The Landscape Conversion Rebate Programs
Want to have a beautiful garden, save water AND be rewarded? Work with us!
We are a landscape design company that specializes in native and drought-tolerant gardens. We are experts in native garden design, and we render all our designs on 3D, so you will “see” very well how the garden might look like after the design is implemented. After the design, we also provide installation assistance services. By working with us to design and implement your project, you may receive:
- lawn conversion rebate for the whole project, which is available in most parts of California
- for residents in the area below, the dedicated landscape design rebate.
Terms apply.
I. Orange County (MWDOC) Turf Replacement Rebate
"The main goal of this Program is to reduce outdoor watering through transforming water thirsty turf grass into a sustainable landscape that benefits the environment by reducing runoff, creating habitat for pollinators, and increasing biodiversity.
If you have already removed your grass/turf, your project will not be eligible for the Program. Additionally, artificial/synthetic turf is not eligible for a rebate.
Every turf replacement project must include:
- A sustainability feature.
- 3 plants per 100 square feet of turf grass converted.
- Replacement or modification of any overhead spray sprinklers.
- No hardscape within the transformed area, except permeable hardscape.
- Mulch in all project areas, with a ring of organic mulch around plants.
- No invasive plants such as pampas grass, fountain grass, mexican feathergrass, highway iceplant, periwinkle, and yellow flag iris."
Click here for the full info of the Orange County Turf Replacement program
II. Orange County (MWDOC) Landscape Design Rebate
Participants will receive a $1000 rebate (or actual cost of design, whichever is less), upon completion of their Turf Replacement project. The Design Rebate will be included in the Turf Replacement rebate check.
Participant Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a Residential account
- Design must include the front yard (properties without front yards may be considered on a case-by-case basis)
- Design must be from a designer on the Designers List or a licensed business/contractor
- Design must meet the Rebate Eligible Design Requirements (listed below)
- Submission of an invoice/receipt listing the cost of the Design is required
- Project must meet the Turf Replacement Program Terms & Conditions
Click here for the full info of the Orange County Design Rebate
III. How Can I Receive the Rebates?
- Submit a Turf Replacement application. We can submit it on your behalf for $250 (and handle all the paperwork), or you can do it yourself.
- Purchase a design package from us. Our front yard design package for a yard less than 800 sq ft costs $980, which may be fully covered by the rebate! For yards larger than 800 sq ft, we will provide you with the design price, and you may receive up to a $1000 rebate.
- Design Creation. We will work with you to create a design that meets the Rebate Eligible Design Requirements.
- Project Installation and Completion. We can assist you with a DIY installation or recommend contractors. You will pay contractors for the installation and material costs, which are separate from the design costs. Whether you choose DIY or contractor installation, we can provide additional assistance such as plant sourcing.
- Submit invoice/receipt: Submit the invoice/receipt listing the onsite consultation cost along with all other required documents.
I. Santa Clara County (Valley Water) Landscape Conversion Rebate
“All applications issued a Notice to Proceed will be held to a total lifetime rebate cap (for the Landscape Conversion Rebate, Irrigation Equipment Upgrade Rebate, and Rainwater Catchment Rebate combined) of $3,000 for Single-Family and small Multi-family (4 or fewer units) sites and $100,000 for all Commercial and large Multi-Family (5 or more units) sites.
Landscape Conversion and/or Rainwater Capture Rebates within cost-sharing agencies may be eligible for additional funds up to $3,000 for Single-Family and Multi-Family (4 or fewer units) and $35,000 for all Commercial sites and Multi-Family (5 or more units), for a total cap of up to $6,000 and $135,000 respectively.
- The converted area must include a sufficient number of qualifying water efficient plants to ensure at least 50% of the area is covered with living plants when the plants are fully grown.
- Permeable hardscape such as permeable pavers, decomposed granite, rocks, and boulders are permitted within the converted areas as long as all other terms and conditions of the program are met. Impermeable surfaces, such as concrete and thick plastic (>3 mil), that do not allow water to penetrate into the ground are not permitted within the converted area.
- All planting areas must have a minimum of two (2) inches of qualifying mulch, including: chipped or shredded bark, rock, gravel, or weed-free straw. Synthetic rubber mulch will not be allowed. If a weed barrier is used below the mulch, it must be permeable to air and water.
- A limited number of groundcover plants listed on the Water District's Qualifying Plant List may qualify as living mulch provided the individual plants are installed at sufficient density to assure 100% plant cover. The mulch requirement around these plants may be waived on a case-by-case basis.”
