Landscaping Scope of Work Template (Free, 2026)

What Goes in a Landscaping Scope of Work

Landscaping is uniquely challenging to scope because it combines living materials (plants that can die), structural elements (hardscape that must drain properly), and underground systems (irrigation that nobody sees until it breaks). A generic scope template misses all of these trade-specific requirements. Here are the landscaping-specific items your scope must address.

Site Preparation and Demolition

Before any planting or building starts, the site needs to be prepared. Specify exactly what gets removed, where the spoils go, and what condition the site will be in before new work begins. A homeowner who sees “site prep included” assumes you are removing the old concrete patio, the dead trees, and the broken sprinkler system. You assumed you were just raking the beds. Write it down.

• Demolition: Existing plants, trees, stumps (grinding depth), old hardscape, fencing to be removed
• Grading: Rough grade to establish drainage away from structures (minimum 2% slope within 10 feet of foundation)
• Soil testing: Included or excluded — specify if amendments are based on test results or standard practice
• Haul-off: Debris removal, number of dump loads, dump fees included or billed separately
• Utility locate: 811 call before digging — specify who is responsible for scheduling

Plant Schedule

The plant schedule is the most important section of a landscaping scope. Every plant must be listed by botanical name (not just common name), container size, quantity, and spacing. A “Japanese Maple” could be a 3-gallon Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ at $45 or a 36-inch box specimen at $1,800. The container size drives the price, the visual impact at installation, and the homeowner’s satisfaction.

• Trees: Botanical name, cultivar, container size (15-gallon, 24″ box, 36″ box), caliper if B&B, quantity
• Shrubs: Botanical name, cultivar, container size (1-gallon, 5-gallon), spacing (on center), quantity
• Perennials and groundcovers: Botanical name, container size (4-inch, 1-gallon), spacing, quantity
• Ornamental grasses: Botanical name, container size, spacing, quantity
• Sod or seed: Species/cultivar (e.g., Bermuda 419, St. Augustine Palmetto, Tall Fescue blend), area in sq ft, installation method
• Substitution policy: Equal or greater size and value, written client approval required for substitutions over $[XX]

Hardscape Specifications

Hardscape is where landscaping budgets live or die. The difference between a polymeric sand paver patio on a 6-inch compacted aggregate base and the same pavers on 2 inches of sand is five years of heaving, settling, and ant hills. Specify every layer of the assembly, not just the finish material.

• Pavers/stone: Manufacturer, product name, color, size, pattern (herringbone, running bond, ashlar), thickness
• Base preparation: Excavation depth, base material (Class II road base, decomposed granite), compacted thickness, compaction standard
• Bedding layer: Material (concrete sand, crusite), thickness (1 inch typical)
• Edge restraint: Type (Snap-Edge, concrete curb, aluminum), staked at [X-inch] intervals
• Joint material: Polymeric sand brand (e.g., Techniseal HP2, Alliance Gator Maxx G2), color
• Retaining walls: Block system (e.g., Belgard Anchor Diamond Pro, Versa-Lok), height, geogrid if required, drainage behind wall
• Concrete: PSI rating, finish (broom, exposed aggregate, stamped), thickness, reinforcement (rebar, fiber mesh, wire mesh)

Irrigation System

If the project includes irrigation, the scope must detail the entire system. “Install sprinklers” is not a scope — it is a recipe for a callback when the homeowner realizes their new lawn is brown because the spray heads do not reach the corners and there are no drip emitters on the new shrub beds.

• Controller: Brand and model (e.g., Rachio 3, Hunter Pro-HC), number of zones, Wi-Fi/smart capability
• Zones: Number of zones, area served by each, head type per zone (rotor, spray, drip)
• Heads: Brand, model, nozzle GPM, spacing (head-to-head coverage), pop-up height
• Drip irrigation: Emitter type (inline, point-source), GPH per emitter, spacing, filter/pressure regulator
• Pipe: Material (Schedule 40 PVC for mains, funny pipe or poly for laterals), sizes
• Backflow preventer: Type (PVB, RPZ, double-check), installed per local code
• Water source: Tap into existing [3/4″ / 1″] water line, or new dedicated meter

Soil Amendments and Mulch

Soil preparation determines whether your plants thrive or die in 90 days. Specify the amendment type, application rate, and incorporation method. For mulch, specify the type, depth, and whether it includes weed barrier fabric (many landscape architects now advise against fabric in planting beds).

