For UK landscapers
Landscaper quote template (UK)
A clear layout for a landscaping quote that sets out scope, ground conditions, terms and VAT properly, so the customer knows what is included before the digger arrives.
What a landscaper quote should include
Landscaping quotes go wrong in one predictable place: what is under the ground. Old foundations, a run of buried services, heavy clay that will not drain, a sub-base that needs to go deeper than you hoped. A good landscaping quote prices the visible work firmly, splits hard from soft landscaping so nothing is assumed, and handles the ground you cannot see honestly, so the customer is not surprised and you are not out of pocket.
- Your business and VAT. Trading name, address, contact, and your VAT number if registered.
- The customer and the site. Their name, the property address, and a note on access for machinery, since a rear garden reached only through the house changes the method and the price.
- A specific scope, split hard and soft. Hard landscaping covers patios, paving, driveways, decking, fencing, walls, drainage and groundworks. Soft landscaping covers turfing, planting and topsoil. List what is in each.
- Labour, plant and materials. Days by your rate, plant hire such as a mini digger or dumper, and named materials: sub-base stone, sand, paving, timber, turf and topsoil.
- Spoil removal. Excavation produces spoil. Price the muck away and the skips or grab lorry loads, since this is easy to forget and expensive to swallow.
- VAT. If registered, subtotal, 20% VAT and total. If not, say so.
- Timeline. Days on site and any dependence on weather for concrete, pointing or turfing.
- Payment terms. When you expect payment and any deposit against ordered materials.
- Exclusions. Removal of unexpected obstructions, extra drainage and making good to boundaries are often excluded. Say so clearly.
- Validity period. "Valid for 30 days" so a paving or timber price does not follow you around after supplier costs move.
A landscaper quote example
The figures below are illustrative and shown only to demonstrate the layout. They are not market rates. Price every job from your own supplier prices, plant hire and day rate.
| Section | Detail | Amount (example only) |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation and muck away | Dig out existing area, load and remove spoil, skips or grab lorry | £X |
| Sub-base and preparation | Supply, lay and compact type 1 sub-base to correct depth and falls | £X |
| Patio and paving supply and lay | Supply and lay paving on full mortar bed, edging and pointing | £X |
| Fencing or decking | Supply and install fencing or timber decking to agreed line | £X |
| Turfing and planting | Supply and lay topsoil and turf, plant borders as agreed | £X |
| Subtotal | £X | |
| VAT (20%, if registered) | £X | |
| Total | £X |
Scope note: "Excavate area, remove spoil, lay and compact sub-base to falls, supply and lay paving on a full mortar bed, install fencing, and lay topsoil and turf as agreed. Excludes removal of unexpected obstructions, additional drainage and making good to neighbouring boundaries." Terms note: "Price assumes normal ground conditions and clear access for machinery. Any obstruction, buried services, old foundations, running water or ground requiring extra excavation or drainage will be quoted and agreed in writing before proceeding. Valid for 30 days."
The mistakes that cost landscapers money on a quote
- Not pricing spoil removal and skips. Excavation produces a lot of spoil, and muck away and skip or grab lorry costs add up fast. Leave them out and they come straight off your margin.
- Assuming the ground conditions. Clay, buried services, running water and old foundations are common once you dig. Committing a firm price to ground you have not opened up, with no variations line, is how a good job turns into a loss.
- Ignoring access for machinery. If a digger or dumper cannot reach the work, the dig becomes barrow work by hand, which is slower and dearer. Note the access and price the method that fits.
- Drainage assumptions. Assuming a patio or driveway will drain, or that an existing soakaway will cope, is risky. State what drainage is included and exclude the rest until surveyed.
- Confusing a quote with an estimate. A quote is a fixed price. An estimate can move. Label the document as one, never both. See quote vs estimate.
Should a landscaper send a quote or an estimate?
For a defined build, a patio or deck laid to an agreed plan with known materials, quote it firmly. For work where the true extent is hidden until you dig, excavation into unknown ground conditions, a garden with a history of old foundations, or a site where drainage is uncertain, an estimate with a firm quote to follow is the honest approach. Put the scope, the ground assumptions and a variations line in writing either way. Our guide to quote vs estimate for UK trades explains when each is fairer.
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This page is practical quoting guidance, not legal advice, and it does not cover planning, building control or utility obligations, which are set by the applicable rules. For a serious dispute or a large sum, take proper advice.
Landscaper quote FAQ
What should a landscaper quote include?
Your business and any VAT details, the customer and site, a specific scope split into hard and soft landscaping, a breakdown of labour, plant and materials, spoil removal, VAT, a timeline, payment terms, exclusions and a validity period.
How do I quote a patio and paving job?
List the excavation and muck away, the sub-base build-up, the paving supply and lay, edging and pointing, and add a variations line for ground conditions such as clay, buried services or old foundations found once you dig.
Should a landscaper quote or estimate a job?
For a defined build like a patio or deck to an agreed plan, quote it. For excavation where the ground conditions are unknown until you dig, an estimate with a firm quote to follow is often fairer.
Do landscapers charge VAT on a quote?
If you are VAT registered, show subtotal, 20% VAT and the total. If you are not registered, say so clearly on the quote.
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