Click here for the full information of Santa Clara County (Valley Water) Landscape Conversion Rebate
II. Santa Clara County (Valley Water) Landscape Design Assistance Program
“The goal of the Landscape Design Assistance Program (Design Program) is to help Landscape Conversion Rebate applicants develop ideas to transform their high-water using front lawns into beautiful, California-friendly landscapes. The Landscape Design Assistance Program provides a consultation of up to 2 hours with a professional landscape designer (Designer) for proposed front yard lawn conversion projects. Applicants pay their chosen pre-approved Designer a $200 fee at the time of service and are reimbursed by Valley Water when their Landscape Conversion project is successfully completed according to the Landscape Conversion Rebate requirements.
*Please note, this is an onsite consultation only and not a full landscape design. * Applicants will not receive a scaled landscape plan, full plant list, or additional follow-up documents from the Designer; however, the Designer will help applicants explore sustainable landscape ideas and make verbal recommendations on layout, plants, and other features that may work for front yards across Santa Clara County. Applicants should be prepared to take notes during the consultation. During the consultation, the customer can expect the designer to provide:
- General analysis of site conditions and evaluation of landscape needs.
- Recommendations on how to design the conversion area. This may include ideas for pathways, focal points, screening, use of boulders or other landscaping features, etc.
- Suggestions for qualifying low-water use plants.”
Click here for the full information of Santa Clara County (Valley Water) Landscape Conversion Rebate
III. How Can I Receive the Rebates?
- Apply for the Landscape Conversion Rebate: Begin by submitting your application. We can submit it on your behalf for $250 (and take care of all the paperwork), or you can do it yourself.
- Select Us as Your Designer: In the application, indicate that you would like to receive Design Assistance. Schedule a Site Visit:
- Onsite Consultation Only: If you want just an onsite consultation, we will visit your location, provide ideas and suggestions for the design, and charge a fee of $200. We will provide you with a receipt for this payment.
- Full Design Service: If you opt for our full design service, which we recommend, the onsite visit will be included in the overall design package. We will create a design that meets all rebate requirements. The $200 onsite visit and consultation fee can be reimbursed after project completion.
- Design Creation. We will work with you to create a design that meets the Rebate Eligible Design Requirements.
- Project Installation and Completion. We can assist you with a DIY installation or recommend contractors. You will pay contractors for the installation and material costs, which are separate from the design costs. Whether you choose DIY or contractor installation, we can provide additional assistance such as plant sourcing.
- Submit Receipt: Submit the receipt listing the design cost along with all other required documents to receive the rebate.
I. City of Long Beach Lawn-to-Garden Rebate
"Water efficiency is the Long Beach way of life! Turn your water-thirsty lawn into a drought-resistant, beautiful garden with our Lawn-to-Garden (L2G) program. The new L2G program was created with the goal of making the landscapes of Long Beach sustainable and water efficient, while also providing multiple benefits for the environment such as capturing storm water, reducing runoff and developing habitat for birds and butterflies. All L2G projects are now eligible to receive an incentive of $3.00 per square foot of lawn removed in the front yard and/or $3.00 per square foot in the backyard, for a total of up to 5,000 square feet. A design reimbursement of up to $1,500 for the cost of a professional landscape design is also available. All new L2G projects must include:
- The use of low-water using California Native plants and/or California-friendly plants
- 65% plant coverage in the re-landscaped area
- A storm water retention feature
- Habitat development
- An efficient irrigation system
- The use of mulch and other natural materials"
Click here for the full info of city of Long Beach Lawn-to-Garden Rebate
II. City of Long Beach Landscape Design Assistance
“With the additional design requirements in place, the LB Utilities will be offering its customers an additional reimbursement to seek a certified landscape designer/architect/contractor to provide professional design services for their Lawn-to-Garden projects. This reimbursement will provide LB Utilities customers up to $1,500 dollars or the cost of the design.
Effective October 1, 2019:
- Reimbursement structure will be on a per square foot basis based on the customers eligible conversion area
- There will be a minimum $500 reimbursement for all eligible projects
- Eligible designs/projects beyond the minimum reimbursement of $500 (greater than 1000 square feet), will receive an additional $.50 per square foot towards the cost of their design Design Reimbursement will have a maximum reimbursement of $1,500.”
Click here for the full info of the Long Beach Design Reimbursement
III. How Can I Receive the Rebate?
- Submit a Lawn-to-Garden application. We can submit it on your behalf for $250 (and handle all the paperwork), or you can do it yourself.
- Purchase a design package from us. Our front yard design package for a yard less than 800 sq ft costs $980, For yards larger than 800 sq ft, we will provide you with the design price, and you may receive up to a $1000 rebate.
- Design Creation. We will work with you to create a design that meets the Rebate Eligible Design Requirements.
