Landscapers in Sunset Valley, TX
Its Own City, With Its Own Yard Rules
Sunset Valley voted to become its own town in 1954, and it still writes its own rules. Fewer than 700 people lived here at the 2020 census. Austin wraps around it on every side, but Austin's code stops at the city line. For landscaping in Sunset Valley, the rules that count come from the city's own Land Development Code and its own staff.
The biggest rule is about hard surfaces. Sunset Valley caps impervious cover at 18% in its uplands zone. Most decks, sidewalks, accessory structures, and driveway additions need a watershed development permit, and city staff check the math before you build. So a Sunset Valley yard plan starts with a square-foot budget, not just a dollar budget.
Trees and water come next. Most trees 10 inches or more across are protected, and taking one down takes a city permit. The city buys its water from Austin and follows Austin's watering stages, which makes drip irrigation and native plants a natural fit. Below ground, one of the main groundwater paths that feeds Upper Barton Springs is known as the Sunset Valley Flow Route.
GardenGOAT is a design-build landscaping team working out of our 78704 shop in South Austin. Nicolas and our crew plan native planting, drip irrigation, smart paths and patios, and shielded lighting that fit inside these limits. When a job needs a permit, we handle it. We never skip one.
What Sunset Valley's Rules and Land Mean for Your Yard
Sunset Valley has capped impervious cover at 18% in its uplands zone since 2003. Impervious cover means surfaces that rain cannot soak through, like roofs, driveways, and solid patios. The city's permit FAQ says decks, sidewalks, accessory structures, in-ground pools, and driveway additions need a watershed development permit. City staff review the impervious cover math and the setbacks before they approve it. The city lists a few small exceptions, like storage sheds up to 120 square feet and low, detached decks up to 200 square feet, so we confirm with city staff first. Near creeks, the limits get tighter. The Water Quality Transition Zone allows 14% with a variance and extra steps. The Critical Water Quality Zone stays free of building unless the council grants a variance. On many lots, the house and driveway already use a big share of the budget. So we measure what you have first. Then we ask the city how each material will be counted before we lock the design.
In Sunset Valley, every tree 10 inches or more in diameter is protected. A few small native trees, like Texas persimmon and Texas mountain laurel, are protected once they pass 5 inches. Removing one takes a city tree removal permit, filed one tree at a time with photos. The city can also arrange a visit from a certified arborist to look at the tree with you. Sunset Valley is a Tree City USA, and it runs an oak wilt assistance program for residents. We lay out patios, trenches, and footings to stay clear of big roots where we can. When a tree truly has to go, we start with the permit, not the saw. We also prune live oaks and red oaks outside February through June to lower the risk of oak wilt.
The City of Sunset Valley runs its own water system, but the water itself comes from Austin. The city follows Austin's watering rules and drought stages, so your watering day comes from Austin's Find Your Watering Day tool. Those limits make drip irrigation and native, low-water plants the smart default here. Drip puts water at the roots and loses less to wind and runoff. What happens underground matters too. A Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District study names one of the main groundwater paths feeding Upper Barton Springs the Sunset Valley Flow Route. A yard that sheds less runoff and needs fewer chemicals is kinder to that water. The city also offers residents a rebate on hose-end watering timers.
Sunset Valley keeps nearly 200 acres of greenspace and conservation land. The city describes plant communities that range from Oak-Juniper woodland to Indiangrass prairie. Places like the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve, the Sunset Valley Nature Area, and the Cougar Creek Greenbelt show what grows here without much help. We borrow from that palette. Native grasses, shrubs, and trees suited to Central Texas need less water once they settle in, and they fit the look of the city's open spaces. The city's Adopt a Tree and native plant program also lets residents buy trees and native plants at wholesale prices. If you bought plants that way, we can work them into your plan.
Sunset Valley calls itself a dark sky community and encourages outdoor lights that face down. The city even offers residents a rebate for dark sky certified or fully shielded fixtures. Our landscape lighting plans follow that lead. We use shielded fixtures aimed at paths, steps, and planting beds, not at the sky or into a neighbor's window. Warm bulbs keep the glow soft. Fences are simpler on paper. The city does not require a permit for a fence, but every fence must still meet Section 150.106 of the Land Development Code. We check height and placement against that section before we set a single post.
