How to Quote a Landscaping Job: Australian Landscaper's Pricing Guide

Landscaping quotes are some of the hardest in the trades to price — a single job can mix earthworks, hardscaping, planting and irrigation, each with its own rate. Get the structure right and price each element separately, and you'll quote faster and protect your margin. Here's how to price landscaping work for the Australian market.

Why landscaping quotes need to be itemised

A lump-sum "backyard makeover — $18,000" exposes you badly. Scope creep is constant in landscaping — clients add a path, change the plants, want a bigger retaining wall. Itemised line items give you a clear basis for variations and help the client understand where their money goes, which makes them more comfortable accepting a larger number.

Common landscaping rates (2025 Australian market)

• Turf supply and lay (Sir Walter / buffalo): $18–$30/m² including ground prep
• Sleeper retaining wall (treated pine): $200–$350 per linear metre
• Besser block / concrete sleeper retaining wall: $350–$650 per linear metre
• Paving — supply and lay: $80–$160/m² depending on paver and pattern
• Garden bed prep, soil and mulch: $40–$80/m²
• Irrigation system (residential): $1,500–$4,500 depending on zones and area
• Excavation / earthworks: $90–$180/hr for a bobcat and operator

These are guide ranges. Site access is the single biggest variable in landscaping — a backyard you can only reach through a 900mm side gate costs far more in labour than one with rear lane access.

What a landscaping quote should include

• Business name, ABN and contact details
• Quote number, date and expiry — plant and material prices move seasonally
• Client name and site address
• Itemised scope by element — earthworks, retaining, turf, beds, irrigation, paving
• