How to price landscaping jobs

The importance of correct landscape pricing

For anyone remotely in the landscaping business, you’re probably aware of how varied the work can be. From simple maintenance of existing gardens to a full redesign, landscaping projects can get complicated.

But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, the more work you do, the more you can earn.

However, just because you do a lot, it doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be getting paid the right amount. In fact, if you don’t quote your clients correctly, you might actually be underpaying yourself for work.

So, to make sure you price landscaping jobs for your business correctly, we’ve created this guide.

Read on below to learn what you need to consider when pricing landscaping jobs. As well as how to create a landscaping estimate template for providing accurate quotes.

What to consider when pricing landscaping jobs

When it comes to pricing landscaping jobs for your business, there are a few vital things to consider. But by being aware of them, you can ensure that you’re looking at everything a project might involve.

Below are the key things to consider when pricing landscaping jobs:

1. Your client’s budget

First and foremost, you need to check that your client has a big enough budget to meet the needs of their project. Otherwise, they might not be able to meet payments down the line if the project grows or overruns.

2. The type of work

Alongside your client’s budget, you also need to know what work you’ll be doing for them. If you don’t know this, you won’t be able to charge them properly for your work.

3. The materials needed

Different materials have different associated costs, meaning you need to understand what materials you’ll need to purchase, and how much, so you can meet the project’s needs and provide an accurate quote.

4. The size of your team

The bigger your team, the faster you can get the job done, but the more your client will need to pay. Make sure you know how many people will work on the project so you can predict accurate work hours and overall wages.

5. Special requests

If your client has any special requests on their project, such as certain obscure materials, you need to know what these are ahead of time so you can place a timely order and account for any additional costs.

6. The site’s location

Travel time and distance are just as important to know when landscaping as the work itself. If you have to travel and move your materials for several hours in order to start work, you’ll need to charge more. The same is true for awkward-to-reach locations.

7. The weather

While you can’t predict the weather experienced while doing a landscaping project, the season you’ll be working in can provide some insight. For example, a project is far less likely to be delayed in summer than in winter due to wet weather, so plan project time limits with this in mind.

How to give an estimate for landscaping

Now we’ve looked at landscape pricing considerations, let’s look at how to give an estimate for landscaping with a quote. As with things to note, there are several factors to account for with landscape estimations.

Below are the most important things to consider in this area:

1. Project scope

In order to estimate a price, you need to know the scope of the project in question. If you don’t, you won’t be able to account for all areas of work that will need doing.

2. The location

Travel and transportation costs can rise sharply if you need to travel far for a project, so you’ll need to charge more the further you travel.

3. The size of the project area

Like travel, the bigger the work area, the more you’ll need to do. Be sure to measure the size of the space, match the materials to this, and then charge accordingly.

4. Time constraints

As we’ve already mentioned, weather can play a key role in delaying projects, so be sure to clarify how long the project could take at a base level and then add in buffer time to meet any potential delays head-on.

5. Work provided

The main bulk of your price estimation, the work you provide will need to be covered in detail. Again, this means understanding the scope of the project, as well as any specialist work that needs to be done, as this will cost more.

6. Special requests

If a client requires something outside of your normal services, then you’ll need to charge them appropriately to cover the cost of this. You also want to make sure you have prior knowledge of this, so it doesn’t cause project delays.

7. Materials needed

Like work hours, you need to know what materials you’ll be working with so you can purchase them, at which point you can then charge your client appropriately for such costs.

8. Work hours

Just as important as the services you’ll be providing, project length will also dictate work hours, which in turn will govern how much you’ll need to pay your team. Typically, this will be the estimated project time divided by your team numbers, though this can vary.

9. Overhead fees

Most landscapers don’t account for overhead fees in their estimations, but it’s a smart thing to do. By being aware of what these are, you can ensure you’re charging enough for your work to cover your business costs.

10. Adding a markup

Finally, once you’ve noted down all the details above, you need to add a markup for profitability purposes. This is usually 10-25% of the quoted cost, depending on the work being done of the length of the project.

How to create a landscaping estimate template

So, you now know how to estimate landscaping fees, but what about presenting them to your client? Well, for that, you’ll need to lay them out in a clear and concise format that is easy for your client to understand.

We recommend creating or finding a template online that meets the following criteria:

• Client name: your quote needs to clearly display your client’s full name and contact details
• Contact details: your contact details should also be clearly displayed to the client, as should your business credentials
• Client actions: anything specific the client needs to do in order to accept the quote provided
• Service description: a breakdown of what is required at each stage of the project, as well as the cost of each piece of work, is essential to make it clear to the client how you reached your quoted price
• The overhead fees and markup: similar to the cost of services, clearly noted overhead fees and additional markup requirements you need to meet will help to alleviate client price concerns
• The total cost: any quote worth its value needs to have a clear and visible total cost for the client to see
• The expiration date of the quote: like many pricing documents, you should make it clear to the client when your quote will expire
• Additional notes: last but not least, if you have any additional requests, such as requiring a deposit before starting work, you need to have these clearly listed

Earn more from your work with Checkatrade

So, now you have a good idea of how to price landscaping properly. But there’s more to earning good money as a landscaper than correct pricing. Good marketing and reputation can go a long way, both of which we can help with here at Checkatrade.

As a Checkatrade member, you’ll get a space for customers to leave reviews. Alongside this, we’ll provide you with free marketing materials, and discounts, and help you find more work in your area.

Get in touch today to learn more about our sign-up process. And don’t forget to visit our trade blog for similar articles. Such as how to start a gardening business and how much gardeners earn.

Landscaping pricing FAQs

Should I charge hourly or at a fixed price?

While it can be useful to charge an hourly rate, sometimes a fixed price can be better. When deciding which to do, you should consider project length and the potential for delays.

If delays seem likely, then an hourly rate might be better as this will give you price flexibility. However, if the project scope is limited, a fixed price will allow you to charge more without the risk of losing money.

When should I charge a fixed rate?

It can sometimes be hard to know what project may best fit a fixed rate. If you’re at all unsure, then your best option is to get as clear a scope of the work involved. That way, you can use your judgment to assess if times and costs could spiral.

How much do landscapers charge per hour?

How much you can charge per hour as a landscape will vary depending on experience and work. For more insight into just how much you could charge power hour, you should read our blog on landscaper earnings.