Landscaper Estimate Template
Customers often want a ballpark figure before they commit to a site visit, and landscaping is a trade where a ballpark is sometimes all you can honestly give. An estimate is an approximate price based on the information available at the time, and this template makes that status plain: the figure is subject to a site survey and may be revised if conditions on the ground differ from what was described or photographed. That wording protects you and manages the customer's expectations in one move.
The reason estimates matter so much in landscaping is that the expensive unknowns are underground. Access for a mini digger, the excavation depth a patio needs, how much MOT Type 1 sub-base the ground calls for, buried concrete from a previous patio, tree roots, and whether surface water needs a drainage run or soakaway: none of these are visible from a photo. This template lets you present per square metre guide rates for paving, turfing or seeding, a per metre run rate for fencing, and separate provisional lines for groundworks, waste removal by skip or grab lorry, and machinery hire, so the customer sees how the approximate total is built up.
It is also worth noting seasonal timing on an estimate. Turfing and seeding have best windows in spring and early autumn, and wet winter ground can change both the programme and the cost of excavation, so a figure given in October may look different when work starts in March. Download the template below in Word or PDF, or build the document online using the quote generator, titling it as an estimate, and save it as a PDF straight from your browser.
What to include in a landscaper estimate
- Your business details, insurance note, and waste carrier registration if relevant
- Customer name, address and the site address if different
- An estimate number, date, and a clear statement that the figure is approximate and subject to a site survey
- Guide rates per square metre for paving or patios, turfing and seeding, with areas as described
- Fencing at a per metre run rate, with post and panel assumptions stated
- Provisional allowances for excavation, MOT Type 1 sub-base and compaction
- Drainage, soakaways and retaining walls flagged as provisional until the site is surveyed
- Waste removal, skip or grab lorry, and machinery hire such as a mini digger or whacker plate
- VAT if registered, likely seasonal start window, and how the estimate converts to a fixed quote
Download the template
Or build it online, free
The quote generator produces the same professional document in your browser, calculates the totals for you and saves as a PDF. Simply title the document as an estimate. No download needed.
Open the quote generatorLandscaper estimate FAQs
What is the difference between an estimate and a quote?
A quote is a fixed price for clearly defined work, and once the customer accepts it you are generally held to that figure. An estimate is an approximate price based on the information available at the time, and it can change if the job turns out differently once work starts. For landscaping, where so much depends on what is under the ground, an estimate subject to a site survey is often the sensible first step before a fixed quote.
Why does a landscaping estimate depend on a site survey?
Because the biggest costs sit below the surface. Access for a mini digger, the depth of excavation needed, whether the ground needs extra sub-base, hidden concrete from an old patio, tree roots, and where water drains to all affect the price. Until you have walked the site and checked levels, any figure is a guide rather than a commitment, and the estimate should say so.
What hidden problems can change a landscaping estimate?
The usual ones are buried concrete or rubble that has to be broken out and removed, poor or waterlogged ground needing deeper excavation and more MOT Type 1, unexpected drainage work or a soakaway, unmarked services, and rotten fence posts or footings beyond the assumed run. State in the estimate that the figure may be revised if conditions like these come to light.
Can I edit the landscaper estimate template?
Yes. Download the Word version to change wording, add your logo and adjust the sections, or use the free online quote generator, titling the document as an estimate, to build the same document in your browser and save it as a PDF.