Short answer
A landscaping estimate template in Excel should turn a quantity takeoff into materials, turn tasks into crew-hours at a loaded rate, add overhead per crew-hour, and divide the break-even by (1 − margin). In the worked mulch-and-planting bid, 14 crew-hours and $600.00 of materials break even at $1,171.67 and price at $1,802.56.
- Mulch cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (inches) ÷ 324; 600 sq ft at 3 inches is 5.56 yd³.
- The example install: break-even $1,171.67, price $1,802.56 at a 35% margin.
- A 20% markup on materials keeps 16.7% of their price; margin must be applied to the whole job.
- A small 6-crew-hour cleanup still prices at $438.46, so set a minimum charge.
On this page
- Is there a free Excel template for landscaping estimates?
- How to estimate landscaping costs
- Worked example: a mulch-and-planting bid
- Materials markup vs margin: the template mistake
- Small jobs and minimum charges
- How to write a bid for a landscaping job
- How to create an estimate template in Excel
- Free landscaping bid template vs calculator vs paid template
- Step-by-step
- FAQ
Is there a free Excel template for landscaping estimates?
Yes — many invoicing and template sites offer free landscaping estimate forms in Excel, Word and PDF. Most format the quote well; check whether yours also calculates crew-hours, overhead and break-even, because that is where the profit is decided.
| Tab | Contents | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rates | Wage, burden %, overhead a year, crew size, billable days, target margin | Set once; every estimate reads it |
| Materials list | Item, unit, unit cost, coverage (e.g. yd³ of mulch) | One price list, updated when suppliers change |
| Task rates | Crew-hours per unit: per plant, per yd³, per 100 sq ft | Turns quantities into hours |
| Estimate | Takeoff quantities × unit costs and task rates | Adds up to break-even |
| Customer quote | Scope, exclusions, price, deposit, terms | What the customer signs |
I'm not a landscaper; I build pricing spreadsheets, so this page is about the math. For mowing and recurring maintenance, see how to price lawn care jobs; this guide covers install and project bids.
How to estimate landscaping costs
Measure and take off quantities, price the materials, estimate crew-hours per task, cost the hours at your loaded rate, add overhead per crew-hour, and price on margin. The calculator below does the last three steps once you have hours and materials.
| Item | Quantity formula | Where the factor comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch, topsoil, gravel base | area × depth (in) ÷ 324 = cubic yards | Geometry: 27 cu ft per yd³, 12 in per ft |
| Sod | area ÷ sq ft per pallet, rounded up | Your sod farm's pallet size |
| Pavers | area × (1 + waste %) ÷ sq ft per pallet | Manufacturer's coverage; waste % from your own jobs |
| Edging | linear feet × (1 + waste %) | Measured run; stake count per the product |
| Plants | count from the plan | Plan or spacing on the tag |
Every factor that is not geometry is a supplier or job-history number, so keep it in a cell you can change, not buried inside a formula. When a supplier's pallet size or price changes, one cell updates every future estimate.
Worked example: a mulch-and-planting bid
A 600 sq ft bed: strip the old mulch, plant ten shrubs, add 60 feet of steel edging and re-mulch at 3 inches. First the takeoff. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so at 3 inches (0.25 ft) one yard covers 108 sq ft; the shortcut is area × depth in inches ÷ 324.
| Item | Quantity working | Unit | Unit cost | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mulch | 600 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 324 = 5.56 yd³ → 6 | yd³ | $40 | $240 |
| Shrubs, 3-gallon | from the plan | each | $25 | $250 |
| Steel edging | 60 linear ft, one lot | lot | $60 | $60 |
| Disposal / dump fee | old mulch and weeds | load | $50 | $50 |
| Materials | $600 |
| Task | Quantity | Crew-hours |
|---|---|---|
| Strip old mulch and weeds | 600 sq ft | 3 |
| Dig and plant shrubs | 10 × 0.4 crew-hr | 4 |
| Install edging | 60 ft | 2 |
| Spread mulch | 6 yd³ × 0.75 crew-hr | 4.5 |
| Clean up, haul | allowance | 0.5 |
| Total | 2 workers × 7 hours | 14 |
Now the pricing block. Two workers at a $25 wage with 30% burden (an assumption) cost $32.50 an hour each. Overhead of $24,000 a year over 2 people × 180 billable days × 8 hours is $8.33 per crew-hour.
