Remodel · Landscape Renovation
Landscape renovation — plants, irrigation, drainage, and lighting designed for our climate.
Most of what we renovate isn't bad design — it's a tired version of a 15-year-old design that no one has updated since install. Plants past their prime, drip irrigation rebuilt by three previous owners, drainage that pushes water at the house, a single dying tree as the only shade. A real landscape renovation rebuilds the systems underneath and re-designs the palette on top — not just swaps out a few shrubs.
The honest version: The two cheapest plant categories — annuals and bedding flowers — are also the two with the highest lifetime cost in Phoenix. They die every summer and need replanting twice a year. Spend the money on the right structural plants and trees once, and you'll spend a fraction of it for the next 15 years.
Educational estimate, not a quote. Ranges shown are Arizona-market planning estimates. Final pricing depends on site access, size, materials, engineering, drainage, utilities, permits, equipment access, existing conditions, and final scope. Binding pricing is only valid in a written proposal signed by an AE representative.
Budget to the high end. Use the top of every range on this page as your working number. The low end assumes easy access, sound existing conditions, and standard selections — real Arizona projects often carry demolition, drainage or grading work, upgraded materials, or conditions found once work starts. If the top of the range still fits your plan, the project fits your budget. Ranges are planning guidance, not a quote; the signed scope controls.
01
What's typically in a landscape renovation
- Plant + tree palette designed for Arizona climate and mature size
- Drip irrigation rebuild — zoned, pressure-regulated, smart controller
- Drainage plan — catch basins, French drains, pop-up emitters
- Grading and soil prep — amend hardpan clay where needed
- Decorative rock, boulders, edging, and bed definition
- Artificial turf or putting green integration
- Landscape lighting (path, tree, uplight, architectural)
- Tree work — selective removal, structural pruning, new specimens
02
2026 Phoenix-metro pricing ranges
- Refresh (replant + rock + drip rebuild): $6,000–$15,000
- Mid (above + new boulders, edging, lighting, 1–2 specimen trees): $15,000–$38,000
- Full renovation (grading + drainage + hardscape transitions + planting + lighting + irrigation): $35,000–$110,000
- Estate (custom walls, water features, mature trees, full property): $90,000–$300,000+
03
AE's go-to Arizona plant palette
- Trees: desert museum palo verde, willow acacia, Chilean mesquite, Texas mountain laurel
- Shrubs: Texas sage, dwarf oleander, desert ruellia, hop bush, baja fairy duster
- Accents: octopus / blue glow / parry's agave, red yucca, gopher plant, beargrass
- Groundcover: dymondia, gopher plant, trailing rosemary, damianita
- Color: globe mallow, penstemon, brittlebush, desert marigold
04
Irrigation done right
- Smart controller — Rachio, Hunter Hydrawise, or RainBird LNK
- Pressure regulator on every zone (40–50 PSI for drip)
- Emitter sizing matched to each plant's mature water need
- Zoned by hydrozone (trees, shrubs, accents, turf) — never mixed
- Documented zone map left with the homeowner at startup
05
Drainage — fix it during the renovation
- Elevation survey before any new beds go in
- Catch basins at every low spot or downspout outlet
- Solid PVC to daylight or pop-up emitter at the curb
- French drains where surface drainage isn't enough
- Grading swales to move water away from the house
06
Rebate-eligible turf conversion
Most Phoenix-metro homeowners qualify for active turf-removal rebates (SRP + city programs) that offset $1,500–$5,000 of conversion cost when replacing real grass with desert landscape or artificial turf. AE files the rebate paperwork as part of qualifying scopes.
07
Tree work — selective, not aggressive
- Keep mature shade trees in good structural condition
- Limb-up tired specimens to restore canopy clarity
- Remove dying mesquites and root-rotted palms
- Plant new specimens at 24–36" box for instant scale
- Stake new trees for 6–12 months until rooted
08
Phasing plan if you can't do everything at once
Phase 1: drainage, grading, irrigation rebuild, tree work. Phase 2: hardscape transitions, decorative rock, edging. Phase 3: plants (best installed October–March). Phase 4: lighting and finishing details. Each phase is finished work — not an unfinished project you live with for a year.
