Building a New Home? Plan & Prioritize Your Landscaping Budget!

Lawn & Bed Maintenance • Bed Renovation Commercial lawn & bed maintenance • Sod Installation • Landscape & Mulch Residential lawn & bed maintenance Installation • Fertilization & Weed Control Bed rehabilitation • Mulching • Fencing • Drainage Solutions •Fertilization & weed control Hardscape Design • Landscape Lighting • Landscape Pressure washing • Gutter cleaning Design • Irrigation/Sprinkler System Landscape installation & lighting • Holiday Lighting Holiday lighting • Irrigation repair

Design, Build, & Maintain

337.888.4020 www.GroundsGuys.com/lake-charles/ 337.513.4118 | GroundsGuys.com Independently owned and operated franchise. Locally Family Owned & Operated Franchise

Louisiana Licensed Landscape Horticulturist • Irrigation Contractor • Commercial Pesticide Applicator Louisiana State Board for Contractors Licensed Landscape Contractor

Provided by The Grounds Guys

Landscaping your new construction home will create curb appeal and increase its overall value. You took every precaution to ensure your new home was a great investment. The same planning and precision should be considered when it comes to your landscaping.

One of the most impactful and eye-catching features of your new home is the landscaping, which frames the first impression for everyone who visits. Landscaping is also a wise investment, with Smart Money Magazine saying, ‘By spending 5-10% of the total value of your home on landscaping, and doing it wisely, you can add 15% or more to the value of your home.’ Working closely with a landscape professional ensures that you make the most of your landscaping investment! DISCUSS YOUR LANDSCAPING BUDGET with your general contractor at the start of the design process. Knowing what you want to spend and sharing that with your construction team ensures your landscaping plan is tailored to your budget. What is a reasonable budget for landscaping? Landscaping beds cost $10 to $20 per square foot, on average, for basic and intermediate services. A high-density design with premium features, such as larger plants, fountains, and in-ground irrigation, can cost $40 per square foot or more. PLANNING also helps you understand where the money goes, which isn’t always where you can see it. For example, drainage systems may be advantageous for new construction, and it comes as a surprise to have money spent on something you don’t see because it’s underground. But if you ignore things like drainage issues, it can wind up costing you a lot more to fix after the fact. There are few other key planning considerations to take into account. For example, construction dirt used for building house pads is nutrient poor, so appropriate ground preparation and installation of high-quality conditioned bedding soil is critical prior to planting. Irrigation installation should be considered a must, as a watering system protects your investment and allows your newly installed plants, lawn, and trees to thrive, even during droughts. Permanent landscape lighting extends the beauty and usefulness of your landscaping into the evening hours for additional enjoyment. Remember to plan for establishing a new lawn, using sod and/or hydroseeding. HIRING A LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL early in the process to design and implement a plan helps you visualize the possibilities, maps out the steps to achieve your vision, and ensures it gets done right the first time, avoiding costly mistakes. Just as your general contractor works alongside other professional trade subcontractors, such as licensed plumbers and electricians, a licensed landscape professional is also an essential member of your home construction team.

As one of five Cypress Title offices across South Louisiana, we maintain the highest industr y standards and we hold an American Land and Title (ALTA) Best Practices Certification. We pride ourselves on our commitment to customer ser vice. Our principals manage a well-coordinated, responsive team that thrives on ser ving clients faster and better.