Estimate your 2026 Seattle landscaping project — sod, plants, trees, irrigation, hardscape (pavers, retaining walls), and site prep. Plants are priced by size from Kolmo's own plant list. A 1,500 sq ft front yard with a 300 sq ft paver patio, 1,000 sq ft of new sod, four irrigation zones and site prep comes to about $12,252 in this calculator.
Planning a deck or fence alongside? Run the deck calculator or fence calculator in the same session — one crew visit for both avoids paying two job minimums.
Total area to be landscaped (minimum 100 sq ft). It changes the price only when Site Preparation is on.
Plants & Vegetation
Add plants, shrubs, and trees to your landscape
No plants added yet. Click "Add Plant" to get started.
Hardscape Features
Add patios, walkways, retaining walls, and more
No hardscape features added yet. Click "Add Feature" to get started.
Additional Features
Irrigation, sod, mulch, and site preparation
Professional irrigation system installation
Professional sod installation for instant lawn
Professional mulch installation for garden beds
Grading, clearing, and soil preparation
Your Estimate
Configure your project and click Calculate
Enter your project details to get started
How Our Landscaping Cost Calculator Works
Professional landscaping project estimates for Seattle and Pacific Northwest properties
Accurate Cost Estimation
Our landscaping calculator prices a project from the pieces you add rather than from a flat rate per square foot. You enter the yard
area, then add plants by type, size (small, medium or large) and quantity; hardscape features by type (patio, walkway, driveway, retaining
wall, steps, seating wall or fire pit) with their material and area; irrigation by the number of zones; sod and mulch by area; and an
optional site preparation toggle. Hardscape material is billed on the area you enter, with no waste added. Flat hardscape labor is priced
per square foot by surface, so gravel, concrete, pavers and flagstone each carry their own rate, while retaining walls, steps, seating walls
and fire pits take a labor multiplier for the extra excavation, drainage and coursing. Plant size raises both the plant price and its
planting labor. Site preparation is billed at $50 an hour, about 2.3 hours per 100 sq ft of yard with a four-hour minimum.
What The Calculator Includes
Every landscaping estimate is itemized, with material and labor as separate lines for each part of the job. Plants are priced per
plant by size, with a planting labor line. Each hardscape feature carries a material line, and the hardscape installation line covers the
labor. Irrigation is $870 a zone for materials and installation, and sod is $1.32 a square foot installed. Bark mulch is billed by the cubic
yard, at one yard per 100 sq ft, with a spreading line; 500 sq ft comes to $830. Site preparation and general labor are billed at the hourly
rate, and small jobs are raised to a job minimum. The calculator does not include topsoil, compost or other soil amendment, landscape
fabric, edging, a backflow preventer, an irrigation controller, a new water line, drainage work, design services or a plant warranty; those
are scoped when the site needs them.
Seattle-Specific Considerations
Seattle's climate and regulations create unique landscaping considerations. The Pacific Northwest's wet winters and relatively dry
summers favor specific plants - rhododendrons, azaleas, ferns, and Japanese maples thrive here while many sun-loving perennials struggle.
Seattle's soil is notoriously challenging: heavy clay in many areas causes poor drainage and compaction, rocky glacial till in North Seattle
makes digging difficult, and thin topsoil over hardpan needs amendment for plants to succeed. The calculator does not price topsoil or
amendment, so we size it on site. Drainage is critical in landscaping projects, and many projects need grading, French drains or catch
basins, especially around hardscaping; the calculator does not include that work. Seattle's water conservation efforts encourage
drought-tolerant plants and efficient drip or rotor irrigation. A backflow preventer is not part of the calculator's zone price and is
quoted separately when an irrigation system needs one. Many Seattle neighborhoods have tree ordinances protecting significant trees and
requiring permits for removal, so plan for arborist consultations if large trees are present. Washington requires contractors doing
landscape construction to be registered with L&I, bonded and insured.
Using The Calculator Effectively
For accurate estimates, measure the area you plan to landscape in square feet. For irregular shapes, break it into sections and sum
the totals. Add each hardscape feature with its own area and material. On a 250 sq ft patio the calculator comes to about $9.50 a square
foot for poured concrete, $18.99 for concrete pavers and $33.24 for flagstone or natural stone; gravel is about $3.50 a square foot, though
a small gravel path is raised to the job minimum. A block retaining wall is priced by its face area, length times height, at about $47.48 a
face square foot. Irrigation is $870 a zone, sod $1.32 a square foot, and bark mulch about $1.66 a square foot. Add plants by type, size and
quantity. Turn on site preparation if the area needs clearing or general prep. The calculator updates as you modify specifications, and the
estimate lists every material and labor line with a time estimate in working days.
