What Does It Cost to Landscape a New Home?
Most new homes we landscape in Boise and the Treasure Valley invest $120,000–$210,000 in 2026 for the whole property, with front, back and sides designed as one, design and build included. If the builder has already done the front yard, the backyard alone typically runs $75,000–$130,000. Lot size, slope and finishes move the number, and so does the state the builder leaves the ground in. Your real figure is set in design, once we've walked the lot.
- Typical project
- $120k–$210k for front, back and sides
- Design fee
- Set after the site visit
- Where
- New neighborhoods in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Star and Kuna
For the whole property of about 1,500–4,000 sq ft, with refined finishes on a mostly level site, most projects like this invest between $120,000 and $210,000. Link to this range
How Much Does New-Construction Landscaping Cost in Boise?
Each row includes the soil work a new lot needs before anything is planted. Unless a row says otherwise, it assumes a mostly level lot and refined finishes.
| Project | Typical Investment | What's Usually Included |
|---|---|---|
| The backyard, when the builder did the front | $75,000–$130,000 | A patio with fire, lawn or garden, planting and lighting, with irrigation tied into what the builder installed wherever it's sound. |
| Front and back on a smaller lot | $100,000–$180,000 | The entry walk and front planting, a patio and garden out back, and irrigation and lighting throughout. |
| The whole property | $120,000–$210,000 | Arrival, side yards and back planned together: walks, a patio with fire, lawn or garden, trees, irrigation and lighting. |
| The whole property on a sloping lot | $135,000–$245,000 | Front, back and sides on ground that slopes or is hard to reach, with the extra grading, steps and drainage that brings. Walls and terraces add to it. |
What Moves a New Home's Range?
- What the builder leaves. Some builders hand over a finished front yard and a bare back; others leave rough grade all the way around. The less that's done, the more there is to design and build.
- The ground. Construction traffic packs a new lot hard, and Treasure Valley soils start out lean and alkaline. Breaking up the compaction, amending and fine grading come before any planting.
- Lot size. More ground means a higher range, but a small lot still needs every system a big one does: grading, irrigation, lighting and planting.
- Grade and drainage. Water has to run away from a new foundation and off the lot, so the builder's rough grade sets where the yard starts. A sloping lot adds steps, and sometimes walls.
- Irrigation. Nampa, Meridian and Boise require pressurized irrigation in new subdivisions, fed by canal water that runs from about April 15 to early October (Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District). Zones, plants and planting dates are designed around that season.
- The HOA. Many new subdivisions review landscape plans before work starts, and some set a date for finishing the yard. Designing to the CC&Rs from the start avoids redrawing later.
- Shade and privacy. A new street has no mature trees, and the neighbors are close. Larger trees give shade and screening sooner, and add to the range.
What Does a New-Home Range Include?
- One Design for the Whole LotA plan for the arrival, the side yards and the back, with 3D renderings and construction plans.
- Soil and GradingBreaking up compaction, amending the soil and fine grading so water runs away from the house.
- IrrigationA new system zoned for pressurized irrigation or city water, with drip for the beds.
- The Front YardWalks, planting and lawn or water-wise beds, laid out to your HOA's rules.
- Outdoor LivingA patio with a fire feature, sized to how you'll use the back.
- Trees and PlantingShade trees, screening and beds that take Treasure Valley summers and winters.
- LightingLight at the entry, along the paths and steps, and on the patio.
- HOA SubmittalThe drawings and plant lists your committee asks for.
Not included: a pool or spa, furniture, and the HOA's own review fee. On a steeper lot, retaining walls add to the range; see what a hillside landscape costs.
How Can a New-Home Budget Go Further?
- Ask what the builder will put in. If the back is getting builder sod you'd tear out, ask whether it can be left off, so you don't pay for a lawn twice.
- Do the groundwork once. Grade, amend and run the irrigation and lighting lines across the whole lot in the first phase, even if the back garden is planted a season later.
- Start design before you move in. If the design is ready when you get the keys, the build can start in the next good window, and planting lands while irrigation water is on.
- Put big trees where they count. Larger trees where you need privacy or afternoon shade; younger ones elsewhere, where you can wait for them.
How Does a Range Become a Price?
- Design Consultation. A call with a designer about your goals and a comfortable range.
- Site Visit. We walk and measure the property, then send a design proposal with a fixed fee.
- Design. The investment estimate is updated at every design meeting.
- Fixed-Price Proposal. Once the design is final, the price is too.
These ranges come from the same model as the investment guide and the planner above. How we build them.
About New-Home Landscapes.
Something else on your mind? Ask a Designer
How much does it cost to landscape a new home in Boise?
Most whole-property projects invest $120,000–$210,000, design and build included. That's front, back and sides designed as one, on a typical lot in refined finishes. A smaller lot typically runs $100,000–$180,000, and a sloping one $135,000–$245,000.
The builder did the front yard. What does the backyard cost?
Typically $75,000–$130,000, design and build included. We design the back to work with the front and the house, check the builder's grading and irrigation, and keep whatever is sound.
When should we start on a new home's landscape?
Start the design as soon as you can, ideally before you move in. Spring is the busiest time to build, irrigation water runs from about mid-April to early October, and some HOAs set a date for finishing the yard. A design done over the winter is ready to build when the ground allows.
Do you handle HOA approval for a new home?
Yes. The drawings and the submittal are part of the design. We prepare the plans and plant lists your committee asks for, to your CC&Rs, and build to the approved plan, so nothing has to be redone after a review.
Why not a price per square foot of lot?
Because a lot's size says little about what it needs. A small lot with a slope and a strict HOA can need more grading, wall and paperwork than a bigger, flat one. We price the whole design, so the number reflects your lot.