Native Planting, Drip Irrigation, and Tree Care in Sunset Valley
Landscape Design
Tree, Flower, & Shrub Planting
Drip Irrigation & Sprinkler Systems
Tree Trimming & Removal
Drainage Systems
Sod Installation
Patios and Paths Planned Around the 18% Cover Limit
Walkways & Pathways
Patios
Concrete Overlay
Retaining Walls & Borders
Fire & Water Features
Driveways & Sidewalks
Synthetic Turf
Fences, Pergolas, and Outdoor Rooms Built to City Code
Permits, Costs, and Timing in Sunset Valley
From Sunset Valley. It is a separate city, so its own staff review your project, not Austin's. The city's permit FAQ says most projects need a permit and asks owners to check in before starting. Most decks, sidewalks, accessory structures, and driveway additions also need a watershed development permit with an impervious cover review. The city lists a few small exceptions, like storage sheds up to 120 square feet and low, detached decks up to 200 square feet. When the work is done, a final inspection closes it out. GardenGOAT handles the permits a job needs, and we build the city's review time into your schedule.
More than you might think. Planting beds, mulch, native grasses, and drip irrigation add no hard surface at all. A concrete overlay can refresh a tired patio without making it any bigger. The city has also exempted rainwater harvesting tanks from impervious cover since 2014. For new paths and patios, we price a few surface options and confirm with city staff how each one counts. Then you pick the layout that gives you the most usable space for the square feet you have left.
Most GardenGOAT design-build projects start around $20,000. Many land between $30,000 and $100,000, based on size, materials, and scope. In Sunset Valley, a few local items can move the number, such as permit prep, working around protected trees, and choosing surfaces that fit the impervious cover limit. The design fee runs $900 to $1,600, and we credit all of it toward the build if you move ahead with us. Your proposal lists every line item, so you can see where each dollar goes.
It can. Some subdivisions have deed restrictions, which are a private contract between the owners and the developer. The city's permit FAQ says Sunset Valley cannot enforce them unless they match city code, so the neighborhood or HOA handles that side. Your project may need to pass two checks: city code and your own restrictions. Send us your deed restrictions or HOA guidelines early. We design to both and help prepare any submission your HOA asks for.
Start with the setbacks. Sunset Valley's code generally keeps a home 50 feet from the front property line, 30 feet from the rear, and 20 feet from the sides. Those distances run from the property line, not the edge of the street. Accessory structures have their own placement rules. If your subdivision plat shows a different setback, the stricter one applies. An outdoor kitchen with new gas, water, or power lines also needs licensed trades on the permit, and we coordinate those plumbers and electricians for you.
Call two to three months before you want work to start. Design usually takes two to three weeks, and most builds take four to eight weeks. In Sunset Valley, leave room for a watershed or tree permit review if your project needs one. Fall and early spring are the best planting windows, so a fall start works well for native beds and new trees. A short discovery call is the place to begin, and it helps us tell you which permits apply.
Our Customer Reviews
Nicolas is extremely talented in how he approaches landscape design and installation. I recently built a new house, and he worked in partnership with me and my developer to ensure every detail was worked out. He has a wonderful eye for design, choosing plants and flowers that resonated with me personally while also ensuring we installed what would thrive in our native Austin climate and soil. His lighting design and choices literally make the house glow at night, and he's been faithfully following up to ensure watering schedules are working as planned, replacing plants as needed, and generally making sure I'm happy. He's also a delight to work with! He has a great sense of humor, is extremely fair in his pricing, and is kind in how he shows up every day. I've gotten so many compliments on my landscaping, and I couldn't recommend him more! Nicolas - the true Garden GOAT!
Nicolas and GardenGOAT are the best at what they do! I had a rather unusual project this time around, and I felt like Nicolas genuinely cared about finding the right, outside-the-box solution - and making it work within my crazy timeline. He is friendly, reliable, and truly loves what he does. Highly recommend!