Landscaping Cost Calculator: common questions
When is the best time to do landscaping in Seattle?
Fall (September-November) is ideal for planting in Seattle as plants establish root systems during wet winter months before summer heat. Spring (March-May) is the second-best season with good soil moisture but plants have less establishment time before summer. Summer landscaping works but requires diligent irrigation. Avoid winter (December-February) for planting as ground may be waterlogged. Hardscaping can proceed year-round but is easier when ground isn't saturated.
What plants work best in Seattle landscapes?
For Seattle's climate, excellent choices include: shade plants (rhododendrons, azaleas, ferns, hostas, Japanese maples); evergreen shrubs (boxwood, Oregon grape, camellia, pieris); drought-tolerant perennials (lavender, sedum, ornamental grasses); native plants (sword fern, salal, vine maple, ocean spray). Avoid plants requiring hot, dry conditions or alkaline soil. Choose plants rated for USDA Zone 8b (Seattle's climate zone). Consider microclimates - south-facing areas get more sun while north sides stay shady and wet.
Do I need irrigation in Seattle despite the rain?
Yes, irrigation is valuable in Seattle landscapes. While we get 38 inches of annual rainfall, only 5-6 inches fall during summer (June-September) when plants need water most. Established native plants survive without irrigation, but lawns and most landscape plants require supplemental watering in summer. Drip irrigation or rotor systems use water efficiently while protecting your landscape investment. In the calculator, irrigation is $870 a zone for materials and installation. Many HOAs require green lawns, necessitating summer irrigation.
Why trust this landscaping estimate?
Kolmo LLC, established 2025, is a licensed, bonded and insured Washington general contractor (License #KOLMOL*753JS) working across Seattle and King County. This landscaping calculator prices from Kolmo's own material catalog and labor rates, not national averages. Every estimate returns an itemized breakdown of materials and labor, and the line items reconcile to the total so you can check the arithmetic yourself, and the cost of every option you switch on appears as its own line. Treat the result as a planning estimate rather than a quote: the final price is set after a walkthrough of the actual conditions, which is free and carries no obligation.
What this calculator captures
What this calculator charges for common Seattle scopes. Sod installs at about $1.32/sq ft, a concrete paver patio at about $18.99/sq ft and irrigation at $870 per zone; plants run about $30 for a small perennial and $100 for a medium shrub, planting included.
Lawn refresh
about $2,490
1,000 sq ft of new sod with site preparation on a 1,000 sq ft yard. Plants and mulch are added per plant and per sq ft.
Lawn + irrigation
about $7,800
1,500 sq ft of new sod, a four-zone irrigation system and site preparation on a 2,000 sq ft yard.
Patio, wall + lawn
about $18,280
A 300 sq ft concrete paver patio, a 90 sq ft block retaining wall (for example 30 ft long x 3 ft tall), 1,000 sq ft of sod, four irrigation zones and site preparation on a 3,000 sq ft yard.
Using this calculator
Does this include site prep and regrading?
Yes — the site preparation toggle adds grading, clearing and soil preparation, such as taking up an old lawn and leveling, at $50 an hour, about 2.3 hours per 100 sq ft of yard with a four-hour minimum: about $1,170 on a 1,000 sq ft yard and $3,510 on a 3,000 sq ft yard ($1.17 per sq ft). Topsoil and heavy regrading of a steep lot are not priced by the calculator and are quoted after a site visit. On Seattle's clay-heavy and often sloped lots prep is usually non-optional; skipping it is the fastest way to kill new plantings and have sod fail in year one.
How does it handle sloped yards requiring retaining walls?
Add a hardscape feature called 'retaining wall' and enter its face area (length x height). A concrete block wall prices at about $47 per face sq ft. Walls over 4 ft need engineering and typically a permit in Seattle; the calculator does not price engineering or permits, so taller walls are quoted after a site visit.
How are plants priced?
By size, from Kolmo's own plant list, with planting included: about $30 for a small perennial, $100 for a medium shrub and $270 for a medium tree. Mature specimen trees are quoted separately. If you supply your own plants, subtract the plant-material line.
How is irrigation priced?
Per zone: $870 a zone for materials and installation, so a four-zone system is about $3,480. A smart controller, a backflow preventer and a new water line are not part of the zone price; the calculator has no input for them, so they are quoted separately when the site needs them.
Can I model a phased install?
The calculator returns a single total. For phased work (e.g. hardscape year one, planting year two) run it twice at each phase. Splitting across years typically costs 5-12% more total because crew mobilization and equipment rental happen twice — we'll price a phased plan more tightly via direct quote.
