A note on the numbers
This isn't a cost. It's an investment.
The figures on this page are real and we don't hide them — that's how AE operates. Treat them as planning ranges, not a site-specific quote. Your actual scope and price depend on design, site conditions, materials, and the work each written proposal includes.
When you compare proposals, compare what each includes — the scope, the materials, the exclusions, the warranty terms, and how changes are handled — not just the price tag. A lower total can reflect different scope, so ask each builder to clarify the differences.
Arizona licensed, bonded & insuredPeoria design showroomWritten, itemized scopesProject-specific termsHow we earn trust →
New Construction Homes
New Build Home Landscaping Arizona.
You closed on a house and inherited a dirt lot. This is how new construction yards get finished in the Valley — what to plan during the build, what the builder's landscape package actually covers, what a finished front and backyard costs, and how to sequence pavers, turf, walls, drainage, lighting, and a pool so you only tear up the yard once.
The honest version: The most expensive mistake on a new build isn't a material choice — it's sequencing. Homeowners install turf and a patio in year one, then decide on a pool, a gas line, or lighting in year two, and pay to demo work they just bought. Plan the whole yard on paper before the first shovel, then build it in phases if the budget calls for it. A phased plan costs less than an unplanned one, every time.
- AZ ROC 211530 · 347738 · 341002 · 340966
- Arizona-built since 2005
- President, Southwest Hardscapes Association
01
Start during construction, not after closing
- Design and material selection can run in parallel with framing and drywall — no site access required.
- HOA architectural approval in most Valley communities takes weeks, not days. Submit before you close if your association allows it.
- Municipal permits (pool barriers, structures, some walls, electrical) have their own timelines set by the jurisdiction, not by us.
- Long-lead items — pavers, custom steel, lighting, glass, equipment — are ordered against a schedule, not guessed.
- Utility stub-outs, gas lines, conduit, and sleeving are cheapest before slabs and hardscape exist.
02
What builder landscape packages usually do and don't cover
- Usually included: front yard grading, a spec plant palette, granite, irrigation, and a small entry treatment.
- Usually excluded: the entire backyard, drainage beyond code minimums, patios beyond the standard slab, lighting, walls, and any pool.
- Allowance pricing means an upgrade budget, not a design. Ask what the allowance buys at published spec.
- Taking the builder's front yard and hiring an outdoor living contractor for the backyard is a common, sensible split.
- Whatever you choose, get the spec in writing: base depth, irrigation zones, plant sizes, and warranty terms.
Want a number for your own property?
Tell us the space and we'll come back with a real range for your site — no pressure, no "call for pricing."
03
Sequencing a new-build yard so you build it once
- 1. Survey and grade: confirm the builder's finished grade, drainage release points, and easements before design.
- 2. Utilities and sleeving: gas, water, electrical, low-voltage conduit, and pool plumbing routes.
- 3. Structural: pools, retaining and seat walls, footings, and shade structure posts.
- 4. Hardscape: paver patios, walkways, driveways and driveway extensions, and coping.
- 5. Softscape and turf: irrigation, soil prep, planting, and artificial turf.
- 6. Finishes: lighting, glass fencing, gates, fire and water features, and furnishing layout.
- Phasing is fine — building out of order is not.
04
What we build on new construction homes
- Front yard landscape, entry hardscape, and street-facing design that satisfies HOA standards.
- Backyard design and full outdoor living construction — patios, kitchens, ramadas, firepits, and shade.
- Paver patios, walkways, driveways, and driveway extensions on our published base spec.
- Artificial turf on documented base, and desert-appropriate planting with drip irrigation.
- Block, retaining, and seat walls, plus grading and drainage corrections.
- Landscape and permanent lighting, pools and spas, and frameless glass pool fencing.
05
Arizona-specific realities on a new lot
- Builder pads are graded to shed water off the structure — not to make your backyard usable. Assume drainage design is part of the scope.
- Caliche and compacted fill are common on new pads and can change excavation cost; we identify it before pricing, not after.
- Post-tension slabs are common. We do not drill one without written homeowner permission and documented tendon locating.
- Utility easements and setbacks often limit where a pool, wall, or structure can physically go.