• Amendments: Type (compost, expanded shale, sulfur for pH adjustment), application depth, incorporated or top-dressed
• Mulch: Type (hardwood, cedar, pine bark, decomposed granite), depth (3 inches typical for organic, 2 inches for DG), area in sq ft
• Weed barrier: Included or excluded — specify product if included

Exclusions

Landscaping scopes must explicitly exclude work that homeowners commonly assume is part of “landscaping”:

• Fence installation or repair (separate trade/permit)
• Outdoor kitchen construction, gas lines, or electrical work
• Pool or spa work, pool decking beyond specified hardscape area
• Structural drainage (French drains, catch basins) unless specifically scoped
• HOA design review submission or approval process
• Ongoing maintenance after project completion (separate maintenance contract)
• Pest or disease treatment for existing plants not being replaced
• Sprinkler system winterization (seasonal service, not part of installation)

Copy/Paste Landscaping Scope of Work Template

Customize the placeholders in brackets for your specific job. This template covers a full front and backyard landscape installation with softscape, hardscape, and irrigation — adjust sections as needed for your project type.

LANDSCAPING SCOPE OF WORK

Project: [Project Name / Address]
Client: [Client Name]
Contractor: [Your Company Name], License #[License Number]
Date: [Date]
Valid for: 30 days from date above

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
   Scope: [Full landscape installation / Hardscape only / Irrigation install / Renovation-replant / etc.]
   Areas: [Front yard, backyard, side yard — specify square footage per area]
   Design reference: [Attached landscape plan by [designer name] dated [date] / Verbal agreement per site walk]
   USDA Hardiness Zone: [Zone X — e.g., Zone 8b for Dallas, Zone 9a for Houston]
   Estimated duration: [X] working days (weather permitting)
   Work hours: [7:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Monday - Saturday]

2. SITE PREPARATION
   Demolition: [Remove existing [plants, old patio, dead tree(s), irrigation, etc.]]
   Tree removal: [Qty [X] trees, stump grinding to [6" / 12"] below grade, root ball removal: YES/NO]
   Grading: [Rough grade entire project area — minimum 2% slope away from foundation for 10 feet]
   Soil amendment: [Till in [3 inches / 4 inches] of [compost / expanded shale / custom blend] to [8" depth]]
   Soil test: [Included / Excluded — amendments based on [soil test results / standard practice]]
   Haul-off: [Contractor removes all demolition debris — [X] dump loads estimated, fees included]
   Utility locate: [Contractor schedules 811 locate before excavation]

3. PLANT SCHEDULE — TREES
   [Qty] x [Botanical name] '[Cultivar]' — [Container size] — [Spacing / Location]
   Example entries:
   3 x Quercus virginiana (Live Oak) — 30-gallon — Front yard, 25' on center
   2 x Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez' (Crape Myrtle) — 15-gallon — Flanking entry walk
   1 x Acer rubrum 'October Glory' (Red Maple) — 24" box — Backyard focal point
   [Add all trees with same format]

4. PLANT SCHEDULE — SHRUBS, PERENNIALS, AND GROUNDCOVERS
   [Qty] x [Botanical name] '[Cultivar]' — [Container size] — [Spacing] — [Location]
   Example entries:
   24 x Ilex vomitoria 'Nana' (Dwarf Yaupon Holly) — 3-gallon — 30" OC — Foundation beds
   18 x Muhlenbergia capillaris (Gulf Muhly) — 1-gallon — 24" OC — Back fence line
   36 x Trachelospermum asiaticum (Asian Jasmine) — 4-inch — 12" OC — Side yard groundcover
   12 x Salvia greggii 'Hot Lips' (Autumn Sage) — 1-gallon — 18" OC — Entry bed color
   8 x Agave americana (Century Plant) — 5-gallon — 48" OC — Xeriscape bed
   [Add all plants with same format]

5. SOD / SEED
   Species: [e.g., Cynodon dactylon 'Tifway 419' (Bermuda 419) / Stenotaphrum secundatum 'Palmetto']
   Area: [XXXX] sq ft
   Installation: [Sod laid on prepared grade, rolled, watered immediately]
   Soil prep: [Top-dress with [1/2" compost / topdressing mix] before sod installation]

