What Landscaping Costs in Tampa Bay
Typical price ranges for sod, pavers, design, lighting, mulch and plants, with a note on what moves each price, so you know what to expect before the call. They are guides, not quotes.
For jobs around Tampa, St. Petersburg and nearby
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.
How to read these tables
Where estimates disagree, the range spans all of them and the note says so. Only the sod table includes a Tampa figure. The paver, design, lighting, mulch and plant figures are national or Florida-wide, so a real Tampa Bay price can fall outside them.
Your landscaper who calls back quotes your job after seeing the yard. Use these ranges to judge whether a quote is in a reasonable area, and ask them to explain anything far outside it.
Sod and lawn work
Material is the sod itself. Installed prices add delivery, labor and basic prep. Old grass removal and grading are usually separate lines.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| St. Augustine sod, material | $0.40 to $0.90 per sq ft | A 450 sq ft pallet runs $185 to $390. |
| Zoysia sod, material | $0.50 to $0.85 per sq ft | Some estimates stop at $0.75; others go up to $0.85. |
| Bermuda sod, material | $0.35 to $0.85 per sq ft | Estimates disagree on the top end, $0.65 to $0.85. |
| Bahia sod, material | $0.20 to $0.55 per sq ft | The cheapest of the four; salt tolerance is very poor. |
| Sod installed, Tampa estimate | $1.10 to $1.72 per sq ft | Typical about $1.35. Includes sod, delivery, raking, laying, rolling and one watering. |
| Sod installed, other estimates | $0.85 to $2.50 per sq ft | National figures run $0.85 to $1.75. South Florida runs $1.00 to $2.50 for basic installation and $1.50 to $3.50 for full replacement. |
| Old grass removal | $0.50 to $2.00 per sq ft | Tampa and South Florida figures match. |
| Grading and leveling | $0.40 to $3.00 per sq ft | Tampa figures run $0.40 to $2.00; South Florida goes up to $3.00. |
| Soil test | $20 to $100 | Typical South Florida figure. |
| Front yard, about 2,000 sq ft | $2,200 to $7,000 | The Tampa figure is $2,200 to $3,440. South Florida figures run $3,000 to $7,000 and count more prep. |
Typical ranges, not quotes.
Pavers and hardscape
Prices are national. Installed means the pavers, base, labor and edge work together.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete pavers, installed | $8 to $16 per sq ft | Materials alone run $4 to $6. |
| Brick pavers, installed | $14 to $24 per sq ft | Materials alone run $4 to $8. |
| Natural stone, installed | $12 to $30 per sq ft | Materials alone run $7 to $16; flagstone alone runs $13 to $30. |
| Travertine, installed | $20.37 to $26.24 per sq ft | National estimate for basic mid-range work with split pavers about 1 inch thick. |
| Any paver patio, overall | $8 to $24 per sq ft | Low-end estimates start at $8 or $10; both top out at $24. |
| Labor only | $5 to $15 per sq ft | For installers who bill by the square foot. Installers who bill by the hour charge $50 to $80. |
| Whole patio, 280 to 400 sq ft | $2,275 to $9,600 | $2,275 to $6,950 for 280 sq ft, and $4,000 to $9,600 for 400 sq ft. |
| Grading | $770 to $3,000 | Uneven or hard-to-reach sites cost more in labor. |
Typical ranges, not quotes. No sealing price is listed because sealing prices vary too much.
Landscape design fees
Design fees cover the plan. Installation is quoted separately.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape designer, hourly | $50 to $150 per hour | Experienced designers or on-site supervision can reach about $200. |
| Landscape architect, hourly | $65 to $200 per hour | Usually higher than a designer's rate. |
| Initial consultation | $50 to $80 | Average fee. Some designers bill an hourly rate for the first visit instead. |
| Whole design, per project | $1,955 to $7,220 | Another estimate runs $2,200 to $6,180. Averages are $4,590 and about $4,200. |
| Design priced per sq ft | $5 to $45 | Basic $5 to $10, intermediate $5 to $15, full-scale $15 to $45. This pricing is uncommon. |
| Share of project budget | 15% to 20% | For small and medium garden projects. |
| 3D rendering, add-on | $400 to $500 | The yard render tool on this site is a quick preview, not a design. |
Typical ranges, not quotes.
Landscape lighting
Installed prices include the fixture, wiring and labor.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Per installed fixture | $100 to $250 | Some estimates stop at $200; others reach $250. |
| Whole project, typical | $2,000 to $4,900 | One estimate runs $2,000 to $4,500 with a $3,250 average. Another runs $2,100 to $4,900 with a $3,500 average. |
| Path lights | $50 to $150 each | Installed. |
| Uplights | $100 to $400 each | Installed. |
| In-ground lights | $85 to $250 each | Installed. |
| Bollard lights | $250 to $900 each | Installed. |
| Installer labor | $45 to $100 per hour | Wiring runs $3 to $5 per foot. |
Typical ranges, not quotes.
Mulch and plants
Plant prices swing with size. A one-gallon shrub and a mature tree are very different lines.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch, installed | $72 to $87 per cubic yard | A cubic yard covers about 162 sq ft at 2 inches deep. |
| Mulch, material only | $30 to $140 per cubic yard | Averages by type, with labor, run from $37 for pine bark to $135 for cypress. Florida-Friendly Landscaping advises against cypress mulch. |
| Mulch delivery | $50 to $150 | Typical delivery fee. |
| Trees and shrubs | $25 to $3,000 each | Depends on the plant and its size. |
| Flower bed, installed | $650 to $3,000 per bed | Varies with bed size. |
| Tree transplanting | $90 to $300 per tree | Varies with tree size. |
| Whole landscaping project | $3,300 to $13,200 | Typical range, with a national average of $8,700, for about 700 to 800 sq ft at intermediate complexity. |
Typical ranges, not quotes.
What a written quote should list
Whatever the price, a good quote lets you compare it with a second one:
- Square footage or quantity for each line.
- The material, size and type for each plant, grass or paver.
- What is removed and hauled away.
- Grading, base and drainage work.
- Irrigation changes and whether the rain shutoff is tested.
- Permits and HOA approval, and who handles them.
- The payment schedule and what happens if the scope changes.
Two quotes with the same lines are easy to compare. Two quotes with different lines are not.
Cost questions
Why do the ranges differ so much?
Estimates cover different jobs, different years and different regions. The note on each row says where they disagree.
Are these prices offers from this site?
No. The ranges are typical figures, and your landscaper who calls back sets the price.
Do the numbers include permits?
Usually not. The travertine figure does not include permit and inspection fees. Ask your landscaper what applies at your address.
Ready when you are
Call now, or send the form. A local pro calls you back, usually the same business day.
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.