Division 32 · Planting and Site Improvements
Landscape bids counted plant by plant, zone by zone
A planting schedule lists a 3 inch caliper red maple and a 5 gallon boxwood on the same page, and the two price nothing alike. Landscape estimates go wrong when plants are lumped by count, irrigation is a number per square foot and the soil under the sod is assumed to be fine. We count every tree and shrub by size, measure turf and beds, and build irrigation by zone and head.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
CSI divisions in this scope
- 32Exterior Improvements
- Earthwork
- Utilities
Organized by MasterFormat so it drops into your cost codes
of plant schedule counts verified against the planting plan callouts
24–48 hours
Typical turnaround
32 · 31 · 33
CSI divisions
XLSX · PDF
You receive
Scope of takeoff
Landscape quantities we take off
Counts from the planting plan, areas from the grading and layout plans, lengths from the irrigation sheets.
- 01
Shade and ornamental treesEA
Deciduous and evergreen trees by caliper from 2 to 6 inches or height, B&B or container, with staking and guying
Planting plan symbols matched to plant schedule
- 02
Shrubs and perennialsEA
Shrubs in 1, 3, 5 and 15 gallon containers, ornamental grasses and perennials at specified spacing
Symbol counts and bed spacing calculations
- 03
Groundcover and bulbsEA / SF
Flats, pots and plugs set on triangular spacing across planting beds
Bed area divided by spacing grid
- 04
Sod installationSF
Cool- and warm-season sod with fine grading, starter fertilizer and rolling
Turf area on the landscape plan
- 05
Seeding and hydroseedingSF / AC
Seed mixes, erosion blanket on slopes, tackifier and starter fertilizer
Seeded area and slope categories
- 06
Topsoil and soil amendmentCY
Imported topsoil at 6 inch depth in turf and 18 inch in beds, compost and soil conditioners
Area times depth, converted to cubic yards
- 07
Mulch and edgingCY / LF
Shredded bark or stone mulch at 3 inch depth, steel, aluminum or paver edging
Bed areas and perimeters from plan
- 08
Irrigation zones and headsEA
Spray, rotor and drip zones with valve boxes, controllers, rain sensors and backflow assemblies
Irrigation plan and hydrozone layout
- 09
Irrigation mainline and lateralsLF
PVC mainline, lateral pipe by size, drip tubing and wire with trench and backfill
Irrigation plan lengths and trench details
- 10
Hardscape and retaining wallsSF / LF
Concrete pavers, flagstone, boulders, segmental retaining walls, steps and seat walls
Hardscape plan and wall elevations
- 11
Site furnishings and lightingEA / LF
Benches, bike racks, planters, bollards, and low-voltage landscape lighting fixtures with transformers
Site furnishing schedule and lighting plan
- 12
Maintenance and warranty allowanceLS / MO
90-day establishment period, one-year plant warranty, replacement and watering allowances
Division 32 specifications
Overview
How landscape quantities are built from the plan
A landscape estimate begins with the plant schedule, but we never trust it blindly.
Every symbol on the planting plan is counted and matched to the schedule, because mismatched counts are common on revised sets. Trees are carried by caliper or height and root-ball type, shrubs by container size such as 1, 5 or 15 gallon, and groundcovers by flat or by spacing across the bed area.
Next comes everything that makes the plants live. Bed areas determine soil amendments, topsoil depth and mulch in cubic yards at 3 inches. Turf areas are measured for sod in square feet or seed with starter fertilizer. Irrigation is designed back from the plan: zones by hydrozone, heads or drip emitters by coverage, mainline and lateral footage, controllers, backflow and meters.
Hardscape often rivals planting in cost. We measure pavers, flagstone, retaining walls, steel edging, boulders, site furnishings and landscape lighting, then add establishment-period maintenance and warranty replacement allowances as the specification requires.
Estimate types
What type of landscaping estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
- 01
Commercial landscape bid
Complete plant, turf, irrigation, hardscape and soil pricing from planting, irrigation and site plans with schedules reconciled to the drawings.
Best for Landscape contractors and GCs
Precision±5%Turnaround48 hours - 02
Irrigation design takeoff
Zones, heads, emitters, mainline and lateral footage with controllers and backflow, priced by component and installation labor.
Best for Irrigation subcontractors
Precision±5%Turnaround24–48 hours - 03
Residential landscape pricing
Planting beds, turf, patios and walkways quantified from a concept plan, shaped into a client-ready proposal structure.
