Landscaping a new construction home in Utah County
Landscaping a new construction home in Utah County is mostly about three things the builder did not do: finishing the grade so water runs away from the house, meeting the HOA's front yard deadline, and designing irrigation for the city's secondary water. Roots Landscaping and Sprinklers installs complete yards on new build lots in Salem, Elk Ridge, Mapleton, Spanish Fork, Springville, Woodland Hills, Payson and Santaquin, and this is the guide it gives new homeowners.
It covers HOA and ARC rules, builder deposits, what the builder's rough grade actually is, secondary water and watering rules, water wise layouts, and the best months to install.
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Noah and his team were great to work with, helping us design and build out a plan for our yard within our budget. Roots was flexible with our crazy summer schedule and very communicative and responsive, answering all our questions and walking us through the details. We are happy with how our landscaping turned out!
We had such a wonderful experience with Roots! They were efficient, professional, and communicated with us every step of the way. They also brought great ideas and creative suggestions that truly helped bring our yard to life. We couldn’t be happier with the results and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality landscaping and excellent service!
Noah and the team at Roots Landscaping are great! Professional, reliable, and easy to work with. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone looking for quality landscaping work!
The HOA deadline
Most new neighborhoods in south Utah County give a new owner a fixed window after closing or occupancy to finish the front yard, commonly measured in months, with fines or forced extensions after that. Many also require an architectural review committee to approve a landscape plan before planting, with rules on the minimum number of trees and shrubs, the maximum share of rock, approved plant lists and the park strip. The deadline starts whether or not the homeowner has a plan, so the plan is the first thing to do after closing. Roots writes plans to the guidelines and prepares the submission with the homeowner.
Builder landscaping deposits and allowances
Some builders hold a landscaping deposit that is refunded when the yard is finished to the HOA standard within the window, and some offer a landscaping allowance or a builder installed front yard. A builder installed front yard is usually sod and a few shrubs to the minimum standard. A homeowner who wants rock beds, curbing, drip and a plan that matches the back yard usually ends up redoing parts of it. Reading the purchase agreement for the deposit terms before the install is worth the ten minutes.
What the builder's rough grade really is
Builders grade a lot to drain during construction and to pass the final inspection, not to finished landscape height. The soil is compacted by equipment, rocky on the east bench, and often a foot or more below where the finished lawn needs to meet the sidewalk and the foundation. Final grade, topsoil and drainage are the first lines on every Roots proposal because sod laid on rough grade is the most common new build landscaping failure in the area.
Secondary water and sprinkler design
Salem, Spanish Fork, Springville, Mapleton and most of the other cities in the area run pressurized irrigation systems that deliver untreated secondary water for yards at a different pressure from culinary water. A sprinkler system has to be designed for the pressure and the connection the lot actually has, which is why Roots checks the stub and the meter at the site walk before drawing zones. Smart controllers that adjust for weather are eligible for rebates from the state and local districts in many cases.
Utah watering rules and water wise yards
Utah and its water districts publish seasonal watering guidance and run rebate programs for replacing lawn with water wise landscaping and for smart controllers. In practice a south Utah County front yard with rock beds on drip, a modest lawn and the HOA minimum trees meets most guidelines, costs less to water every month, and passes most architectural reviews. Roots draws the plan to the HOA's percentages and tells the homeowner which rebates might apply. New sod still needs frequent light watering for its first weeks, which the guidance allows.
The best months to install a yard in Utah County
Spring, once the ground thaws, and fall, before it freezes. Fall is good for sod and trees because cooler weather helps roots establish. Spring is when most HOA deadlines land, so spring calendars fill first. Summer installs work with attentive watering. Winter is for plans, HOA approvals and a date on the calendar.
Park strips, fences and the order of things
Cities such as Spanish Fork and Springville publish park strip standards, and HOAs often add their own. Fences generally go in before landscaping so the sprinkler layout respects the fence line. Egress window wells for a future basement finish should be cut before final grade and sod go in along the foundation, which is one practical reason to tell Roots if a basement is planned; the company's sister division, Roots Finished Basements, finishes them.
Phasing: front yard first
Front first to meet the HOA deadline and the back the same season or the next is the most common plan. Running the irrigation main line for the whole lot in the first phase saves trenching later. Roots prices phases as separate lines so the homeowner can decide.
Questions people ask
What is the HOA landscaping deadline on a new home in Utah County?
It varies by neighborhood, commonly a fixed number of months after closing or occupancy to finish the front yard, with architectural review required before planting. The covenants state the exact window. The plan should be the first thing after closing.
Does the HOA approve landscaping plans in Viridian, Salem?
Yes. Viridian, the D.R. Horton community in Salem, has an HOA that reviews landscape plans and sets a completion window. Roots works in Viridian regularly and writes plans to its guidelines.
What is secondary water?
Untreated irrigation water delivered by the city through a separate pressurized system for yards, at a different pressure from the culinary water in the house. Sprinkler systems in these cities are designed for it.
Are there rebates for water wise landscaping in Utah?
Yes. The state and local water districts run rebate programs for replacing lawn with water wise landscaping, for park strip conversions and for smart irrigation controllers. Eligibility and amounts change; Roots tells homeowners which ones might apply to the plan.
Call (435) 677-6050 to book a site walk. Roots prices every yard from a line item proposal after seeing the lot.
Call (435) 677-6050