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Landscaping dirt cheap
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February 1, 2000: 6:24 a.m. ET
Keeping up with the neighbors doesn't have to break the bank
By Staff Writer Shelly K. Schwartz
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - There's one on every block: The high-maintenance homeowner who spends her weekends pulling weeds. The 30-something business owner who lives to mulch.
The lawn that looks like photo shoot fodder for Martha Stewart.
They may do wonders for neighborhood curb appeal, but let's face it, they make the rest of us look bad.
"In many communities, landscaping becomes part of the 'keeping up with the Jones' mentality," said Joel Albizo, a spokesman for the American Nursery & Landscape Association. "It's amazing how that works. One neighbor does it and then the others have to do it. You certainly can't be the one in the neighborhood lagging behind."
Of crabgrass and clover
In today's frenetic lifestyle, where dual-income families have more money than free time, professional landscaping is no longer viewed as the high-brow luxury it once was.
Instead, many consumers dump the cost of services rendered into the "quality of life" category when parceling out their budget. After all, how else are we to conserve our precious weekends and still keep up with the green thumb gurus next door?
"People just consider their leisure time to be so much more valuable than they use to," said Bonnie Van Fleet, spokeswoman for the Associated Landscape Contractors of America. "They are willing to outsource these kinds of things to have their free time to themselves."
Industry statistics reveal the average homeowner spent $2,630 on lawn care and landscaping services in 1998, the most recent year for which data are available. That adds up to a $16 billion industry.
"Over the last five years, those numbers have been growing steadily," notes ANLA's Albizo. "With the economy performing so well, sales of new and existing homes have been pretty robust and it's very common when people go to sell their home to do a little extra landscaping to improve the look of their place. Likewise, when people buy a new home they typically do a little fresh landscaping to make it their own."
If you'd like to hire a contractor, but don't have $2,600 to burn, don't despair.
Experts say there are lots of ways to beautify your lawn without breaking the bank.
Source: ANLA
Baby steps
You can start by soliciting your friends and neighbors for recommendations on local landscapers they have used themselves. It helps, too, if you can visit their homes for a first hand look at the work these companies do.
Next, do some price checking. Once you've narrowed your search to three or four companies, call them up to find out what they charge. Most companies provide on-site estimates for free, in hopes of landing your business.
When requesting price quotes, experts say, be as specific as you can. If you're dreaming of a gazebo with slate walkways to and from your home, now's the time to tell them. That way you'll reduce the chance of getting hit with hidden fees and you'll be better able to compare the fees of each contractor on an apples-to-apples basis.
Before you sign your name on any contract, however, the Associated Landscape Contractors of America recommends you follow its tips for tracking down a reputable contractor.
Next, Albizo said you should ask the landscape designer you've selected to map out a battle plan for your yard, including the exact placement of all trees, shrubs and plants. The contractor should tell you the name of plants and trees that will work best in your lawn, factoring in sunlight exposure, soil dryness and climate.
"You really have to know what you are doing and you have to have the time and energy for it, because you are liable to waste a lot of time and money making bad decisions," Albizo said. "Paying for a landscape plan is a very wise investment and it'll give you a starting point that you can use to install the plants yourself over the course of a few years. That way it's not such a large up-front payment."
Most landscaping firms, he said, charge between $100 and $200 for such a plan.
One other suggestion: Van Fleet said consumers should sit down and do some brainstorming on their own before the contractor visits their home.
Source: ANLA
"It sometimes works best to do your own research and come up with a wish list of what you'd like to have," she said. "That way you can sit down and talk with a professional about what part of the plan you can install yourself, like planting bulbs."
A wise investment
No matter how you go about it, experts agree the bottom line is any money you spend on landscaping care will pay off in the end.
According to estimates, a nicely landscaped lawn can increase the value of your home by 15 percent, allowing owners to recoup 100 percent to 200 percent of their investment.
Moreover, they say, if you're putting your home on the market it's an absolute must.
Real estate agents estimate 95 percent of home shoppers will not even get out of their car if the house for sale lacks "curb appeal" - including a well-groomed lawn.
"When you remodel your bathroom or kitchen, studies show you never recoup 100 percent of your investment," Van Fleet said. "But if you spend $2,000 on landscaping, you'll be able to earn back between $2,000 and $4,000 come resale time. The price of your property can actually go up in value." 
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