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Most front yards include a lawn, a driveway, a path and some plantings. However, there are many other features that can be added to a front yard to increase curb appeal. From a fountain to a decorative address marker, your front yard can stand out depending on the elements you incorporate. Browse the options below for front yards and dive into the various price points to find out what affects their cost, and how you to landscape yours within your budget.

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Within a $3,000 budget you can freshen up your front yard with a few key upgrades that will increase your home’s curb appeal. A new gravel driveway or concrete walkway can make your home look like new. Small budgets are good for breaking up a larger project into manageable chunks, so you might splurge for a nice walkway this year and deal with the driveway later. In this budget range, you can also purchase products that will enhance your front yard including a new mailbox, address marker, window boxes or other amenities.

What Can I Put in My Front Yard for $3k?

Price Save Splurge
Gravel Driveway
$0.50-2.00 per square foot
Make the driveway as small as possible and avoid curves. Border the driveway with brick or stone.
Concrete Walkway
$5-16 per square foot
Leave the concrete plain gray and opt for a straight design. Upgrade to decorative concrete that is colored and textured.
Prefab Vinyl Arbor
$600-800
How much for an arbor: ShopArbors
Stick with a basic arbor design from your local home improvement store or garden center. Upgrade to a high-end vinyl and add side panels, or a gate.
Chain Link Fence
$6-8 per linear foot
Opt for coated 11 gauge chain link which is typically less expensive than industrial 9 gauge. Upgrade with privacy fabric or PVC slats. Choose colored fence which will blend with the landscape better than the galvanized (silver).
Seeded Lawn
<$0.50 per square foot
Plant Seed during spring or fall when temperatures don’t require multiple waterings a day. Upgrade to hydroseed or sod for a fast, lush lawn.
Sprinklers
$900-1,000 per zone
Install only one irrigation zone that will water your entire yard Install regular sprinklers for your lawn and drip irrigation for your planting beds.
Solar Fountain
$150-300
How much for a fountain: ShopFountains
Purchase a small fountain from a home improvement store and set it up yourself. Upgrade to a hanging wall fountain that runs on low-voltage electricity.
Drainage - Surface Swale
$.50 per square foot
Simply plant the swale with grass to blend with the rest of your lawn. Add stones and water loving plants to the swale to create the look of a dry streambed.

With a $5,000 budget you can enjoy a range of improvements to your front yard landscaping. For 5k it is possible to spruce up your walkway or driveway, add a new lawn or create new planting beds. Simple improvements to hardscapes and plants can revitalize your yard without costing a fortune. Below is a list of front yard elements with ideas for how to save money or ways to splurge to make your front yard as nice as possible.

What Can I Put in My Front Yard for $5k?

Price Save Splurge
Concrete Driveway
$3-10 per square foot
Leave the concrete plain gray and opt for a straight design. Upgrade to decorative concrete that is colored and textured.
Concrete Walkway
$5-16 per square foot
Add one color to your walkway and opt for a straight design. Upgrade to decorative concrete that is colored and textured.
Block Retaining Wall
$15-30 per square foot
Keep walls under 3 feet high and opt for straight designs when possible. Add curves and cap the wall with a contrasting material.
Prefab Iron Arbor
$600-1,000
How much for an arbor: ShopArbors
Stick with a basic arbor design from your local home improvement store or garden center. Upgrade to a custom arbor design created by a local metal artisan.
Wood Fence
$8-10 per square foot
Keep the fence below four feet high and opt for an open design that requires less wood. Construct a six foot privacy fence with a lattice topper.
Hydroseeded Lawn
$0.50-1 per square foot
Go with a seeded lawn instead. Upgrade to sod for an instantly lush lawn.
Sprinklers
$1500 for one zone plus drip irrigation
Cut back to just one zone for your lawn and hand water other plants. Install multiple zones and a smart irrigation control that monitors and adjusts to the weather.
Landscape Lighting
$30 per fixture
Select top-of-the-line low-voltage fixtures from a home improvement store and install them yourself, rather than the professional grade versions. Upgrade to professional grade fixtures, a high-grade transformer and professional installation.
Hanging Wall Fountain
$150-500
How much for a fountain: ShopFountains
Select an affordable resin wall fountain from your local home improvement store that runs off low-voltage electricity. Upgrade to a freestanding concrete wall fountain and have it professionally installed.
Drainage - Sub-Surface
$8-10 per linear foot
Use the typical black plastic grates to cover any drop inlets. These can be concealed with strategic plant placement. Upgrade to metal or decorative grates for the drop inlets.

