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What to look for on a landscaping quote
Landscaping quotes are often the vaguest in home services because scope is so flexible. A complete quote breaks out design, hardscape, softscape, lighting, irrigation, and maintenance separately — and specifies plant sizes, material types, and warranties for each.
Designer time, plans, revisions. 5–15% of total project typical.
Patios, walkways, walls, steps with specific materials and square footage. Stone type and pattern matter.
Specific species, sizes (1-gallon, 5-gallon, 15-gallon, container size), and counts. Mature size matters for plant spacing.
Square footage, grass type, soil prep, watering plan.
Zones, heads (rotor, spray, drip), smart controller, backflow preventer.
Fixture count, style, wire gauge, transformer, smart control.
Type (hardwood, cedar, pine straw, rubber, stone), depth (2–4" typical), edging material.
French drains, swales, downspout extensions, dry wells. Critical if water issues.
Topsoil delivery, compost, fertilizer, soil testing if needed.
Specific trees (species, size), removal of existing trees including stump grinding.
Required for retaining walls over 4 ft, some drainage work, and tree removal in some jurisdictions.
Plants (typically 1 yr replacement if dead), hardscape (1–5 yrs workmanship), irrigation (1–3 yrs).
Red flags in a landscaping quote
"$2,000 in plants" could be 20 1-gallon shrubs (wholesale cost $400) or 8 15-gallon trees (cost $800). Itemized species and sizes prevent this hidden markup.
"Paver patio" could be $3/sq ft concrete paver or $15/sq ft natural stone. Brand and product line matter.
New plantings need regular water first 1–2 seasons. Quote should include hose-bib extensions or irrigation zone; otherwise expect plant failure.
Walls over 4 ft tall require engineering and permit in most jurisdictions. Quotes that skip this are code violations.
Sod on compacted construction clay without amendments fails within months. Quote should include soil prep (2"+ of topsoil/compost).
Water management before planting is critical on wet lots. Quote without drainage on wet lots means plant failure and erosion.
Read fine print — some warranties cover dead plant replacement but not digging out and replanting labor ($50–$150/plant).
Common hidden costs and change orders
These items are often missing from the initial landscaping quote and show up later as change orders or surprise fees. Ask about each before signing.
- Soil testing and amendments ($300–$1,500)
- Tree removal and stump grinding ($500–$3,000 per tree)
- Existing irrigation repair or expansion
- Utility marking and underground coordination
- Soil disposal from excavation
- Extra topsoil to fix grading
- Maintenance or first-year watering service
- Permit fees beyond basic quote