From Bare Ground to a Finished Home.
We design the whole property for a newly built home in Boise, Eagle, Meridian and across the valley, then build it in the order your HOA's deadline and your budget call for: grading and drainage, irrigation, lawn and planting, and the outdoor rooms you'll live in.
PhotoComplete BackyardBoise
- Typical project
- $120k–$210k for the whole property; $75k–$130k for the backyard alone
- HOA deadline
- Set by your CC&Rs. We plan the build around it.
- Before we dig
- Every utility located through Digline first
Front, Back and Sides, Planned Together.
Builders hand over a house, a rough grade and sometimes a basic front yard. We design everything else in one plan, then build it in sensible phases.
The Rules for a Brand-New Yard.
Idaho's rules apply on every lot; your HOA's CC&Rs and your city add their own. We confirm every one for your lot before the design is final.
-
2 days
Call Before You Dig
Idaho law requires notice to the utilities' one-call service, Digline (811), at least two business days and no more than ten before digging, with the dig area pre-marked, usually in white paint. No digging until every known line is marked.
Idaho Code § 55-2205 -
6 in · 10 ft
Grade Away From the House
Idaho's residential code requires the ground to fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from the foundation. Where a lot can't, drains or swales must carry the water away, and hard surfaces within 10 feet slope 2% away from the house.
Idaho residential code (2018 IRC), R401.3 -
CC&Rs
Build What Was Approved
In 2019 the Idaho Supreme Court upheld an order that a homeowner remove a retaining wall and fence that went beyond what his HOA's architectural committee had approved. We submit first and build exactly what's approved.
Idaho Supreme Court, Eagle Springs HOA v. Rodina (2019) -
Apr 15
When the Water Comes On
Nampa, Meridian and Boise require pressurized irrigation in new subdivisions. NMID turns its systems on about April 15 and off about the first week of October, so new lawns and planting are timed to the water.
Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District
Checked against the Idaho Code, the Idaho residential code, the Idaho Supreme Court and NMID. Rules change, so we confirm them again for every project.
What a New-Home Landscape Invests.
Set up for the whole property of a new home, front and back. Change anything to see how the range moves; your real number is set in design.
New Houses, Finished Yards.
A Complete Backyard From Bare Ground: Sod Lawn, a Fire Pit and New Irrigation
- Scope
- Grading, sod lawn, concrete edging, custom block fire pit, sprinkler system
A Paver Terrace, a Built-In Gas Fire Table and Drainage That Finally Works
A Flagstone-Pattern Terrace and Fire Pit, Lit for Long Evenings
A Round Fire Court With a Curved Seat Wall, Inspired by Ancient Gathering Places
From Closing to a Finished Yard.
The same six steps as every Fine Grade project, scheduled around your move-in and your HOA's deadline.
-
Step 1 · by phone or video
A Design Consultation
Your new home, your HOA's deadline, how you'd like to use the yard, and a comfortable range.
-
Step 2 · at your home
A Site Visit
We walk the lot with you, check the builder's grading, utilities and irrigation hookup, and read the CC&Rs. Then you receive a design proposal with a fixed fee.
-
Step 3
Design
A plan for the whole property with 3D renderings, refined with you, and a phase plan if the budget or the deadline calls for one.
A design fee, set after the site visit -
Step 4
HOA Approval and a Fixed Price
We prepare your HOA's submittal and send a fixed-price proposal that matches the final design line for line, with Idaho's homeowner disclosure.
No cost to review -
Step 5 · on site
The Build
Locates, final grading and drainage first, then irrigation, patios and walls, then lawn, planting and lighting. One project lead, weekly updates.
The proposal price, paid at milestones -
Step 6 · The first year
Walkthrough & Warranty
We walk the finished landscape with you, hand over a care guide, and check back after the first season.
Included, with a written warranty
About New-Home Landscapes.
Something else on your mind? Ask a Designer
How much does it cost to landscape a new home in Boise?
The whole property typically invests $120,000–$210,000, design and build included. A smaller lot typically invests $100,000–$180,000, and the backyard alone $75,000–$130,000. Size, slope, features and finishes move the number, and the real figure is set during design.
When should we start planning the landscape for a new build?
Before you close, if you can. With the plot plan and the builder's grading in hand, we can design while the builder finishes the house, then build soon after you move in, ahead of your HOA's deadline.
How long do we have to finish the landscaping?
Your HOA's CC&Rs set the deadline, and it varies by subdivision. Check the landscaping section of your CC&Rs, or send it to us and we'll read it with you. If time is short, we build what the HOA requires first and the rest in a second phase.
Do you install sod?
Yes, as part of a designed landscape. Sod goes down after final grading, soil preparation and irrigation, so it roots into good ground. A sod-only job is usually below where our projects begin, and we're glad to recommend someone for it.
Does the builder's grading need to be redone?
Usually it needs finishing, not redoing. Idaho's residential code asks for the ground to fall at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet from the foundation. Landscaping has to keep that fall, so we set beds, patios and lawn to it and carry water out of the side yards.
Do we need HOA approval for our landscaping?
In most new subdivisions, yes. Architectural committees usually review the plan, the plant list, fences and walls, and Idaho's Supreme Court has upheld an order to remove work that went beyond what an HOA approved. We prepare the submittal and build exactly what was approved.
Who calls Digline before you dig?
We do. Idaho law puts the request on the excavator: at least two business days before digging, with the dig area marked. We place it for every project and wait until every utility has responded.
Can you work with our builder?
Yes, and it's better when we do. If we are brought in before the final grade, utilities, the irrigation hookup and drainage can go where the landscape needs them, instead of being moved later.
Keep Planning
Let's Finish Your New Home.
A design consultation, a clear process, and a designer who tells you honestly what's possible within your range.
Rather talk? Call or text (208) 994-9204 Mon–Fri 8am–5pm