A $15,000 budget is fairly common for sprucing up an average size front yard. The rule of thumb is to spend 10% of your home’s value on landscaping the entire property. Most homeowners spend less on the front yard and more on the back, but it is entirely up to you what you spend and how it is allotted. Although you may not be able to include every feature you want, this range allows for numerous options at various price points. It is always best to select high quality materials, but you may want to decrease what you spend on less significant items so that you can increase what you spend on the most important features. For example, you might save and select a gravel driveway so that you can afford to install a fountain near the front porch.

What Can I Put in My Front Yard for $15k?

Price Save Splurge
Decorative Concrete Driveway
$12-18 per square foot
Use only one color and one pattern for your driveway. Combine multiple colors and patterns, and add decorative borders, bands or a medallion.
Paver Walkway
$10-25 per square foot
Use just one style and color of pavers, avoid curves. Add curves and use a contrasting paver as a border.
Retaining Wall with Veneer
$25-35 per square foot
Stucco the outside of a block wall to give it a finished look without the cost of veneer. Select a natural stone veneer and cap the wall with poured colored concrete to match.
Small Porch
$6,000-7,000 for 60 square feet
Opt for pressure treated lumber and keep the porch as small as possible. Upgrade to cedar or redwood and increase the square footage.
Basic Custom Wood Arbor
$2,000-4,000
Keep the design simple with mainly straight lines and 90-degree angles. Pick an affordable wood. Upgrade to ipe or teak wood. Add decorative woodwork or special columns.
Vinyl Fence
$18-22 per square foot
Go with a wood fence instead, but be sure to treat it with a protective finish. Select a colored vinyl that has been textured to look like real wood.
Sod Lawn
$3.50 per square foot
Reduce the size of your lawn to cut back on up-front costs and future watering expenses. Install a large section of sod with flowing curves around the edges.
Sprinklers
$2,000 for multiple zones & a smart irrigation controller
Lower costs by a few hundred dollars by forgoing the smart controller. Add additional zones or upgrade to an underground system.
Stone Veneer
$10-20 per square foot
Pick a manufactured stone that will be more affordable and only veneer the bottom few feet of your home’s façade. Pick a natural stone and veneer the entrance of your home all the way to the roof line.
Landscape Lighting
$3,800-5,000 for a complete system
Use as few fixtures as possible and select a transformer with a lower max wattage load. Focus on lighting paths and steps as a priority. Upgrade to a transformer with a higher max wattage load and add additional fixtures. Highlight special features of your front yard such as a specimen tree or fountain.
Freestanding Tiered Fountain
$250-1,000
Opt for a small resin fountain with only two tiers. Splurge for a larger concrete fountain with three or more tiers and have it installed within a custom basin.
Drainage - Sub-Surface
$8-10 per linear foot
Use the typical black plastic grates to cover any drop inlets. These can be concealed with strategic plant placement. Upgrade to metal or decorative grates for the drop inlets.

A budget of $35,000 offers a substantial amount of options for new and existing front yards. In this price range, you can purchase high-quality materials and get customized designs. Every budget has its limitations, but here your best bet is to choose quality over quantity. To make the most of your money, start with a well-designed plan from a landscape professional that includes materials and amenities that are within your budget.

What Can I Put in My Front Yard for $35k?

Price Save Splurge
Paver Driveway
$10-20 per square foot
Pick a manufactured concrete paver and stick with one color and pattern. Avoid curves because the pavers will have to be cut which drives up labor costs. Use a stone paver or opt for multiple colors and changing patterns. Design the driveway with curves.
Flagstone Walkway
$15-20 per square foot
Use a local stone that won’t have to be shipped long distances. Keep the walkway as narrow and straight as possible to use less material. Select a rare flagstone that will dress up the front of your home. Add curves to the walkway and let it flair at the ends.
Stone Retaining Wall
$25-40 per square foot
Instead of building your entire wall of stone, go with a block wall and face it with a stone veneer. Hire a specialty mason who can create a dry-stacked rock wall, just like they did in colonial times.
Medium Porch
$21,000 for 320 square feet
Keep the square footage down and avoid custom railings and specialty posts. Upgrade to custom railings, decorative posts or columns and have the porch wired with electricity for lighting, ceiling fans and more.
Custom-Built Arbor
$5,000-15,000
Select an affordable wood and avoid designs that require special carpentry skills. Go all out and add decorative details to your arbor. Use a tropical wood such as teak or ipe. Install a gate, bench or swing beneath your arbor.
Wrought Iron Fence
$20-30 per linear foot
Don’t bring the fence all the way out to your property line. Instead fence only a portion of your front yard. Select custom wrought iron details and a unique gate design.
Sod Lawn
$3.50 per square foot
Use hydroseed instead to save a little money. However, you won’t get an instant lawn. Create lots of curves within your lawn to allow for planting beds.
Sprinklers
$3,000 for 3+ zones & a smart irrigation controller
Reduce to fewer zones and forgo the smart controller. Add additional zones or upgraded to an underground system.
Stone Veneer
$10-20 per square foot
Only veneer the front of your home and skip the garage if possible. Pick a natural stone veneer and have it applied to the entrance of your home all the way up to the roof line.
Landscape Lighting
$3,800-5,000 for a complete system
Opt for professional grade fixtures made of aluminum, which are more affordable. Various faux finishes are available. Upgrade to premium professional grade fixtures made of brass or copper. Keep in mind that these fixtures will develop a patina over time.
Freestanding Wall Fountain
$600-1,200
How much for a fountain: ShopFountains
Push your wall fountain up against an existing fence or wall in your yard to create a focal point. Have a wall or fence built to provide as a backdrop for your new fountain. You may even consider having a custom-built fountain integrated into the wall itself.
Drainage - French Drain
$20-30 per linear foot
Install French drainage at the same time as irrigation and try to use the same trenches if possible. Install multiple French drains to deal with wet spots in your front yard. They work best beneath gravel walks and driveways.