- Project Installation and Completion. We can assist you with a DIY installation or recommend contractors. You will pay contractors for the installation and material costs, which are separate from the design costs. Whether you choose DIY or contractor installation, we can provide additional assistance such as plant sourcing.
- Submit invoice/receipt: Submit the invoice/receipt listing the onsite consultation cost along with all other required documents.
I. East Bay (EBMUD) Lawn Conversion Rebate
EBMUD offers three lawn conversion rebate types, along with design assistance.
- $2,000 for single-family and small multi-family homes
- $15,000 for commercial, municipal, and large multi-family properties (5+ units), and an additional $5k for non-functional turf conversions through December 2026
Click here for the full info of East Bay (EBMUD) Lawn Conversion Rebate
II. East Bay of San Francisco Bay Area (EBMUD) Landscape Design Assistance
“A 2-hour session with a professional landscape designer to receive recommendations on plant choice, layout, and/or irrigation ideas for your landscape project. You will pay the designer a $200 fee at the time of service and then be reimbursed by EBMUD upon successful completion of your landscape transformation.
Eligibility
Participants must:
- Receive EBMUD approval before contacting a landscape designer.
- Use an EBMUD approved Landscape Designer, listed below.
- Install a minimum 200 sq. ft. waterwise garden.
- Projects may not include: artificial turf, plants that need moderate to frequent watering, invasive plants, landscape fabric, non-permeable paths and patios. See application for full requirements.”
Click here for the full info of the East Bay (EBMUD) Design Assistance
III. How Can I Receive the Rebates?
- Apply for the Landscape Conversion Rebate: Begin by submitting your application. We can submit it on your behalf for $250 (and take care of all the paperwork), or you can do it yourself.
- Select Us as Your Designer: In the application, indicate that you would like to receive Design Assistance.
- Schedule a Site Visit:
- Onsite Consultation Only: If you want just an onsite consultation, we will visit your location, provide ideas and suggestions for the design, and charge a fee of $200. We will provide you with a receipt for this payment.
- Full Design Service: If you opt for our full design service, which we recommend, the onsite visit will be included in the overall design package. We will create a design that meets all rebate requirements. The $200 onsite visit and consultation fee can be reimbursed after project completion.
- Design Creation. We will work with you to create a design that meets the Rebate Eligible Design Requirements.
- Project Installation and Completion. We can assist you with a DIY installation or recommend contractors. You will pay contractors for the installation and material costs, which are separate from the design costs. Whether you choose DIY or contractor installation, we can provide additional assistance such as plant sourcing.
- Submit Receipt: Submit the receipt listing the design cost along with all other required documents to receive the rebate.
California Lawn Conversion Rebate
Everywhere in the state, work with us! We can design native and drought tolerant landscaping that meet the requirements for your area’s rebates, and help with the rebate application.
Find rebates available in your areaHere we use Santa Clara Water District's program as an example to describe the process.
Application Submission
First, sumbit an application online. The water company will then schedule an appointment.
We have assisted many homeowners across the state in applying for and receiving the Landscape Conversion Rebate. For a small fee of $250, we can submit the application on your behalf and handle all the paperwork.
Pre-Inspection
When the time comes, a company representative will show up at where the lawn is.
He/she will check every area of lawn on your property, decide which one qualifies for receiving the rebates, and make the measurements. At the end, they will hand you a paper document indicating the areas that qualify, and their sizes, which the rebates will be based upon.
Notice to Proceed
After the pre-inspection, if you have at least one area that qualifies for the rebate, you have a certain period of time to submit the design and complate the project, to receive the rebate. At this point, you need to submit the design and plants planned to go in the garden.
If you have purchased our design services and Design Assistance package($250), we can submit the design and all required documents to the rebate program on your behalf once the design is completed.
After the water company reviews the designs and other submitted information, they will issue a Notice to Proceed if everything meets the requirements.
At this point, the project can begin. If you purchased our Installation Assistance Package, we can assist in sourcing and ordering all the plants (the cost of the plants will be billed separately). Additionally, we can recommend contractors, coordinate schedules, and provide consultations to the contractor. If you decide to do it yourself, we can offer guidance and support throughout the process.
Post-Inspection & Receiving the Check
If the inspection is deemed satisfactory, the program will inform you, and start to process a check. Usually it takes 4-8 weeks for the check to be processed and delivered. After the project is completed, the water company will be notified, and they will contact you for a post-inspection. This inspection can either be self-guided, requiring only photos of the garden and some documents, or the water company may send someone to do an in-person inspection.
If you have purchased our Rebate Assistance package, we will take all the necessary photos and submit the required project information on your behalf.
If the inspection is deemed satisfactory…