FAQ
Common questions.
Installation goes into a blank yard — new construction or a stripped lot. Renovation works around what's there: existing trees worth keeping, hardscape that stays, irrigation that needs to be unburied and audited, drainage that's wrong, and soil that's compacted from years of use. Renovations are technically harder because every decision has to coexist with something already in place.
Modest refresh (rip and replace plants, refresh rock, drip rebuild): $6,000–$15,000. Mid-scope (above + new boulders, edging, lighting, 1–2 specimen trees): $15,000–$38,000. Full renovation (grading, drainage, new beds, hardscape transitions, lighting, irrigation, planting palette): $35,000–$110,000. Estate (custom walls, water features, mature trees, complete property): $90,000–$300,000+.
AE's go-to palette includes: trees — desert museum palo verde, willow acacia, Chilean mesquite, southern live oak (where space allows), Texas mountain laurel. Shrubs — Texas sage, dwarf oleander, desert ruellia, hop bush, baja fairy duster. Accents — agave (octopus, blue glow, parry's), red yucca, gopher plant, beargrass. We design by mature size, water need, and bloom timing so the yard reads finished, not 'just-planted'.
Often yes — mature shade is worth tens of thousands and takes 10–15 years to grow. We audit every tree: root health, structural integrity, species suitability, and proximity to new work. Sometimes a deep limb-up and replacement of the bed underneath transforms an existing tree from 'looks tired' to 'centerpiece'. Trees we recommend removing: dying mesquites, root-rotted palms, anything dropping fruit or sap onto the new pool/patio.
Always — and most yards need it. Pooling water, foundation moisture, dying plants in the same low spot, mosquito issues — these are drainage problems first and landscaping problems second. We do an elevation survey, design a drainage plan (catch basins, French drains, pop-up emitters, swales), and tie it into the new beds so water moves away from the house, not toward it.
Zoned drip on a smart controller (Rachio, Hydrawise, or Hunter). Each plant type gets emitters sized to its mature water need — not the install-day size. Pressure regulators on every zone. Battery backup on the controller. We rebuild irrigation in almost every renovation because the existing system is usually a Frankenstein of three previous owners' DIY work.
Real grass works in shaded back corners with kids/dogs and intentional water use — about 30,000–60,000 gallons/year for a typical lawn. It browns in summer (winter overseed required for year-round green). Artificial turf (pet-rated, cool-tech infill) works in full sun and pool areas, stays green year-round, and qualifies for SRP/city rebates when replacing real grass. Most Phoenix renovations end up with turf in active-use zones and desert plantings elsewhere.
Yes — and it's often the smart play. Phase 1: drainage, grading, irrigation rebuild, and any tree work. Phase 2: hardscape transitions, decorative rock, edging. Phase 3: plants (best planted October–March for establishment). Phase 4: lighting and finishing details. Each phase is finished work, not a half-done yard.
October through March for plants — they establish before summer heat. Hardscape and grading can happen any time. Lawn-to-desert conversions are best started in fall so the new plant material has 6+ months of establishment before its first June. We book most renovations 4–10 weeks out for fall/winter slots.
Tree protection fencing inside the dripline of any tree staying. Plywood paths over existing turf or beds for equipment access. Protected access for the equipment pad and any in-place pool/spa. Daily clean-up. Photographed protections before any heavy equipment moves. We treat the existing yard like a renovation in progress, not a demo site.
Free AE Tools
Plan before you sign anything.
Ready to renovate your landscape?
Send a few photos of your yard — wide shots and any problem areas (drainage, dying plants, tired beds). We'll walk it on-site, sketch a renovation concept, check rebate eligibility, and put a written line-item 2026 scope in your hands.
Request a Landscape QuoteYour 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."