Best for Design-build landscapers
Precision±6%TurnaroundSame day to 24 hours - 04
Hardscape-only estimate
Pavers, retaining walls, steps and edging with base preparation, drainage stone and reinforcement priced by area and volume.
Best for Hardscape crews
Precision±5%Turnaround24–48 hours
Process
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 1
Upload plans and scope
Send your drawings, specifications and bid invitation through the secure upload form. We confirm scope, deadline and a fixed price within two business hours.
- 2
Digital quantity takeoff
Estimators measure every item from calibrated plans in Bluebeam and PlanSwift, color-coding each layer so quantities can be traced back to the drawing.
- 3
Pricing and labor
Quantities are priced with location-adjusted material costs, crew productivity rates and equipment, then marked up to your overhead and profit targets.
- 4
Senior review and delivery
A second estimator audits quantities and pricing, documents assumptions and exclusions, and delivers your Excel workbook, PDF summary and marked-up plans.
98%
takeoff accuracy on awarded projects
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
Plant counts matched to both symbols and, schedule so revisions between sheets are caught before bidding.
Tree pricing tied to caliper, root-ball type and specified species, with staking, guying and watering bags included.
Soil, compost and mulch converted to cubic, yards at the specified depths, with settlement and delivery loads rounded.
Irrigation built from hydrozones, head spacing and pressure demand, not a per-square-foot rule of thumb.
Hardscape base preparation, geogrid and drainage stone quantified under every paved surface and retaining wall.
Establishment periods, warranty replacement and maintenance allowances read from the specification.
Deliverables
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
- XLSX
Estimate workbook
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
- PDF
Marked-up plans
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
- XLSX
Material procurement list
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
- XLSX
Labor hours by task
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
- PDF
Assumptions and exclusions log
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
- PDF
Bid summary sheet
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Tools
Estimating software and cost data we work in
Deliverables fit the tools your team already uses.
Bluebeam Revu
Calibrated PDF markup and measurement
PlanSwift
Digital takeoff and assemblies
STACK
Cloud takeoff and estimating
On-Screen Takeoff
Quantity takeoff from plans
Microsoft Excel
Deliverables formatted to your template
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
“The conduit and wire takeoff matched what my foreman pulled from the drawings almost to the foot. Labor hours were realistic for our crews. It is the first outsourced estimate I did not have to redo.”
Dana Okafor
Owner, Okafor Electric · Houston, TX
“We use LEEDS for independent bid reviews on every multifamily deal. Their preliminary numbers have landed within 6% of final GMP on three projects in a row.”
Priya Raman
Development Manager, Northgate Partners · Denver, CO
“We feed every lender package through LEEDS. The documentation standard is high enough that underwriting has never asked for a second opinion.”
Sarah McAllister
Director of Preconstruction, Harborline Developments · Tampa, FL
FAQ
Landscaping Estimating FAQs
Straight answers on scope, turnaround, pricing and deliverables.
How do you count plants from a planting plan?
We count each symbol on the plan, cross-check against the plant schedule, and flag any difference. Trees are carried by caliper, shrubs by container size and groundcovers by spacing across the bed area, so the quantity reflects what the nursery will actually deliver.
Do you calculate mulch and topsoil in cubic yards?
Yes. Bed and turf areas are multiplied by the specified depth, such as 3 inches of mulch or 6 inches of topsoil, then converted to cubic yards. We round to truckloads where useful and add compaction or settlement allowance when specified.
Can you estimate irrigation from the irrigation plan?
We measure mainline and lateral pipe by size, count heads, emitters, valves, controllers and backflow devices, and group them by zone. Trenching, wire, sleeves under paving and startup are added so the irrigation price is complete.
Is hardscape included in a landscape estimate?
It can be. We measure pavers, flagstone, retaining walls, steps, edging and boulders by area or length, including base stone, geotextile and drainage. Hardscape is broken out as its own section so you can subcontract or self-perform it.
How do you handle establishment and warranty periods?
We read the maintenance and warranty requirements in Division 32, then include watering, mowing, fertilizing and replacement allowances for the stated period. Where the specification is silent, we list the assumption used so you can edit it before submitting.
What turnaround should I expect for a landscaping estimate?
Most commercial landscape sets are delivered in 24 to 48 hours. Residential concept plans are often same day, and large campuses with multiple irrigation systems are scheduled with a confirmed date before work begins.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Ready for a landscaping estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.