Front Yard Landscaping Projects Between $20,000 and $40,000

With a $65,000+ budget, your choices are much broader for designing and installing the front yard landscape of your dreams. The size of your front yard will greatly impact how far your budget goes. The best rule of thumb is to invest in high quality materials and professional construction. Maximize the dollars you spend by starting with a plan from a professional landscape designer. With a large budget, your front yard should be designed to complement your home by matching materials and mimicking architectural styles.

What Can I Put in My Front Yard for $65k?

Price Save Splurge
Premium Paver Driveway
$12-18 per square foot
Use just one paver pattern and color with a soldier course border. Combine multiple patterns and colors. Create a medallion at the center of your driveway for added visual interest and match this to the apron.
Premium Stone Walkway
$18-30 per square foot
Go with an affordable flagstone and pick a design that requires as few cuts as possible. Select a premium stone such as bluestone. Use two stone types to create a design.
Poured Concrete Retaining Wall
$30-40 per square foot
Have a block wall built and finished with steel-troweled stucco to look like concrete. Add color to the wall with stains or integral pigments. Add texture with stamps or hand-carving.
Large Porch
$24,000 for 360 square feet
Select redwood or cedar boards for the porch floor and keep the railings and posts simple. Use ipe, a tropical hardwood, for the floor boards and have the entire porch enclosed with a screen.
Custom-Built Arbor
$5,000-15,000
Select an affordable wood and avoid designs that require special carpentry skills. Go all out and add decorative details to your arbor. Use a tropical wood such as teak or ipe. Install a gate, bench or swing beneath your arbor.
Ipe Fence or Opaque Tempered Glass Panels
$30+ per linear foot
Choose a more common, easily sourced wood rather than ipe. Use opaque panels in combination with wood and only in highly visible areas. Customize with horizontal boards versus the typical vertical pattern. Stain a wood fence black for a dramatic entrance. Choose translucent materials for privacy and light. Add decorative toppers and metal hardware.
Sod Lawn
$3.50 per square foot
Use hydroseed instead to save a little money. However, you won’t get an instant lawn. Create lots of curves within your lawn to allow for planting beds. Plant large trees before laying sod.
Sprinklers
$3,000 for 3+ zones & a smart irrigation controller
Reduce to fewer zones and forgo the smart controller. Add additional zones or upgraded to an underground system.
Natural Stone Veneer
$10-20 per square foot
Select a manufactured stone and only veneer the bottom few feet of the front of your home. Pick a natural stone veneer and have it applied to a majority of your home’s façade.
Landscape Lighting
$3,800-5,000 for a complete system
Opt for professional grade fixtures made of aluminum, which are more affordable. Various faux finishes are available. Add a timer, motion sensors, or remote control capabilities that allow you to operate your lighting with a smartphone or tablet.
Fountain
How much for a fountain: ShopFountains
Select a manufactured fountain from a local retailer and have your landscaper install it for you. Have a custom fountain designed and built from the ground up so you’ll have a one-of-a-kind feature in your front yard.
Drainage - Trench Drain
$70+ per linear foot
Select a basic metal grate for your trench drain. Upgrade to a decorative grate or custom masonry that allows water to flow through.
Address Marker
How much for an address marker: ShopGarden Decor
Simply attach some metal address numbers to your mailbox or an existing wall in your front yard. Create a special feature to display your address. Use a natural boulder or build a column or sign and light it for nighttime visibility.

Front Yard Landscaping Projects Above $65,000

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