Worked example: Mulch-and-planting bed refresh: 2 workers × 7 hours, $600 materials (all inputs are assumptions — use yours)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Workers (input) | 2 |
| Hourly wage paid (input) | $25.00 |
| Labour burden % (input) | 30% |
| Materials (input) | $600.00 |
| Overhead for the year (input) | $24,000.00 |
| People in the field (input) | 2 |
| Billable days a year (input) | 180 |
| Target margin % (input) | 35% |
| Jobs a week (input) | 3 |
| Hours on the job (input) | 7 |
| Loaded labour rate (per hour) | $32.50 |
| Crew-hours | 14 |
| Labour cost | $455.00 |
| Overhead per sellable hour | $8.33 |
| Overhead share | $116.67 |
| Break-even cost | $1,171.67 |
| Price to quote | $1,802.56 |
| Profit on the job | $630.90 |
| Price if you MARK UP instead | $1,581.75 |
| Margin you actually keep with markup | 25.93% |
| Lost per job by marking up | $220.81 |
| Lost per year by marking up | $34,447.00 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
Break-even: $455.00 labour + $600.00 materials + $116.67 overhead = $1,171.67. Price: $1,171.67 ÷ 0.65 = $1,802.56, leaving $630.90.
Materials markup vs margin: the template mistake
Many landscape bid sheets add a markup to materials and bill labour at an hourly rate. Markup on cost always keeps less than the same percentage as margin.
Materials of $600 marked up 20% bill at $720: $120 of gross profit, which is 16.7% of $720, not 20%. To keep 20% of the selling price you would bill $600 ÷ 0.8 = $750. On the whole job, marking up break-even by 35% gives $1,581.75 instead of $1,802.56, keeping 25.93%.
Handling, hauling, and replacing a plant that dies are real costs of materials; the fix is to price them as cost lines and apply margin to the total. The markup vs margin calculator converts any percentage.
Landscaping & Lawn Care Estimate Calculator
The spreadsheet version of this guide for Excel & Google Sheets: type your numbers into the highlighted cells and the formulas do the rest. One-time $14.99, no subscription, instant download.
See the Landscaping & Lawn Care Estimate Calculator →Buy now — $14.99All 7 templates — $49Instant access by email after checkout via Payhip. Want to try the maths first? Use the free calculator — no signup.
Small jobs and minimum charges
Short jobs carry the same load-up, drive and clean-up as long ones, so they need a minimum price. Calculate what your smallest normal job costs and set the minimum there.
Worked example: Spring cleanup: 2 workers × 3 hours, $40 disposal
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Workers (input) | 2 |
| Hourly wage paid (input) | $25.00 |
| Labour burden % (input) | 30% |
| Materials (input) | $40.00 |
| Overhead for the year (input) | $24,000.00 |
| People in the field (input) | 2 |
| Billable days a year (input) | 180 |
| Target margin % (input) | 35% |
| Jobs a week (input) | 3 |
| Hours on the job (input) | 3 |
| Loaded labour rate (per hour) | $32.50 |
| Crew-hours | 6 |
| Labour cost | $195.00 |
| Overhead per sellable hour | $8.33 |
| Overhead share | $50.00 |
| Break-even cost | $285.00 |
| Price to quote | $438.46 |
| Profit on the job | $153.46 |
| Price if you MARK UP instead | $384.75 |
| Margin you actually keep with markup | 25.93% |
| Lost per job by marking up | $53.71 |
| Lost per year by marking up | $8,379.00 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
A spring cleanup of 2 workers × 3 hours with $40 of disposal breaks even at $285.00 and prices at $438.46. Include the drive in the hours; the lawn care pricing guide shows how much drive time moves a small job.
How to write a bid for a landscaping job
A landscaping bid the customer can approve states scope by area, quantities that matter to them, exclusions, price and terms. Keep your costs on the internal sheet.
| Item | Included |
|---|---|
| Front bed, about 600 sq ft | Remove old mulch and weeds; haul away |
| Planting | 10 shrubs, 3-gallon, species as agreed |
| Edging | 60 ft steel edging |
| Mulch | 3 inches, colour as agreed |
| Exclusions | Irrigation changes, plant warranty beyond the stated period |
| Price | $1,802.56, deposit and payment terms stated |
Writing a plant warranty or deposit percentage into the bid is a business decision; if you offer a warranty, add a replacement allowance as a cost line so it is priced in.
How to create an estimate template in Excel
Keep inputs, lists and formulas separate, look up unit costs by name, and lock the formula cells. Four formulas cover most install bids.
- Materials and task rates live on their own tabs; the estimate tab pulls them with
XLOOKUP(works in Excel 365 and Google Sheets) orVLOOKUP. - A dropdown (Data Validation) on the item column prevents typos that break lookups.
- Protect the sheet so only quantity and item cells are editable, and copy a blank master per job.
- Log each job's actual crew-hours afterwards; the job costing spreadsheet guide shows estimate-vs-actual columns.
