.00, DIY $680.00 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $230.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,720.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $920.00 — At $500.00 of materials the DIY cost is $680.00 — hiring wins by $230.00.. With quote $0.00, DIY $260.00 vs hiring $0.00: HIRING wins by $260.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $0.00, HIRING wins by $1,040.00 — At a $0.00 quote hiring wins by $260.00 — a free landscaper beats any DIY price.. With 12 DIY hours, DIY $440.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $10.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,760.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $40.00 — At 12 DIY hours the DIY cost is $440.00 and DIY wins by only $10.00.. With your value $100.00/hr, DIY $680.00 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $230.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,720.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $920.00 — Value your time at $100.00 an hour and the DIY cost is $680.00 — hiring wins by $230.00.. With quote $1,000.00, DIY $260.00 vs hiring $1,000.00: DIY wins by $740.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $4,000.00, DIY wins by $2,960.00 — At a $1,000.00 quote DIY wins by $740.00..
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|
| Your DIY hours | input | 6 hours. |
| Your hourly value | input | $30.00/hour. |
| Materials | input | $80.00. |
| Equipment rental | input | $0.00. |
| Landscaper quote | input | $450.00. |
| Projects per season | input | 4. |
| DIY per project | DIY hours × your hourly value + materials + rental | $260.00. |
| Hiring per project | the landscaper's quote | $450.00. |
| Gap per project | hiring − DIY | $190.00. |
| Winner | DIY wins if the gap is positive, HIRING wins if it is negative, Tie at $0.00 | DIY wins by $190.00. |
| DIY per season | DIY per project × projects per season | $1,040.00. |
| Hiring per season | quote × projects per season | $1,800.00. |
| Seasonal gap | hiring per season − DIY per season | $760.00. |
| landscaper quote for an exact tie | exact 260.0000 | $260.00 → $260.00. |
| Below the landscaper quote for an exact tie star | neighbor | DIY $260.00 vs hiring $259.99: HIRING wins by $0.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,039.96, HIRING wins by $0.04. |
| Above the landscaper quote for an exact tie star | neighbor | DIY $260.00 vs hiring $260.01: DIY wins by $0.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,040.04, DIY wins by $0.04. |
| smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote | exact 12.3400 | 12.34 hours → 12.34 hours. |
| Below the smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote star | neighbor | DIY $449.90 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $0.10 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,799.60 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $0.40. |
| Above the smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote star | neighbor | DIY $450.50 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.50 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,802.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $2.00. |
| smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote | exact 61.6700 | $61.67/hr → $61.67/hr. |
| Below the smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote star | neighbor | DIY $449.96 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $0.04 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,799.84 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $0.16. |
| Above the smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote star | neighbor | DIY $450.08 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.08 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.32 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.32. |
| materials for hiring to win by $100.00 | exact 370.0000 | $370.00 → $370.00. |
| Below the materials for hiring to win by $100.00 star | neighbor | DIY $549.99 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $99.99 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,199.96 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $399.96. |
| Above the materials for hiring to win by $100.00 star | neighbor | DIY $550.01 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $100.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,200.04 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $400.04. |
| smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00 | exact 210.0000 | $210.00 → $210.00. |
| Below the smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00 star | neighbor | DIY $260.00 vs hiring $209.99: HIRING wins by $50.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $839.96, HIRING wins by $200.04. |
| Above the smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00 star | neighbor | DIY $260.00 vs hiring $211.00: HIRING wins by $49.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $844.00, HIRING wins by $196.00. |
| smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00 | exact 3 | 3 projects → 3 projects. |
| Below the smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00 star | neighbor | DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (2 projects): DIY $520.00 vs hiring $900.00, DIY wins by $380.00. |
| Above the smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00 star | neighbor | DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $760.00. |
Who uses this
- The homeowner pricing a spring clean-up: they learn doing it themselves costs $260.00 against a $450.00 quote — and they check the $250.00-quote branch to see when hiring wins.
- The weekend DIYer valuing their own time: they learn at $50.00 an hour the DIY cost is $380.00 — and they check the $61.67/hr reverse to see the rate where DIY stops winning.
- The homeowner planning the whole season: they learn 3 projects a season is the smallest count for a $500.00 saving — and they check the season table to see the saving reach $950.00 at 5 projects.
- The homeowner comparing two quotes: they learn a $600.00 quote leaves DIY ahead by $340.00 — and they check the $210.00 reverse to see the quote where hiring wins by $50.00.