I'm very happy with the result! Pleasing aesthetic look just like how I wanted. Garden Goat has impressed me from the beginning with their presentation and communication till the end. Nicolas, the landscaper and also the owner of the company, has been very helpful and patient not just with our HOA and irrigation permit application process (over a year), but also the after-project care. I used about 5 to 7 vendors in the past for different projects, and I will say Garden Goat has most reasonable price and the best service. Totally recommended!
Working with Nicolas at Garden Goat was a great experience! He is very detail oriented and communicative. He has great suggestions on how to improve existing designs and works hard to make sure the work is done right for the client. Highly recommended for all your landscaping needs!
Garden Goat built a limestone sidewalk and entry for my project and the craftsmanship was excellent.
10/10, Nic was amazing, very patient with us from start to finish (this was our first big landscaping project), responsive, transparent on costs and process. He really helped bring our design to life, gave great advice on adjusting our plans to maximize success given the weird micro climate we are in (Hyde Park) his crew was amazing too, great attention to detail. They were just all around great to work with and our yard looks amazing. Highly recommend!
I've hired Nicholas and the Garden Goat team two times for projects and would happily recommend to others. Two years ago, we had irrigation and sod installed which went very smoothly and the sod and sprinklers have held up great over that time. The couple of small adjustments to the irrigation system that were needed have been no problem for Nicholas and team to take care of quickly. At the end of 2025 after getting a handful of quotes, we hired Garden Goat again for irrigation expansion in the back yard, a new path, and a new deck. After a bunch of back and forth on the design for the deck, I'm very happy with the outcome and can't recommend Jose and his carpentry work enough. The whole process was pretty easy and I was rarely if ever waiting on the Garden Goat team for anything.
Top notch experience from beginning to end. I was in touch with the owner/operator and he was both knowledgeable and humble in his expertise. He asked good questions and made suggestions which helped me clarify my answers. I was actually gone the day they came to do the work, but everything was done exactly how it was planned and we loved how it all looked!
We had a fantastic experience with Garden GOAT! Nicolas, the owner, was incredibly professional, attentive, and detail-oriented throughout the entire process. He took the time to understand exactly what we wanted and made sure every part of the job was done thoroughly. The team worked quickly and efficiently, laying new sod and planting additional greenery in our beds—all with excellent attention to detail. Our yard looks amazing now, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Highly recommend Garden GOAT for anyone looking to improve their outdoor space!
We had an excellent experience with gardenGOAT. They transformed my garden with creativity, care, and real attention to detail. They listened to what we wanted, offered thoughtful suggestions, and delivered. Highly recommend gardenGOAT for anyone looking to elevate their outdoor space.
I had my fence replaced by GardenGOAT and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, the process was smooth and stress-free. Nicholas was professional, friendly, and easy to work with and his crew were great. The pricing was very reasonable compared to other quotes I received. The new fence looks fantastic and really transforms my yard. Will use GardenGOAT again in the future!
GardenGoat was incredible to work with. Super thorough and extremely knowledgeable and experienced. He was able to help us fix out landscaping and irrigation issues quickly and his pricing is fantastic. I highly recommend them!
We are so happy with our experience with Garden Goat. This is our second project with them and they have succeeded all expectations! They fixed several landscaping and drainage issues. They were always easy to get a hold of and gave fair pricing. We will definitely use them again in the future!
We had a great experience working with Nicholas and the Garden Goat team! Despite being a smaller project for them, we felt like we were treated with as much priority and care as any big project. Nicholas was very communicative throughout the entire process, offering honest and thoughtful advice, as well as fair prices. We never felt pressure to do more than what we needed and appreciated his and his team’s patience with our questions and modifications. They brought our vision to life, the end result is great. We’d be happy to recommend Garden Goat to others!
I had a fantastic experience working with Garden Goat! Nicholas was extremely communicative from the start, taking the time to really understand my goals for my backyard renovation. He stayed on schedule and within budget, and was available and responsive every step of the way—right up until every detail was complete. I was so impressed with the quality of work and professionalism that I referred two friends during the project! Before & after photos provided - 5 days for project. Thank you Garden Goat !
