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As the title says, I just bought a new construction house. The cost was significantly less than average for what it was because there is no landscaping done and the basement is still unfinished.

My first priority is to fence the small backyard for my 2 dogs (looking at 6ft vinyl fences) but I don't know in which order I should proceed.

Should I level everything first, have the lawn ready, something else? It's my first time with a land to build and maintain. (any good youtube channels suggestions are welcome)

Philippe
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Do not level the yard. You want some grading, to drain surface water away from the house. This doesn't mean you can't level out the fence line, of course, if it'll help keep the fence straight/level (some fence designs don't deal well being built on a slope).

Huesmann
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If the builder did not add a layer of topsoil, your first task is to add topsoil. This is easy to do, but not DIY, since the topsoil needs to be brought by trucks and spread with heavy equipment.

Once the topsoil is in place, you should add a lawn, if anything, to avoid erosion of the soil. You can hire a company to hydroseed, but this is an easy DIY project: just buy grass seed and bales of hay. Follow the instructions of the seed supplier.

Unless you are an experienced gardener or a landscape architect, it's really hard to predict how you will use your yard. Once you have developed a healthy lawn, take a look at the natural paths people use in your yard, and that's where you will place pavers. Look at areas where you'd like some privacy, and add evergreens there. Pay attention to the sun, and place plants accordingly -- some plants need full sun, some partial sun, some shadow, etc. It's all about planning. A $70 bush only costs $2 if you buy it small and then wait 2 years for it to grow. So you can spend $500 in plants and materials today and 5 years later have a $25,000 landscaping.

Cheery
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