Accuracy & limitations
The model is the two totals: DIY = DIY hours × your hourly value + materials + equipment rental; hiring = the landscaper's quote; the gap is hiring − DIY, from the rounded totals; the per-season figures are the per-project figures times the number of projects. What the calculator cannot do is price your yard: a professional landscaper typically charges about $50–$100 an hour for labour, or a flat quote per project that runs a few hundred dollars for a standard yard job; materials — mulch, plants, soil, edging — usually run roughly $50–$200 for a small project, and equipment rental (a tiller, an aerator, a chipper) can add $50–$150 a day and is easy to forget when pricing the DIY route. The DIY total counts your time at the hourly value you enter — use your after-tax hourly wage for the honest number — and it does not count the permit, the disposal, the tools you have to buy or rent, or the warranty a landscaper's work carries. A landscaper also brings the crew, so a job that takes a homeowner a full weekend takes a crew a morning — the hours you enter should be your hours, not the crew's. Most yards need 3–5 landscaping visits a season, which is why the per-season total matters more than any single quote.
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “DIY vs Hire a Landscaper Calculator: Which Costs Less?” brightoolbox.com, 2026. Method: DIY cost per project = DIY hours × your hourly value + materials + equipment rental; hiring cost per project = the landscaper's quote; per-season figures are the per-project figures × projects per season; the gap is hiring − DIY. Reverses: landscaper quote for an exact tie is $260.00 (at $260.00 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $260.00: Tie — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,040.00, Tie; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $259.99: HIRING wins by $0.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $1,039.96, HIRING wins by $0.04); smallest DIY hours (in 0.01-hour steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote is 12.34 hours (at 12.34 hours the figures are DIY $450.20 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.20 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.80 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.80; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $449.90 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $0.10 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,799.60 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $0.40); smallest hourly value (in $0.01 steps) for the DIY cost to reach the $450.00 quote is $61.67/hr (at $61.67/hr the figures are DIY $450.02 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $0.02 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,800.08 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $0.08; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $449.96 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $0.04 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,799.84 vs hiring $1,800.00, DIY wins by $0.16); materials for hiring to win by $100.00 is $370.00 (at $370.00 the figures are DIY $550.00 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $100.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,200.00 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $400.00; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $549.99 vs hiring $450.00: HIRING wins by $99.99 — per season (4 projects): DIY $2,199.96 vs hiring $1,800.00, HIRING wins by $399.96); smallest quote for hiring to win by $50.00 is $210.00 (at $210.00 the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $210.00: HIRING wins by $50.00 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $840.00, HIRING wins by $200.00; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $209.99: HIRING wins by $50.01 — per season (4 projects): DIY $1,040.00 vs hiring $839.96, HIRING wins by $200.04); smallest whole projects a season for the seasonal DIY saving to reach $500.00 is 3 projects (at 3 projects the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (3 projects): DIY $780.00 vs hiring $1,350.00, DIY wins by $570.00; at the lower neighbor the figures are DIY $260.00 vs hiring $450.00: DIY wins by $190.00 — per season (2 projects): DIY $520.00 vs hiring $900.00, DIY wins by $380.00) Bright Side Kit. "DIY vs Hire a Landscaper Calculator: Which Costs Less?" https://brightoolbox.com/diy-vs-hire-landscaper/ Accessed October 26, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I DIY my landscaping or hire a landscaper?
It depends on what your time is worth. Landscaping yourself costs $260.00 — 6 hours at $30.00 an hour plus $80.00 of materials — against a $450.00 quote, so DIY wins by $190.00 a project and by $760.00 a season at 4 projects. Value your time at $50.00 an hour instead and the same job costs $380.00 yourself — DIY still wins, but only by $70.00.
How much does a landscaper charge?
About $50–$100 an hour for labour, or a flat quote of a few hundred dollars per project. The default quote is $450.00; at a $600.00 quote DIY wins by $340.00, and at a $250.00 quote hiring wins by $10.00.
How do I value my own time?
Use your after-tax hourly wage. At $30.00 an hour the DIY cost is $260.00; at $45.00 an hour it is $350.00; at $61.67 an hour it is $450.02 — the point where DIY stops winning.
What quote makes hiring win?
$250.00. At a $250.00 quote hiring wins by $10.00. The exact tie is $260.00 — at $259.99 hiring wins by $0.01, and at $260.01 DIY wins by $0.01.
How many hours make DIY lose?
12.34 hours. At 12.34 hours the DIY cost is $450.20 and hiring wins by $0.20; at 12.33 hours it is $449.90 and DIY wins by $0.10.
How much can I save in a season?
$760.00 at 4 projects a season. The per-project gap is $190.00, so the saving is $190.00 times the number of projects — $570.00 at 3 projects, which is the smallest count for a $500.00 saving, and $950.00 at 5 projects.
What if materials cost more than I expected?
Materials are the line that decides close jobs. At $200.00 of materials the DIY cost is $380.00 and DIY wins by only $70.00; at $370.00 of materials the DIY cost is $550.00 and hiring wins by $100.00.
What does equipment rental add?
$150.00 of rental leaves DIY ahead by only $40.00. A tiller, aerator or chipper can add $50–$150 a day, and it is the line most homeowners forget when pricing the DIY route.