Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler
Phoenix will pay you to lose your lawn.
Draw your lawn on a satellite map, see your city rebate, and preview your yard as a desert garden, all in about a minute. We handle the design, the paperwork and the swap.
Rebate rules from official city pages
How big is your lawn?
Estimated rebate:$2,400
$2.00 × 1,200 sq ft
Water saved: ≈ 27,600 gallons a year (estimate).
That's about 690 full bathtubs a year.
BeforeAfterSix steps
How the swap works
- Step 1
Measure
Outline your lawn on the map. We confirm it on a free yard walk.
- Step 2
Design
Pick Sonoran Native, Modern Desert or Pollinator Garden.
- Step 3
Apply
We prepare your city application packet. You submit it.
- Step 4
Approval
We wait for the city's written go-ahead. Nothing comes out before that.
- Step 5
Swap
Grass out. Drip in. Plants and granite in.
- Step 6
Rebate
Final photos and paperwork. The city inspects and pays you.
Approval first. Always. We never remove grass before your city approves your project in writing.
Rebates by city
What your city pays
Real numbers from each city's official page. Your exact amount depends on your measured lawn.
- Phoenix$2 per sq ft
- 250 sq ft minimum
- approval first
- Mesa$1,000 – $2,000 by lawn size
- + up to $100 for new trees
- 500 sq ft minimum
- approval first
- Chandler$1.50 per sq ft, up to $2,000
- 500 sq ft minimum
- approval first
- ScottsdaleBetween seasons
The program closed on Oct. 31, 2025, and is set to return with a new rebate season. Requirements are under review.
Scottsdale details Notify me when Scottsdale reopens
Three ways to go desert
See your yard before you change it.
Upload a photo of your lawn and preview it in three styles.
AI concept rendering. Actual results vary.Sonoran Native
The desert, as it grows here.
Signature plants: Desert Museum palo verde, Golden barrel cactus, Brittlebush
AI concept rendering. Actual results vary.Modern Desert
Clean lines, bold shapes.
Signature plants: Agave (e.g., Parry's or Weber), Red yucca, Desert spoon
AI concept rendering. Actual results vary.Pollinator Garden
Color for you, food for bees.
Signature plants: Parry's penstemon, Globe mallow, Desert marigold
Approval first. Always.
Most city programs only pay for grass removed after they approve your project. Pull it out early and you can lose the whole rebate. We never remove a blade of grass before your approval arrives in writing.
If we ever remove grass before approval and you lose your rebate, we pay you the rebate amount. (Concept business: an illustration of the promise a real landscaper could make.)
Fall is planting season
Start in October. Plant in November.
Fall is planting season in Phoenix, and plants that go in before the short days of winter have time to settle in. City approval comes first and can take up to three weeks. So the best time to start is now.
Source: KJZZ (opens in a new tab)Water
Less lawn. Less water.
A 1,000 sq ft lawn uses roughly 23,000 gallons of water a year. (Estimate.)
That's about 575 full bathtubs a year.
How we estimate this
A City of Phoenix figure reported by KJZZ: about one million gallons per acre of grass per year. 1,000,000 ÷ 43,560 sq ft ≈ 23 gallons per sq ft per year. Source (opens in a new tab)
Bathtubs: A good-sized bath holds 40 gallons, says the USGS Water Science School. Source (opens in a new tab)
Pricing
Clear ranges, before anyone visits.
Every project is different. Here's what most yards cost per square foot, before your rebate.
Essentials
$6 – $9 per sq ft
Grass removal and haul-away, sprinkler-to-drip conversion and more.
Signature
Recommended$10 – $15 per sq ft
Everything in Essentials, design consultation and full plan and more.
Showcase
$16 – $24 per sq ft
Everything in Signature, custom hardscape and more.
Illustrative concept pricing.
Plants
Low-water plants that belong here.
Chosen from the ADWR Phoenix AMA Low-Water-Use/Drought-Tolerant Plant List.
Desert Museum palo verde
Parkinsonia 'Desert Museum'
Tree · blooms spring
Desert willow
Chilopsis linearis
Tree · blooms spring–fall
Texas sage (Texas ranger)
Leucophyllum frutescens
Shrub · blooms after summer rains
Golden barrel cactus
Echinocactus grusonii
Cactus · blooms summer
Agave (e.g., Parry's or Weber)
Agave spp.
Accent · blooms once, after many years
Red yucca
Hesperaloe parviflora
Accent · blooms spring–fall
Questions
Good questions, straight answers.
How much will my city pay?
Phoenix pays $2 per square foot (250 sq ft minimum). Mesa pays $1,000 to $2,000 depending on lawn size, plus up to $100 for new trees. Chandler pays $1.50 per square foot, up to $2,000 (500 sq ft minimum). Use the studio to see your number.
Do I have to remove grass before I apply?
No, and you shouldn't. Most programs require written approval before any grass is removed.
Does artificial turf count?
Not in Mesa or Chandler: their rules exclude it. Phoenix asks you to describe your replacement landscape and recommends desert landscaping.
How long does it take?
Phoenix's review can take up to 3 weeks. Time to finish after approval: Phoenix, 6 months from the NTP date; Mesa, 6 months after approval; Chandler, 90 days after the NtP. The swap itself usually takes a few days.
Is the AI preview what my yard will look like?
It's a concept to help you choose a style. Your real design is drawn after a yard walk.
Is Sonoran Swap a real company?
Not yet. It's a concept business built to show how a local landscaper's website could work. The rebate information is real and linked to official city pages.