Budget Breakdown: After a Contractor Scam, an L.A. Couple Wrap Their Bungalow Remodel for $176K

The couple took advantage of numerous municipal programs when landscaping the backyard. Mandy completed a free course through the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) to make the yard a certified California Native Plant Landscape. "There is an amazing amount of knowledge and resources for transitioning yards with more native and drought-tolerant plants through LADWP and the Theodore Payne Foundation," says Mandy.