6. HARDSCAPE — PATIO / WALKWAY
   Material: [e.g., Belgard Mega-Arbel, color: Toscana, random pattern]
   Area: [XXX] sq ft patio + [XX] sq ft walkway
   Base: [Excavate [8"], install [6"] Class II aggregate base, compact to 95% Proctor]
   Bedding: [1" concrete sand, screeded level]
   Edge restraint: [Snap-Edge plastic restraint, 12" spikes at 24" intervals]
   Joint fill: [Techniseal HP2 polymeric sand, color: Tan]
   Slope: [Minimum 1% away from structure for surface drainage]

7. HARDSCAPE — RETAINING WALL (if applicable)
   System: [e.g., Belgard Anchor Diamond Pro, color: Chocolate]
   Height: [X] courses, [XX"] total exposed height
   Length: [XX] linear feet
   Drainage: [4" perforated pipe behind wall base, wrapped in filter fabric, daylight outlet at [location]]
   Geogrid: [Required for walls over [24"] — [product name], [X] layers at [X-course] intervals]
   Cap: [Adhesive-set cap block, color: [matching/contrasting]]

8. IRRIGATION SYSTEM
   Controller: [e.g., Rachio 3, 8-zone, Wi-Fi enabled, mounted at [location]]
   Zone 1 — Front lawn: [Hunter PGP rotors, [X] heads, [XX] GPM total]
   Zone 2 — Front beds: [Drip — Netafim Techline, 0.6 GPH emitters at 12" spacing, [XX] LF]
   Zone 3 — Back lawn east: [Rain Bird 5004 rotors, [X] heads, [XX] GPM total]
   Zone 4 — Back lawn west: [Rain Bird 5004 rotors, [X] heads, [XX] GPM total]
   Zone 5 — Back beds: [Drip — Netafim Techline, 0.6 GPH emitters at 12" spacing, [XX] LF]
   Zone 6 — Side yard: [Hunter PS Ultra spray heads, [X] heads, [XX] GPM total]
   [Add zones as needed]
   Mainline: [1" Schedule 40 PVC from water source to valve manifold]
   Laterals: [3/4" Schedule 40 PVC or [3/4" poly swing pipe] from valves to heads]
   Backflow: [Watts 009 RPZ / Febco 765 PVB — installed per [city/county] code]
   Water source: [Tap into existing [3/4" / 1"] line at [location] — new shutoff valve installed]
   Rain sensor: [Hunter Mini-Clik / Rachio wireless — wired to controller]

9. MULCH AND GROUND COVER
   Type: [e.g., Native hardwood mulch, double-shredded / Cedar mulch / 3/8" decomposed granite]
   Depth: [3 inches for organic / 2 inches for DG]
   Area: [XXXX] sq ft total bed area
   Weed barrier: [Included — DeWitt Pro-5 fabric / Excluded — mulch only]
   Bed edging: [Steel landscape edging, 1/4" x 4", staked at 3' intervals / Spade-cut natural edge]

10. LANDSCAPE LIGHTING (if applicable)
    Transformer: [e.g., FX Luminaire PX-300, 300W, mounted at [location]]
    Fixtures: [Qty] x [Type — e.g., path lights, up-lights, well lights, wash lights]
    Brand/model: [e.g., FX Luminaire MR-20-NL, bronze, LED 20W equivalent]
    Wire: [12 AWG low-voltage landscape wire, direct burial]
    Timer/photocell: [Integrated with transformer / Separate astronomical timer]

11. PERMITS AND HOA
    Permit: [Landscape permit required: YES/NO — contractor pulls if required]
    HOA: [Homeowner responsible for submitting design plan to HOA and obtaining approval before work begins]
    Tree preservation: [Comply with [city] tree protection ordinance — permit required for removing trees over [X" caliper]]

12. PLANT WARRANTY
    Duration: [1 year from installation date]
    Coverage: [Replacement of plant material that dies or fails to establish under normal conditions]
    Conditions: [Homeowner must follow prescribed watering schedule (attached)]
    Excludes: [Annuals, sod beyond 60-day establishment period, damage from pets, unauthorized
               pruning, chemical application, construction by others, acts of God (freeze, hail, drought)]
    Replacement: [One replacement per plant during warranty period — labor and material included]

