If you’ve ever wondered, “How much does landscaping cost in Fort Lauderdale?” you’re far from alone. Whether you just bought a home in Victoria Park, you’re refreshing a tired yard in Coral Ridge, or you’re finally tackling that overgrown lot in Wilton Manors, understanding what landscaping actually costs in South Florida is the first step toward making smart decisions with your money.
Fort Lauderdale’s tropical climate means your yard grows fast, looks lush when it’s maintained, and turns into a jungle when it’s not. That year-round growing season affects pricing in ways that homeowners moving from up north don’t always expect. This guide breaks down real price ranges for the most common landscaping services in the Fort Lauderdale area so you can budget with confidence heading into 2026.
How Much Does Basic Lawn Maintenance Cost in Fort Lauderdale?
For most homeowners, “landscaping costs” really means regular lawn maintenance — mowing, edging, blowing off the driveway, and keeping things tidy. In Fort Lauderdale and across Broward County, here’s what you can expect to pay in 2026:
Weekly or biweekly mowing service: $30–$60 per visit for a standard residential lot (under 5,000 square feet of turf). Larger properties or homes with more complex layouts — think lots of garden beds, pool cages to work around, or long driveways — can run $60–$100+ per visit.
Monthly maintenance plans: Most Fort Lauderdale landscaping companies offer bundled monthly plans that include mowing, edging, trimming, and blowing. These typically range from $120–$250 per month for an average-sized yard. Plans on the higher end may include hedge trimming, weeding of beds, and light fertilization.
One thing to keep in mind: South Florida lawns need to be mowed nearly year-round. While you might skip a few weeks in January or February when growth slows slightly, you’ll likely need weekly cuts from April through October during the rainy season. That frequency adds up compared to northern states where service pauses for five or six months of winter.
Hedge Trimming and Shrub Maintenance Costs
Fort Lauderdale is full of ficus hedges, clusia privacy screens, and podocarpus borders. Keeping them shaped and healthy is a regular expense that many homeowners underestimate.
Basic hedge trimming: $75–$200 per session, depending on the linear footage and height of the hedges. A typical single-story property with hedges along two sides might fall in the $100–$150 range. Tall ficus hedges that require a ladder can push into the $200–$400 range because of the extra labor and equipment involved.
Frequency: In South Florida’s heat and humidity, most hedges need trimming every 6–8 weeks to look sharp. Ficus in particular grows aggressively and can require monthly attention during the wet season.
Landscape Design and Installation: What Full Projects Cost
If you’re looking at a bigger transformation — ripping out old landscaping and starting fresh, or designing a yard from scratch for new construction — the costs jump significantly. Here are common price ranges for Fort Lauderdale landscape projects in 2026:
Front yard makeover (plants, mulch, edging): $1,500–$5,000 for a typical single-family home. This usually covers removing old or dead plants, installing new shrubs and groundcover, fresh mulch, and clean edging along beds and walkways.
Full landscape design and installation: $5,000–$20,000+ depending on the scope. A mid-range project might include a professional design plan, new sod, a mix of palms, flowering shrubs, accent lighting, and a drip irrigation zone. High-end projects involving hardscaping (pavers, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens) can easily exceed $30,000.
Design fees alone: Some landscape architects in the Fort Lauderdale area charge $500–$2,500 for a standalone design plan, which you can then have installed by any contractor. Others roll the design cost into the installation if you hire them for the full job.
Sod Installation Costs
Replacing a dead or patchy lawn with fresh sod is one of the most common landscaping projects in South Florida. St. Augustine grass (particularly the Floratam variety) is the go-to for most Fort Lauderdale yards.
Sod installed: $0.90–$1.80 per square foot, including removal of old turf, soil prep, and laying new sod. For a 3,000-square-foot lawn, you’re looking at roughly $2,700–$5,400. Zoysia and Bermuda varieties can cost slightly more due to material pricing.
The best time to install sod in Fort Lauderdale is during the rainy season (June through September) when natural rainfall helps with establishment, which can save you on watering costs.
Tree Trimming and Removal
Broward County’s tree canopy is one of the things that makes Fort Lauderdale so beautiful — but those trees need regular care, especially with hurricane season running from June through November.
