The line-item budget you actually need before you break ground.
1,200+ contractor-verified build sheets — material quantities, labor hours, and real dollar figures — for projects ranging from a $5K front-yard refresh to a $75K+ whole-property redesign. No pretty renderings without a receipt behind them.
What one contractor-verified estimate actually looks like.
Every Build Sheet is a working spreadsheet, not a marketing brochure. Below is an excerpt from Sheet 0418 — "Modern Front-Yard Refresh, 850 sq ft, USDA Zone 8b" — the same format the full library ships in. Line items, quantities, materials, labor hours, and a subtotal you can hand to a contractor.
| # | Line item | Material | Qty | Labor (hrs) | Unit | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Excavation & grading, 6" depth | — | 850 sq ft | 6.0 | $3.20 / sq ft | $2,720 |
| 02 | Drip irrigation mainline, 1" PVC | Class 200 PVC | 140 lf | 4.5 | $4.80 / lf | $672 |
| 03 | Decomposed granite walkway, compacted | Gold path fines | 220 sq ft | 8.0 | $6.40 / sq ft | $1,408 |
| 04 | Steel edging, 3/16" x 4" | Cor-ten, 8' lengths | 96 lf | 5.5 | $18 / lf | $1,728 |
| Materials subtotal | $3,012 | |||||
| Labor subtotal (24 hrs @ $58/hr regional avg.) | $1,392 | |||||
| Project total (excl. tax & permits) | $6,528 | |||||
View the full 47-line sheet with regional price adjustments, plant-by-plant substitutions, and three contractor quotes side-by-side — open the complete Sheet 0418.
Four budget tiers. One library.
Every build sheet is tagged with the realistic project scope its line items deliver. Pick the tier that matches the check you can actually write — the rest of the library filters itself.
-
01
$5,000
The Refresh
Front-yard polish: 600–900 sq ft refresh, drip conversion, decomposed granite paths, fresh mulch, and a focused plant palette of 12–18 species. Two-day install for a small crew.
218 sheets in tier -
02
$15,000
The Foundation
Whole-yard rework: irrigation overhaul, hardscape edges, lighting, soil amendment, and a 30+ species planting plan. The bracket where most first-time renovators land.
431 sheets in tier -
03
$40,000
The Build-Out
Outdoor room added: patio, pergola or pavilion, full lighting plan, retaining walls, mature specimen trees, and an irrigation system sized for the next 15 years.
367 sheets in tier -
04
$75,000+
The Whole Property
Full redesign with a designer on record: grading, drainage, multiple outdoor rooms, mature plantings, lighting, and a phased build schedule you can spread across two seasons.
231 sheets in tier
Where the line items come from, and how to use them.
Each of the 1,247 sheets in the library is sourced from a working contractor who built the project described — not modeled from a national average. We collect line items, current regional unit prices, and self-reported build outcomes from verified trade partners, and we refresh every sheet on a 12-month rolling cycle.
Treat the totals as a planning baseline, not a binding quote. Material prices swing with lumber and steel markets, freight varies by region, and labor rates reflect a 30-mile radius around the project's zip code — which is why every sheet is tagged with a region, a USDA hardiness zone, and a "last verified" date. Readers who self-report their final build-out come in, on average, 23% under the original sheet total — a number we publish because it is honest about the difference between a budget and a receipt.
The library is independently published by Verdant Studio, founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon by two ASLA-certified landscape architects. It is editorial, not a marketplace — we do not sell plants, broker contractors, or take referral fees. The only product we offer is the Idea Book and the weekly newsletter.
The four questions readers ask before they trust a cost estimate.
- How accurate is "contractor-verified"?
- Each sheet is sourced from a working contractor who completed the specific scope described — we name the region and the project type on every entry. We do not publish national averages, and we do not extrapolate one bid into a category. The "verified" label means: a licensed contractor built this exact list of work and shared the line items with us.
- Do the prices work for my region?
- Every sheet is tagged with a region and a USDA hardiness zone. Labor rates reflect a 30-mile radius around the project zip, and material prices are freight-adjusted for the nearest lumber yard or stone yard. Before you build, cross-reference your zone against the Plant Database — we cover 4,700+ species with regional substitutes for zones 3 through 10.
- What if I'm doing the work myself?
- Every sheet ships with a separate "DIY labor column" that strips out the contractor labor subtotal and leaves you with materials, tool rental, and your own hours. Readers who self-report finishing their project DIY-style average a 41% savings against the hired-labor total. Permits and inspections remain your responsibility regardless of who swings the shovel.
- What does the Idea Book add on top of the build sheets?
- The Build Sheets are the budget. The Idea Book is the inspiration: 120 curated photo-rich plans matched to your zone, your budget tier, and your sun exposure, with a printable shopping list and plant palette for each one. Together they move you from "I have a number" to "I have a plan I can hand to a contractor on Monday morning."
Walk off this page with a budget framework and a printable plan.
The Idea Book pairs 120 photo-rich landscape plans with a weekly newsletter that delivers one finished project — budget, plant list, and timeline — to your inbox every Sunday. Built for the homeowner who has finished researching and is ready to break ground.