Landscaping jobs mix square footage, cubic yards, plant counts and labor hours on one estimate. Get the math wrong and you either lose the job on price or lose money on the install. This guide covers measuring, calculating sod and mulch, pricing plants and labor, and the watering and warranty terms that protect you. The free template does the area and volume math.

1. Measure the areas

Split every lawn and bed into rectangles, measure length and width in feet, and multiply. A front lawn of 40 x 10 ft is 400 sq ft. For an L-shaped area, add the pieces: (40 x 10) + (10 x 8) = 480 sq ft. Curved beds can be estimated as the rectangle that contains them, then reduced a little; note what you assumed.

Write down slope, access for equipment, sprinkler heads, trees and anything that has to be removed. Take photos.

2. Sod: square feet plus waste

Sod is sold by the square foot, slab or pallet. Add a waste allowance for cuts along edges and curves; 5 percent is a common starting point, more for small or curvy areas. The template adds the waste percent you enter and rounds up. Check your supplier's pallet size and round your order to it.

3. Mulch and rock: cubic yards

Mulch and decorative rock are sold by the cubic yard. The formula:

Cubic yards = square feet x (depth in inches / 12) / 27

Example: a 200 sq ft bed at 3 inches deep is 200 x 0.25 / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards, so order 2. The template does this for each bed row, adds waste and rounds up to the nearest quarter yard. Rock is heavy; confirm with your supplier whether they sell it by the yard or the ton.

4. Line items customers can follow

Turf or weed removal (sq ft)
Grading and soil prep, with the amendment named
Sod, with the variety named
Mulch or rock, with the type named
Landscape fabric
Edging by linear foot, with the material named
Plants and shrubs, each with its container size
Irrigation adjustments, if included
Delivery fees
Labor (hours or a lump sum)
Cleanup and haul-off

Leave the rates blank in the template and fill them in from your own costs. Naming the variety, type and size on each line is what makes your estimate comparable, and it stops the "the other guy was cheaper" conversation when the other guy quoted smaller plants.

5. Offer good, better, best

Landscaping customers often want to see what more money buys. Put three options on one estimate: sod only, sod plus a bed refresh, or the full front yard. Each option gets its own price, and you send the one they choose to sign.

6. Exclusions that matter in landscaping

Irrigation repair or new zones
Tree removal and stump grinding
Drainage correction
Buried debris, rock or concrete found while grading
Watering after install
Replacing plants after the warranty period

7. Watering and warranty terms

New sod and plants live or die by watering. State the watering schedule you give the customer, and say that loss from under-watering is not covered. If you offer a plant warranty, say how long it lasts and what voids it. If you do not offer one, say that too.

8. Get the signature, then schedule

Sod has a short shelf life, so do not order it on a maybe. Get the estimate signed and the deposit paid, then schedule delivery for install day.

Common landscaping estimate mistakes

Measuring the lawn but not the beds
Using square feet for mulch instead of cubic yards
Forgetting delivery and haul-off
No plant sizes listed
No watering terms

Download PDF

How to use this template

Print the PDF or fill it in on your device. Add your company block, the customer, and the measurements or tasks, then work out the quantities with the formulas on this page. Enter your own rates and tax rate, then edit the options, exclusions and terms to fit how you work.

Doing this from your phone

QuoteMaven is an Android quote and invoice app built by contractors, for contractors. Type a line item with its dimensions and the quantity fills in with the math shown; you check it before you send. Text your customer a link they sign in their browser, with no app needed. A signed quote moves to Invoices automatically. The free Bronze plan includes 10 quotes a month. The template works fine without the app.

General information, not legal or engineering advice. Follow local code and have your terms reviewed for your state.

Free Landscaping Estimate Template