Cubic yards of mulch or soil
=ROUNDUP(B2*B3/324,0)B2 = area in sq ft, B3 = depth in inches. Round up to what your supplier sells (some sell half yards).
Unit cost lookup
=XLOOKUP(A8,Materials!A:A,Materials!C:C)A8 = item name on the estimate; Materials tab column A = item, column C = unit cost.
Crew-hours for a task
=D8*XLOOKUP(A8,Tasks!A:A,Tasks!B:B)D8 = quantity; Tasks tab column B = crew-hours per unit.
Price on margin
=(E20*Rates!B2*(1+Rates!B3)+F20+E20*Rates!B4/(Rates!B5*Rates!B6*8))/(1-Rates!B7)E20 = total crew-hours, F20 = total materials; Rates B2 wage, B3 burden, B4 overhead a year, B5 crew size, B6 billable days, B7 margin.
Free landscaping bid template vs calculator vs paid template
Use a free form to present a price, a calculator to get the price, and a template to keep every job priced the same way.
| Option | Cost | Does the pricing math? | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Word / PDF quote form | Free | No — you type the price | Presenting a price you already worked out |
| Free Excel line-item template | Free | Adds up lines; usually no overhead or break-even | Owners who build their own formulas |
| Free landscaping estimate calculator | Free, no signup | Yes, one job at a time | A quick number on site |
| Landscaping & Lawn Care Estimate Calculator | $14.99 one-time, or in the $49 bundle | Yes: labour, equipment, materials and disposal priced separately; overhead, break-even, margin and markup shown | Keeping every job in Excel or Google Sheets |
| Custom build | $497 one-time | Yes, built around your line items and branding | Crews with their own price book |
The landscaping estimate template covers mowing, cleanups and installs, and prices on true margin while showing the markup number beside it. It is a spreadsheet with live formulas: nothing to install, no subscription.
Step-by-step: Landscaping Estimate Template (Excel): Takeoff, Crew-Hours and Margin
- Take off quantities. Measure areas and count items; convert mulch, soil or stone to cubic yards (area × depth in inches ÷ 324).
- Price materials. Multiply each quantity by your supplier's unit cost and add disposal fees.
- Estimate crew-hours. Multiply each task quantity by your measured crew-hours per unit, plus load-up, drive and clean-up.
- Reach break-even. Add loaded labour (crew-hours × wage × (1 + burden)), materials and overhead per crew-hour.
- Price on margin. Divide break-even by (1 − target margin), then write scope and price on the customer copy.
Skip the setup: Landscaping & Lawn Care Estimate Calculator
The spreadsheet version of this guide for Excel & Google Sheets: type your numbers into the highlighted cells and the formulas do the rest. One-time $14.99, no subscription, instant download.
See the Landscaping & Lawn Care Estimate Calculator →Buy now — $14.99All 7 templates — $49Instant access by email after checkout via Payhip. Want to try the maths first? Use the free calculator — no signup.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Excel template for landscaping estimates?
Yes. Many template and invoicing sites offer free landscaping estimate forms in Excel, Word and PDF, and you can build one from the layout and formulas on this page. Check that it calculates crew-hours, overhead and break-even, not only line totals.
How do you write up an estimate for landscaping?
Take off quantities, price materials, estimate crew-hours per task, add loaded labour and overhead to reach break-even, and divide by one minus your margin. Then write a customer copy with scope, quantities, exclusions, price and payment terms, keeping your costs on the internal sheet.
How do you estimate landscaping costs?
Materials from a quantity takeoff at your supplier's prices, labour from crew-hours per task at your loaded rate, and overhead from your yearly costs divided by sellable crew-hours. In the example, 14 crew-hours and $600.00 of materials give a $1,171.67 break-even.
How much mulch do I need for a landscaping bid?
Cubic yards = area in square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324. A 600 sq ft bed at 3 inches needs 5.56 cubic yards, so order 6. The 324 comes from 27 cubic feet per yard × 12 inches per foot.
How do I price landscaping services?
Price from your own costs: crew-hours at a loaded rate, materials, disposal and an overhead share per hour, then divide by one minus your target margin. Compare the result with local going rates as a check, not as the starting point.
How do I do a landscape bid sheet?
List each area and task with its quantity, unit cost and crew-hours on an internal sheet, total the break-even, and apply margin. The customer-facing bid sheet then shows scope, quantities, exclusions, the total price and terms, without your costs.
Should I mark up materials on a landscaping estimate?
Recover handling, hauling and plant-loss risk, but apply margin to the whole job rather than a markup on materials. A 20% markup on $600 of materials keeps only 16.7% of their selling price.
I'm not a contractor, landlord or accountant. I build the pricing maths, and every number on this page shows its working so you can check it instead of trusting it. Watch the breakdowns on YouTube →