Tree trimming: $150–$500 per tree for standard palms and medium-sized shade trees. Large oaks, mahogany trees, or anything near power lines can cost $500–$1,500+ and may require a certified arborist.
Tree removal: $300–$2,000+ depending on size and location. Removing a 30-foot tree in a tight backyard with fence and pool access issues will cost more than taking down the same tree in an open front yard. Stump grinding adds another $100–$300.
Keep in mind that Fort Lauderdale has a tree preservation ordinance. You may need a permit before removing certain trees, and your landscaper should know the local rules.
Irrigation System Installation and Repair
With Fort Lauderdale’s watering restrictions (currently limited to two days per week for most residential properties under Broward County rules), a properly functioning irrigation system is essential for keeping your lawn alive without wasting water or catching a fine.
New sprinkler system: $2,500–$5,500 for a typical residential installation with multiple zones, a rain sensor, and a timer. Smart irrigation controllers that adjust watering based on weather data are becoming standard and add $200–$500 to the total.
Irrigation repairs: $75–$200 for common fixes like broken heads, leaking valves, or timer reprogramming. A full system audit and tune-up typically runs $150–$300.
Factors That Affect Landscaping Prices in Fort Lauderdale
Not every yard is the same, and several factors can push your costs up or down:
Property size and complexity: More square footage means more labor. Yards with lots of obstacles — pools, patios, garden beds, fencing — take longer to service and cost more.
Accessibility: If your backyard can only be reached through a narrow side gate, crews may need to use smaller equipment or hand tools, which increases time and labor costs.
Soil conditions: Fort Lauderdale’s sandy, fast-draining soil can require extra amendments for planting projects. Properties closer to the coast may also deal with salt exposure, which limits plant choices and sometimes increases replacement costs.
Current condition: A yard that’s been neglected for months or years will cost more for the initial cleanup than one that’s been regularly maintained. Expect to pay $200–$500+ for a one-time cleanup to get a neglected property back in shape before starting regular service.
Time of year: The wet season (summer) means faster growth and more frequent service visits. Some companies adjust their pricing seasonally, while others charge a flat monthly rate year-round and spread the cost evenly.
How to Budget for Landscaping in 2026
For a typical single-family home in Fort Lauderdale, here’s a reasonable annual budget to keep things looking good:
Basic maintenance only (mowing, edging, blowing): $1,500–$3,000 per year.
Maintenance plus hedge trimming and seasonal cleanup: $2,500–$5,000 per year.
Full-service care (maintenance, fertilization, pest control, irrigation management): $4,000–$7,000 per year.
These numbers cover keeping your yard in good shape, not major renovations. If you’re planning a redesign or significant new plantings, budget those as separate one-time projects on top of your ongoing maintenance costs.
Getting the Best Value From Your Landscaping Budget
A few tips to stretch your dollars further in Fort Lauderdale:
Get at least three quotes. Pricing varies a lot between companies. Make sure you’re comparing the same scope of work, and watch out for bids that seem too low — they often mean the company is cutting corners on things like edging, cleanup, or insurance.
Choose the right plants. Native and Florida-friendly plants cost less to maintain over time because they need less water, less fertilizer, and fewer replacements. Ask your landscaper about drought-tolerant options that still look great.
Invest in irrigation. A well-designed sprinkler system with a smart controller pays for itself by reducing water waste and keeping your lawn healthier, which means fewer expensive sod replacements.
Stay on a regular schedule. Skipping maintenance visits to save money usually backfires. Overgrown yards cost more to bring back into shape, and neglected lawns develop pest and fungus problems that are expensive to treat.
The Bottom Line on Fort Lauderdale Landscaping Costs
Landscaping in Fort Lauderdale is a year-round investment, not a seasonal one. The good news is that with the right plan and a reliable service provider, maintaining a beautiful South Florida yard doesn’t have to break the bank. Understanding what things actually cost puts you in a much better position to budget wisely and avoid surprises.
If you’d rather leave the work to experienced local pros, Angler Lawn has been serving Fort Lauderdale and all of Broward County with dependable, fairly priced landscaping services. Whether you need weekly maintenance or a complete yard transformation, we’re happy to give you a free, no-pressure estimate — just visit anglerlawn.com or give us a call.