Quote templates for landscapers
Professional quotes for garden maintenance, landscaping projects, and estate grounds, priced in rand.
What to include in a landscaping quote
Landscaping in South Africa splits into two very different jobs: recurring garden maintenance on complexes, estates, and homes, and once-off design-and-build projects. Each needs a different kind of quote.
For maintenance, be explicit about frequency (weekly or fortnightly), what's included per visit (lawn mowing, hedge trimming, bed weeding, green waste removal), and what isn't (new planting, irrigation repairs, tree felling). State the number of gardeners and hours per visit.
For design-and-build projects, break the quote down by phase: site clearance, soil preparation, irrigation, planting, and hardscaping (paving, retaining walls). Larger estate or complex jobs may involve subcontracted irrigation or paving, which should be flagged clearly in the quote.
For lawn installation and once-off clearances, price per m² is standard. State whether green waste removal and disposal is included, since this is often where disputes start.
Example quote for residential garden maintenance
Typical job: fortnightly maintenance of a residential garden with 400 m² of lawn and beds.
- Fortnightly maintenance visit (half day, 2 gardeners):
- Lawn mowing and edging, 250 m² of lawn
- Hedge and shrub trimming (3 boundary hedges)
- Bed weeding and mulch top-up
- Green waste removed and disposed of
- Price per visit: R850
- Monthly cost (2 visits): R1,700
- Annual contract paid quarterly: R5,100/quarter
Additional work quoted separately: • Tree pruning or felling: quoted per job • Irrigation repairs: R450/hr labour plus parts • New planting or bed redesign: quoted on plant selection • Instant lawn top-up: R95/m² supplied and laid
How to price landscaping projects
Design-and-build projects have a wide price range because plant and material choices change the total dramatically. A 100 m² garden can land anywhere from R25,000 to R150,000 depending on hardscaping and irrigation.
Typical breakdown for a medium residential garden:
- Design and site walkthrough: R500 to R1,500
- Soil preparation and levelling: R60 to R120/m²
- Instant lawn supply and lay: R85 to R110/m²
- Automatic irrigation (drip or pop-up): R150 to R280/m²
- Planting (species dependent): R120 to R650 per shrub, R95 to R250 per bag of compost
- Bark mulch: R95 to R140 per bag, roughly 1 bag per 2 m² of bed
- Paving and hardscaping: R450 to R950/m² depending on material
With water restrictions a factor in several municipalities, present a tiered option: a standard garden with drought-tolerant species and a top-tier version with automatic drip irrigation and a rainwater tank. It gives the customer a real choice instead of one number to accept or reject.
Tips for winning more landscaping jobs
Seasonality matters. The growing season runs roughly September to April, and that's when most new project enquiries come in. Reach out to past clients in early spring with a seasonal tune-up offer, most garden owners don't think to book ahead but appreciate the reminder.
To turn a once-off job into recurring income, always pitch the maintenance contract straight after the first project. "I can handle fortnightly maintenance for R850 a visit, so you never have to think about the garden again" converts a sporadic customer into predictable monthly work.
For bigger transformations (R50,000 and up), split the payment. Request a deposit via PayShap or EFT to order plants and materials, then the balance on completion. An R150,000 garden becomes a R50,000 deposit instead of a number that stalls the decision for weeks.
Before-and-after photos do more for landscaping marketing than anything else. Share them on WhatsApp Status or Instagram, homeowners with a well-kept garden love showing it off, and that's free advertising for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I quote a first visit when I haven't seen the garden yet?
Do a quick walkthrough (15 to 20 minutes) before sending any proposal. For clearance and maintenance work, seeing the site in person prevents surprises for both sides. If a customer insists on a remote estimate from photos, give a range and state clearly that it's subject to confirmation on site.
Should green waste removal be included in the maintenance price?
For regular maintenance, yes, it simplifies things and matches what most customers expect. For large once-off clearances with big volumes, you can charge separately per bakkie load. Be explicit on the quote: "green waste removal included up to X bags per visit."
How do I protect the quote against unexpected costs on a new garden build?
Build in a 10-15% contingency on the total and explain to the customer that it covers things like poor soil, rock under the surface, or plant availability changes. Presenting it upfront as part of honest pricing, rather than a surprise later, is what serious customers expect.
How do my customers pay once they accept the quote?
Send a PayShap request straight to their banking app, or they can pay by EFT with proof of payment attached to the job. Cash still works for smaller maintenance jobs. There's no card checkout for South Africa, but PayShap is usually confirmed within minutes.
Should I charge extra for water-wise or drought-tolerant planting?
Not extra as a category, but the plant list itself will usually cost more since indigenous and water-wise species can run higher per unit than common groundcovers. Quote it as its own planting line so the customer sees exactly what they're paying for.
What's a fair callout fee for a maintenance quote versus a project quote?
Most landscapers don't charge for a maintenance walkthrough since it's quick and often leads to recurring work. For a full design consultation on a project, R500 to R1,500 is reasonable, and it's common practice to deduct it from the total if the customer goes ahead.