Landscaping Estimate Template
The short answer
A typical residential landscaping job in the US bills $40–$80 for a mow, $150–$300 for a spring or fall cleanup, and $50–$100 per cubic yard of mulch installed, while a planting install with irrigation runs into the thousands. The number comes from two pieces: crew time, costed internally at $45–$75 per person-hour, and materials such as plants, soil and mulch, marked up 25–50% over what you paid. Lot size, slope, gates and the volume of debris leaving the property move a job up or down the range. Route density matters as much as the work itself: a lawn on a street you already service costs less to reach than a one-off across town, so build the drive into distant stops. Give the customer one flat figure per visit or per project, list haul-away at $25–$75 per load, and set a $150 minimum so small trimming calls still cover the trip.
A landscaping estimate answers the customer's first question, roughly what will this cost, with enough detail that the answer holds up. Use this template for a quick number with a validity date, send it for online approval, and convert the approved estimate to an invoice with the next number. When the job has options or needs a signature and a deposit, use a proposal instead.
What belongs in a landscaping estimate
Landscaping proposals fail on scope creep: the customer pictures the finished yard, you priced the beds. Spell out square footage, plant counts and sizes, soil and mulch depth, irrigation zones, and who hauls debris. Separate design from installation, and price seasonal maintenance as its own optional item so a one-time install does not silently become a recurring contract. Weather delays and plant availability belong in the terms, and so does the plant warranty, which customers assume is longer than it is.
Typical landscaping prices in 2026
What landscaping jobs commonly cost in the US. Your market, your costs and the job in front of you decide your number; use these ranges to check it.
| Job | Typical price | Unit | Usually includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn mowing, residential | $40–$80 | per visit | Mow, edge, string trim and blow off hard surfaces on a typical suburban lot |
| Spring or fall cleanup | $150–$300 | per visit | Leaf and debris removal, bed cleanup and perennial cutback on a standard lot |
| Hedge and shrub trimming | $60–$150 | per visit | Shaping hedges and shrubs with clippings raked up and bagged |
| Mulch installed | $50–$100 | per cubic yard | Mulch delivered and spread about 3 inches deep over weeded beds |
| Tree pruning | $100–$300 | per tree | Deadwood removal and shaping on a small to medium tree from the ground or ladder |
| Shrub planting, 3 gallon | $45–$90 | per plant | Nursery plant, digging, planting soil and a first deep watering |
| Drip irrigation for beds | $500–$1,200 | per zone | Drip line, emitters, valve and hookup to an existing controller |
| Low-voltage path lighting | $150–$300 | per fixture | Fixture, buried wire run and a share of the transformer, installed |
| Green waste haul-away | $25–$75 | per load | Loading clippings, leaves and brush plus the disposal or dump fee |
| Crew labor | $45–$75 | per person-hour | Internal costing rate for one crew member before materials and markup |
Typical ranges as of September 2026 · US national. Editorial ranges for typical US residential landscaping jobs, checked against Numulo's published landscaping pricing guide. Sources: Numulo: what to charge for landscaping work in 2026, Numulo 2026 trade pricing report.
Sample line items
Realistic 2026 US pricing for a typical job. Every number is editable; optional items are the ones the customer decides on.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site prep: strip sod and grade 600 sq ft bed area | 1 | $850.00 | $850.00 |
| Plant installation: 24 shrubs (3 gal) and 6 trees (15 gal), materials included | 1 | $3,400.00 | $3,400.00 |
| Hardwood mulch, 3 in depth, delivered and spread | 8 | $95.00 | $760.00 |
| Drip irrigation for new beds, 2 zones, tied to existing controller optional | 1 | $1,250.00 | $1,250.00 |
| Landscape lighting: 8 path lights and transformer optional | 1 | $1,600.00 | $1,600.00 |
| Monthly bed maintenance, first season (6 visits) optional | 6 | $140.00 | $840.00 |
Required items: $5,010.00. Optional items if all are chosen: $3,690.00. Rate ranges for this trade are in what to charge for landscaping work. Price the job first with the free lawn mowing bid calculator.
Terms that belong in a landscaping estimate
Promise extended coverage on the bid: saying how long you stand behind landscaping work separates your number from a cheaper one, and it costs nothing on the day you offer it. Put the terms on the estimate and they carry through to the invoice when the customer approves, then start counting down once that invoice is paid. From there warranty tracking keeps the coverage dates, an estimate of the labor and parts you could still owe, and any callback filed against the job.
Bigger job with options and a deposit? Use the landscaping proposal template. Work already done? The landscaping invoice template is free too.
Once the work is invoiced, getting paid is handled too: your pay instructions print on the invoice, part payments are tracked, and reminders go out on their own.
How the estimate gets approved
Send the link. The customer sees the items, the total, and the validity date, types their name, and approves. You get an email, and the estimate converts to an invoice with the next invoice number in one click, carrying the same client, items, and any deposit.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge to install mulch?
Bill $50–$100 per cubic yard installed, with the mulch itself marked up 25–50% over your cost. The low end fits open beds near the driveway; the high end fits wheelbarrow runs to the backyard, weeding first, or removing old mulch. Measure bed area, pick a depth (usually 2 to 3 inches) and convert to yards so the customer sees how you got the total.
What should a spring cleanup cost the customer?
A residential cleanup bills $150–$300 per visit on a standard lot. Price above that for heavy leaf cover, overgrown beds, or perennials that need cutting back. Add green waste haul-away as its own line at $25–$75 per load, because disposal and trailer space are real costs that disappear when they are folded into the cleanup price.
How do I price a planting job?
Estimate the person-hours to dig, plant, amend and water, multiply by your $45–$75 per person-hour costing rate, then add plants and soil at 25–50% over cost. Container size drives labor as much as plant cost: a 15-gallon tree takes several times the digging of a 3-gallon shrub. Quote the result as one flat figure, not as hours.
Should a landscaping estimate have a minimum charge?
Yes. A $150 minimum protects small trimming and cleanup calls, where loading the trailer and driving out cost the same whether the job takes twenty minutes or two hours. State the minimum on the estimate so it reads as policy, and waive it only for stops on a route you already run.
How much should I raise landscaping prices each year?
Plan on 5–8% each winter to keep pace with fuel, insurance, equipment and wages. Announce it in writing before the season starts rather than mid-summer, and apply it to every account at once. A customer who leaves over a single-digit increase was usually one of the least profitable stops on the route.
What is the difference between an estimate and a proposal?
An estimate is a priced list with a validity date that the customer approves with a typed name. A proposal adds a written scope, optional items the customer can pick, terms, an electronic signature record, and automatic invoicing with a deposit on acceptance.
More for landscaping jobs
- Landscaping proposal template
- Landscaping invoice template
- Lawn mowing bid calculator
- What to charge for landscaping work in 2026
Other trades
HVAC · Plumbing · Electrical · Cleaning · Roofing · Painting · Handyman · Pressure Washing · Photography · General Contractor