How to Price Landscaping Jobs

Co-authored by Tony Hoang

Last Updated: January 31, 2023

Many business and home owners want to enhance the appearance of their property with landscaping. Small jobs may only be do-it-yourself projects. However, for most major landscaping projects, most owners rely on professional landscaping companies. One very important aspect of running a business of this sort is learning to price landscaping jobs. Many landscaping companies either do not acquire the job due to overbidding or lose money because they've under-bid a job. It is possible to affordably price landscaping jobs for customers and still earn money.

Steps

1
Travel to a landscaping site to get a view of the area and learn what the potential client wants.^{[1]
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- Take accurate measurements of the length and width of the area to be landscaped.
- Make notes of areas that receive shade and sunlight to determine the appropriate types of plants needed for the job.
- You can also adjust your pricing according to the region.
2
Design the area with landscaping in place.^{[2]
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- Make a rough sketch of the area to be landscaped.
- Make labels for each type of plant used and the dimensions of the area.
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3
Calculate the cost of the mulch for the landscaping job.^{[3]
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- Use the measurements of the area and multiply the length times the width either in feet or meters.
- If you are working in feet, multiply by 0.166 (giving you 2 inches depth of mulch). Multiply by 0.0508 if using meters.
- Divide the answer in feet by 27 to convert cubic feet to yards (the unit in which mulch is sold). No division is required if using meters, because mulch is typically sold in cubic meters.
- Multiply your total by the cost of each cubic yard or meter of mulch to determine how much the mulch will cost.
4
Determine the cost of plants.
- Tally the type and amount of each plant used in the landscaping project.
- Multiply the cost of the plants by the number of plants you'll need.
5
Determine the price of extra materials.
6
Allow for selling cost.
- Once you know how much the materials will cost, you can determine what you need to charge the client.
- In most cases, multiply the landscaper’s cost by 115% to determine the selling cost.
7
Add in the expense of labor.
- Determine your time on the landscaping job comparing the needs of this job with previous jobs.
- Calculate the cost of labor by multiplying the hourly wages by the number of man-hours.
8
Add all expenses together for a bidding price.^{[4]
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9
Subtract the bidding price from the company cost to determine profit.

Community Q&A

Question

What would be a good rate for trimming the trees and bushes around the edge of the front and backyard of a house?

Community Answer

Shrubs/bushes/hedges should be looked at separately when estimating the charge. They are done fairly quickly but they require skill and tedious cleanup. When done correctly the time can add up , and that's what people who first start out seem to overlook. So here's an example: If your are to trim and clean up a 4' x 10 ' stretch of hedges it should take you approx 15 to 20 mins to trim and another 15 mins to clean up, rounded up to one hour, $25.00 + equip + debris removal cost at $10.00 total = $35.00.
Question

How can I estimate the cost of a customized pondless waterfall with plants and a drip system?

Community Answer

Consider the cost of all materials with standard profit mark-up, plus any and all taxes. Furthermore: cost of all labor involved (design, lay-out and management); cost of any equipment including transport of materials; cost of debris haul-outs and final clean-up; and final cost estimate of any future maintenance or warranty to cover final walk through and release of the project.
Question

How much can I charge for digging out bushes?

Eric Stoner

Community Answer

Depends on the bushes, how much of a root system they have, and if they want all the roots dug up. You should be able to get $200 per bush easily.

Warnings

Never guarantee a bid for more than 30 days in the event of an increase in the cost of materials.

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Be certain the client understands the bid does not include maintenance and up keep of the landscaping once it is complete.

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