13. EXCLUSIONS (work NOT included)
    - Fence installation, repair, or staining
    - Outdoor kitchen, fire pit gas lines, or electrical work
    - Pool or spa construction or modification
    - French drains or structural drainage (unless scoped in Section 2)
    - HOA design review submission or fees
    - Ongoing landscape maintenance (available under separate contract)
    - Pest or disease treatment for existing plants
    - Irrigation winterization or seasonal adjustments
    - Exterior painting or house wash
    - [Any other project-specific exclusions]

14. PAYMENT SCHEDULE
    Deposit: [XX%] due at contract signing — $[Amount]
    Materials ordered: [XX%] due when plant material and hardscape materials are ordered — $[Amount]
    Hardscape complete: [XX%] due when hardscape is substantially complete — $[Amount]
    Final completion: [XX%] due after planting, irrigation test, and final walkthrough — $[Amount]
    Total contract price: $[Total]

15. CHANGE ORDER PROCESS
    Any work not described above requires a written change order signed by both
    parties before work begins. Plant substitutions under $[XX] per plant may be
    made with verbal approval; substitutions over $[XX] require written approval.
    Change orders priced at cost-plus [XX%].

Accepted by:

Client: _________________________ Date: _________
Contractor: _________________________ Date: _________

Common Mistakes in Landscaping Scope of Work

1. Using Common Names Instead of Botanical Names

“Red Maple” could be Acer rubrum (50-foot tree, $400 in a 24″ box) or Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ (15-foot Japanese Maple, $250 in a 15-gallon). “Jasmine” could be Asian Jasmine (groundcover), Star Jasmine (vine), or Confederate Jasmine (same as Star, different common name). Always use the full botanical name with cultivar in single quotes. It eliminates ambiguity and proves you know your plants — which matters for credibility and for closing the sale.

2. Not Specifying Container Size

Container size is the single biggest price driver in a planting scope. Ten 1-gallon Dwarf Yaupon Holly plants cost about $80 total. Ten 5-gallon plants of the same species cost $350. The homeowner saw the 5-gallon plants at the garden center and expects that size. You quoted 1-gallon because it is what the budget allows. If the scope does not specify container size, you lose this argument every time.

3. Skipping the Hardscape Base Specification

A paver patio looks great on day one regardless of the base underneath it. By year two, the one on 2 inches of sand is heaving, settling, and growing weeds through every joint. The one on 6 inches of compacted aggregate is still flat. Your scope must specify the full assembly: excavation depth, base material and thickness, compaction standard, bedding layer, edge restraint, and joint fill. Homeowners compare paver patio bids on price — the base spec is how you justify your higher number.

4. No Plant Warranty Conditions

A one-year plant warranty sounds generous until half the plants die because the homeowner never turned on the irrigation system. Your warranty must be conditional on following a prescribed watering schedule, and that schedule should be attached to the scope. Without conditions, you will replace $2,000 worth of plants that died from neglect and the homeowner will expect you to do it for free because “they have a warranty.”

How BuildFolio Streamlines Landscaping Scope of Work

Writing a landscaping scope from scratch takes 60-90 minutes for a full install. BuildFolio cuts that to under ten minutes with tools built for landscape contractors.

• Satellite Property Analysis: Get accurate lot dimensions, existing tree locations, hardscape areas, and slope indicators from satellite and street-level imagery. Plan your grading, irrigation zones, and planting beds without a tape measure — especially useful for the initial design meeting when you need a rough scope before the site visit.
• AI Photo-to-Quote: Photograph the existing landscape and BuildFolio identifies plant species, hardscape materials, irrigation components, and site conditions. It pre-fills demolition and removal line items based on what it sees — including flagging dead plants, cracked concrete, and broken sprinkler heads.
• Living Estimates: Your landscape scope becomes a living document the homeowner approves digitally. When you discover buried concrete during grading or the homeowner wants to add three more trees, the change order updates the original scope and the client approves from their phone.
• Profit Tracking: After the job, compare your scoped material quantities (plants, cubic yards of mulch, square feet of pavers, linear feet of edging) to actual. Over time, your landscape scopes get tighter because you know where estimates drift — most landscapers underestimate mulch volume by 20-30% on their first few jobs.

Landscaping Scope of Work FAQ

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