- Summer heat governs plant establishment and turf surface temperature — timing and shade are part of the design, not an afterthought.
06
Planning ranges for a new-build yard
- Front yard finish (grading, granite, drip irrigation, desert plant palette, entry accents): $8,000–$25,000.
- Starter backyard (turf, paver patio, irrigation, plants, basic lighting): $25,000–$60,000.
- Full outdoor living backyard (larger hardscape, shade structure, kitchen or fire feature, walls, lighting): $60,000–$150,000.
- Pool and spa added to the above: typically $70,000–$150,000+ depending on size, finish, and equipment.
- Frameless glass pool fencing: $225–$325 per linear foot planning range; footing work is quoted separately.
- These are planning ranges for budgeting, not quotes. Measured conditions, grade, access, HOA and municipal requirements, and the signed scope control final pricing.
07
Why new-build homeowners work with AE
- Licensed Arizona ROC contractor, insured, with in-house crews on every project.
- David Bell — President, Southwest Hardscapes Association (13 years on board, 15 years involved).
- Published spec and published pricing ranges on every scope. No 'call for pricing.'
- One contractor for hardscape, turf, walls, lighting, pool, and glass — one schedule, one point of accountability.
- HOA-ready plan sets, material specs, and elevations for your architectural submittal.
- Written scope, milestone payment schedule, and aftercare — the same documents on a $12,000 front yard and a $300,000 build.
FAQ
Common questions.
Yes. Finishing new-build yards is a large part of our work — front yard landscape, backyard design and build, pavers and hardscape, artificial turf, block and retaining walls, lighting, pools, and glass fencing. We work on production, semi-custom, and custom homes across the Valley, for homeowners directly and as a trade partner for builders.
Start during construction, not after closing. Design, permitting where required, HOA architectural approval, and material lead times run in parallel with the build. Homeowners who start at drywall usually break ground on the backyard within weeks of move-in; homeowners who start after closing usually wait months for HOA approval alone.
Both can be right. Builder packages are convenient and can be rolled into the mortgage, but they are typically front-yard-only, spec-limited, and priced as an allowance. An independent outdoor living contractor gives you full design control, published spec, and one crew for pavers, turf, walls, lighting, and pool. Many of our clients take the builder's front yard and hire us for the backyard.
Planning ranges we publish: a clean starter backyard (turf, a paver patio, basic irrigation and plants) commonly lands $25,000–$60,000; a full outdoor living build with a larger patio, shade structure, kitchen or firepit, lighting, and walls commonly lands $60,000–$150,000; adding a pool typically adds $70,000–$150,000+. These are planning ranges for budgeting, not a quote — measured conditions, grading, access, HOA requirements, and the signed scope control final pricing.
Yes. We document existing grade and drainage before we touch anything, keep drainage flowing to the designed release points, and stay off structures, utilities, and post-tension slabs without documented locating. Builder warranty terms belong to your builder — we scope our work so it does not conflict with them, and we tell you in writing when something you want could.
We provide the design, plan sheets, material specs, and elevations that most Arizona HOAs require for an architectural submittal. The homeowner submits and holds the relationship with the association, and the HOA and the municipality control final approval — we build to the approved documents.
Plan your new build yard.
Send your lot plan, builder elevation, or closing date. We'll map the whole yard first, then price it in phases you can actually build.
Start My Project PlanYour home investment — protected
Why this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."
Next step
Plan your investment with a designer.
Five minutes, a real range, and no sales pressure. Or vet any Arizona contractor (us included) before you spend a dollar.
Keep planning
New build backyard cost
Line-item budgets and phase-by-phase numbers.
Arizona home builders
Production and custom builders, and what they include outside.
For home builders
Trade partner scopes for production and custom builders.
Landscape design cost
What design and plan sets cost in Arizona.
Artificial turf cost
Cost per square foot, base, and infill line items.
Pool installation cost
What a new pool costs and how draws work.
Desert plant heat care
Establishing new plants through an Arizona summer.
Homeowner FAQ
More new build questions?
Grading, drainage, HOA submittals, phasing, and spec — full knowledge base.