Nicolas and his team leads, Jose and Ezekiel, from Garden Goat Landscaping did a great job on my yard. We compared three landscaping companies before deciding, and Garden Goat offered a fair price with quality work. The project took about two months, with phase 1 in winter 2024 and phase 2 in spring 2025. They were very easy to work with, listened to my ideas, and provided helpful suggestions on grass, patio stones, boulders, and even a pergola and deck. At one point, Nicolas even redid the pergola because the original version wasn’t secure, which really showed their commitment to quality. They also fixed my old irrigation system and made sure everything was working well. I’m very happy with how everything turned out and would definitely recommend Garden Goat Landscaping to anyone looking for a reliable and easy-to-work-with landscaping team.
We had an excellent experience working with Nicolas and his team to rebuild our elevated pool deck. The team was punctual, hard working and reliable. They were very honest and professional through the process and we are delighted with the results. Thank you Garden Goat!
I've worked with Garden Goat twice now and have been delighted both times. Really easy to work with, communicative and punctual, no hassles and really great work. Will definitely have them back any time we need landscaping or irrigation work in the future!
Nicholas did an amazing job! I love the outcome of my front and backyard. He exceeded my expectations. I got a new driveway, irrigation, sod, plants, firepit, and pathways. I would highly recommend him to everyone!
Nicholas and his team were a pleasure to work with on our side and in our backyard. They removed a huge slab of exposed aggregate and installed lueders and pea gravel. We also had some drainage problems when it rained that they were able to address/fix the issues. We have had several heavy rains since the French drain was installed, and it works beautifully.
The Garden Goat crew have been a GREAT FIND! Nicolas and his super hard working crew are fantastic! Great communication. Show up when they say they’re going to. The guys truly get that each job will change a little as you start and help you tweak things as needed on the fly. They pivot really well. If anything goes wrong, because that’s the reality of projects, they are so quick to fix it! We will be working with Garden Goat on a lot of future projects!! I recommend that you absolutely give them a call and a chance to show you what they can do! Oh! And let’s make sure this is noted… THEY ARE SO NICE! The crew is absolutely delightful to have around.
I hired Garden Goat to install turf and irrigation in my backyard. In the beginning Matt was great with getting us an accurate estimate and was super helpful with the design. He answered any and all questions and has the experience with these types of projects. Once we agreed to the job Nicolas contacted me and set up the install date. Nicolas was personable and also answered any questions with the process. All the workers were great and respectful. If you're looking for turf install or any kind of landscaping these guys were great from start to finish. Thanks Matt, Nicolas and Ezekiel!
How a Sunset Valley Landscape Project Runs
Sunset Valley projects need a bit more planning up front. Impervious cover, protected trees, and setbacks all shape the design before anything gets built. Here is how we work through it with you.
Tell us what you want from your yard and how you use it. We ask about your lot, your big trees, and any past permits so we can spot Sunset Valley rules early.
- Share your goals and must-haves
- Flag large trees, creeks, and existing slabs
- Talk through budget and timing
We walk the property and check soil, slope, sun, drainage, and existing features. We also measure the hard surfaces you already have, so the design starts from your real impervious cover number.
- Measure existing roofs, drives, and patios
- 2D plans and 3D renderings of your yard
- $900-$1,600 design fee, fully credited toward the build when you move forward with us
We adjust the plan with you until it fits your taste and the city's limits. You get an itemized proposal, and we prepare the permit paperwork the project needs.
- Itemized proposal with every line item
- Watershed or tree permit prep when required
- HOA or deed restriction check if you have one
Our crew builds with project management from start to finish and works around the trees the plan protects. We close with a final walkthrough of the finished yard.
- Project management through the build
- Work planned around protected trees
- Final walkthrough before handoff
More Southwest Austin Areas Near Sunset Valley
Austin surrounds Sunset Valley on every side, so our crews also work in the neighborhoods around it. See our pages for Travis Country, Circle C Ranch, and Barton Creek. Each one has its own soil, trees, and rules, and each page covers them. You can also read about landscaping across Austin or view every area we serve.
Explore our landscaping, masonry and hardscaping, deck building, concrete, and fencing services.
