How Much Does Hardscaping Cost? [2025 Data]

Hardscaping Cost Factors

Aside from the type of hardscaping project you decide to pursue, many factors, from demolition to permitting, can increase the cost.

Hardscaping Cost per Square Foot

The average cost of hardscaping is between $5 and $25 per square foot. Some projects—like patio installations—start around $10 per square foot, while a new deck costs around $30 to $60 per square foot and can far exceed the cost per square foot.

Hardscaping and landscaping are sometimes difficult to distinguish, but pricing varies significantly due to the materials and labor required for installation.

Materials

Common hardscaping materials include concrete, pavers, and natural stone, but any hard material, like crushed stone or gravel, can also fall under the hardscaping umbrella. The material you choose will play a major role in your total costs, especially if you’re using the material to cover a large area, as in the case of a deck or patio.

Permits

Permits for outdoor projects cost anywhere between $60 and $2,000, depending on the project and your local municipality. You should always hire a hardscape contractor to help determine if you need permits, but you’ll likely need them for just about any “permanent” improvements to the land, such as pouring concrete slabs or anything with footings, like decks. However, you won’t need permits to place down loose materials like pavers, gravel, or flagstone.

Demolition

You may need to tear out old walkways or patios to make room for new hardscaping, and demolition can cost anywhere between $200 and over $10,000 if you need to remove multiple concrete walkways and patios.

Site Prep 

Depending on the current state of your yard, your professionals might need to complete site prep before they can start on your hardscaping projects. If the ground is sloped and uneven, you may need land excavation and grading before installing the patio and outdoor kitchen. Other projects, like decks, water features, and playsets, often don’t require intensive land prep.

Soil grading costs $0.20 to $2 per square foot, while land excavation costs $1,000 to $2,500 for patios and $1,400 to $5,800 for land clearing.

Labor

Hiring a hardscape contractor near you will cost about $50 to $100 per hour. The total labor cost can range from around $200 up to $50,000 or more, depending on the scope of the work. You may also need to work with other professionals for larger projects, like a local electrician, for about $50 to $100 per hour to run electricity to an outdoor kitchen.

Location

Hardscaping costs can vary from place to place. These are the average costs homeowners spend on hardscaping in different cities around the U.S.

Hardscaping Cost by Project

Hardscaping can cost anywhere from $300 up to $100,000, depending on the project. It involves a variety of different elements, from pathways to porches, and with so many different options, the costs vary from project to project.

Ongoing Hardscaping Costs

While you’re budgeting for your upfront hardscaping costs, it’s a good idea to keep ongoing maintenance and repair costs in mind.

Maintenance and Cleaning

Most hardscaping projects will require routine maintenance and cleaning, like power washing patios and walkways, sanding and refinishing decks, and making sure water features remain clean, especially if you have live fish.

Your maintenance and cleaning costs will vary widely depending on the hardscaping feature you add to your yard. Try to budget for between 5% and 10% of your installation costs per year to keep everything looking like new. Below are some common prices you’ll see for common hardscaping maintenance.

Repairs

In addition to ongoing maintenance, you might want to keep some money in reserves to pay for ongoing repairs to your hardscaping. Again, the cost can range quite a bit depending on the type of hardscaping you have.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro for Hardscaping Projects

Some hardscaping projects are easy and cost-effective to DIY. You could lay a quaint stone path from your door to your raised vegetable beds for about $2 to $10 per stone, and it’s a project you can finish in a day. Similarly, if you have a wheelbarrow and shovel, you can DIY landscape edging or a path made of gravel or other loose rocks, provided you have the substrate delivered to your home.

Some projects aren’t safe for a DIYer to tackle, especially if you need to work with electrical wires for lighting or outlets. Projects that require permits—including anything that involves concrete footings or concrete poured directly on the soil—demand help from a professional and might even require a pro’s help to pull the permits for you.

When in doubt, contact a hardscaper near you for a professional-looking final product and peace of mind that your project is handled legally and safely.

Cost of Common Hardscaping Add-Ons

Hardscaping and landscaping go hand in hand to create an appealing exterior for your home and boost curb appeal and home value even more. You might want to consider the following add-on services that local landscapers or hardscaping contractors can tackle for you.

How to Save on the Cost of Hardscaping

In most cases, saving money on hardscaping comes down to determining which projects are DIYable and when hiring a hardscape contractor is best. For example, choosing the best type of landscaping rocks and distributing them throughout your landscape is a cost-saving project to tackle yourself. On the other hand, it's better to invest in the cost of a retaining wall installed by a professional to ensure it remains structurally sound.

Additional ways to cut the costs of hardscaping include the following:

• Schedule your contractor far ahead of time to take advantage of material cost fluctuations. 

• Request at least three estimates from contractors to compare cost factors.

• Schedule multiple projects at one time for bulk pricing.

• Handle all ground prep work on your own whenever possible.

• Reseed your lawn or replant the garden yourself after the hardscape installation rather than hiring a pro.

• Opt for the budget-friendly materials available in your area.

• Wait for end-of-season sales from hardscape supply stores.

• Work with wholesale material supplies and remain flexible about your design.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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