Overview: Landscaping Companies
A landscape contractor builds the yard around your house and keeps it in shape through a short growing season. The work covers beds, shrubs, trees, sod, mulch and edging, plus grading that sends snowmelt away from the foundation. Plenty of the same crews switch to plowing driveways once the ground freezes.
Nobody should dig before the buried lines are marked. In Ontario, the law says anyone digging must first request locates through Ontario One Call, and the service is free. British Columbia and Quebec run their own free locate services. Utilities mark their own gas, power and cable lines. A gas line out to the barbecue or a feed to the garage is yours to have located privately.
Local rules reach into the garden too. Ontario bans most pesticides for cosmetic use on lawns and gardens, so a weed program there has to stick to the province's allowable list. Toronto needs a city permit before anyone removes or injures a private tree above a set trunk size.
Our listings show what each company states on its own website, with hours and public review comments. Go to your province, then your city page, which splits firms based in town from the ones driving in.
What does residential landscaping cost in Canada?
Price the work by defined quantities and site conditions. Preparation and drainage can outweigh the visible finishing materials.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Sod supplied and installed | C$1.8–C$5.5per measured sq ft of lawn | Accessible residential area; sod supply, fitting and the agreed soil preparation.State whether this is bare-soil installation or replacement of an existing lawn. Old turf disposal, added topsoil and grading must be priced explicitly.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Sod and installation; Only the preparation listed in the quote Budget separately or confirm: Old turf removal or extra topsoil unless listed; Major regrading and irrigation |
| New planting bed | Scope-based quoteper specified planting project | Measured bed; removal, soil depth, plant species, container sizes, quantities, edging and mulch listed.Use a plant schedule, not just a bed area. Small perennials and mature specimen shrubs can produce very different totals for the same space. Send bed dimensions and access photos. Request quantities and container sizes for each plant, soil depth, removal, edging and mulch, with plant supply and installation shown separately.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Soil and specified plants; Installation and mulch Budget separately or confirm: Major tree removal; Ongoing maintenance |
| Mulch supplied and spread | C$560–C$680per delivered three-cubic-yard order | Three cubic yards of standard mulch delivered and spread over an accessible prepared area.Three cubic yards cover about 486 sq ft at a 2-inch depth: 3 × 27 ÷ (2/12). Confirm bed area, finished depth, mulch type and whether weeding or edging is extra.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Mulch and delivery; Spreading Budget separately or confirm: Heavy weeding; Old material removal |
| Paver patio installation | C$25–C$45per finished sq ft | Residential patio under 500 sq ft; pavers, excavation, compacted base and edge restraints.Ask for the paver product, excavation and compacted base depths, drainage slope and disposal. Steps, retaining walls and difficult access need separate allowances.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified base and pavers; Installation Budget separately or confirm: Retaining structures; Major drainage changes |
| Yard French drain installation | C$20–C$40per linear foot of drain | Accessible yard trench with drainpipe and aggregate; route, depth and discharge point agreed.A yard drain is different from a deep foundation drain. Ask for total length, trench depth, a permitted discharge point and surface restoration in the complete quote.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Standard trenching and drainage materials; Installation along the agreed route Budget separately or confirm: Foundation excavation and waterproofing; Major regrading, hardscape reinstatement and special outlet works |
What changes the price
- Access, machine size, soil removal and delivery distance.
- Base depth, drainage, soil condition and disposal volume.
- Material grade, plant sizes, project area and reinstatement requirements.
Ask before accepting a quote
- What excavation, base or soil preparation is included beneath the finished surface?
- Where will water drain, and is the required drainage work in the quote?
- What maintenance or watering must I provide to keep the workmanship or plant warranty valid?
Compare what is below the surface
- Request the same preparation, material and planting specification from every bidder.
- Price optional planting upgrades separately from essential drainage and base work.
Canadian context
Ask for an installation specification suited to the local climate and site drainage, rather than relying on a national material-only rate.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to take down a tree?
It depends on your city, so check before the saw comes out. Toronto protects private trees above a set trunk diameter, and removing or injuring one needs a permit. Street trees and trees in ravine areas are protected at any size. Many other cities run their own tree bylaws with their own limits. Ask the crew who applies for the permit before you agree to a price.
What should a plant guarantee actually say?
What's covered, for how long, and what voids it. Then ask about winter by name. A shrub that looks fine in October can be dead in May, and a guarantee that ends with the first growing season may run out before you can tell. Ask whether plants burned by road salt near the driveway count. Get the terms printed on the invoice.
Who checks for buried utilities before digging?
The crew should, and in Ontario the law puts that duty on whoever is digging. Ontario One Call wants requests at least five business days ahead for a single property, and every utility on the ticket has to respond before work starts. Other provinces run their own locate services on similar lines. Private lines still need a paid private locator.
How do I compare two landscaping quotes?
Line by line, never by the total. Compare plant sizes and counts, the depth of topsoil, and how the base under a patio is built to handle frost. In Alberta, a landscaper who signs you up at home and takes money up front needs a prepaid contracting licence. The province lets you look that licence up online, so check it before you hand over a deposit.
When is the right time to plant?
Once the ground thaws and dries in spring, and again from late summer until a few weeks before freeze-up. Those dates shift a lot between Vancouver Island and the Prairies, so trust a local crew's calendar. Sod likes the same cool weeks. Evergreens planted late want a deep soak before the ground locks, and a burlap screen if they sit near a salted road.
