The Difference Between Landscape Installation & Renovation

Outdoor living spaces can add up to 12% to a home's resale value. Homeowners looking to transform their outdoors must understand the difference between landscape installation and renovation to avoid frustration. While both create beautiful yards, they start from different points. Installation builds from scratch, while renovation reimagines what’s already there. Knowing which approach suits your property helps avoid costly surprises and ensures the final design meets your needs.

What Exactly Is Landscape Installation?

Installation creates a seamless design from day one, offering optimal plant placement, efficient drainage, and lower long-term maintenance. It often qualifies for water-efficient rebates in drought areas. This approach is usually used for new construction, major additions, or properties that have been entirely cleared. The entirety of the landscape installation is:

• Starting point: Bare dirt, fresh grading, or builder-installed sod that consists mainly of grass.

• Scope: Full design and build from the ground up, including soil amendment, drainage systems, irrigation, hardscaping, lighting, planting, and turf.

• Timeline & budget: Typically 6–16 weeks and costs 50–100% more per square foot since every aspect is new. Expect to invest in infrastructure (like retaining walls and underground utilities) built to last 30–50 years.

• Best for: New homes, pool additions, or when existing landscape features are beyond saving.

How Does Landscape Renovation Differ in Approach and Results?

Renovation (sometimes called restoration or refresh) focuses on what’s already there, carefully preserving and upgrading existing features. This method helps retain the value you’ve built over time. Key characteristics include:

• Starting point: An existing landscape with mature trees, established hardscape, or outdated plantings.

• Scope: Phased improvements like pruning or relocating healthy plants, replacing failing features, and adding new elements (like outdoor kitchens and fire pits) while protecting root zones.

• Timeline & budget: Usually 3–10 weeks and 30–60% less expensive than a complete installation since you reuse soil, irrigation lines, and mature plants that would cost thousands to recreate.

• Best for: Homes built between 1995 and 2015 with overgrown foundation plantings, cracked 90s patios, or layouts that no longer meet family needs.

When Should You Choose One Over the Other?

The best projects often combine both approaches: a renovation that includes select installation zones, like a new outdoor kitchen alongside refreshed landscaping.

However, here is a quick decision guide used by top designers:

• Choose installation if less than 20% of existing plants or hardscape are worth keeping, or if there are major grading or drainage issues.

• Choose renovation if you have healthy mature trees, solid structures (decks, fences, irrigation), or want to save 40–60% while achieving a similar look more quickly.

Landscaping Services in North Andover, MA!

Contact Ground Care Landscaping in North Andover, MA, for landscaping services including mulching, seasonal cleanups, hardscape, and more! We offer landscaping for both residential and commercial properties. Get started today by calling (978) 688-9800.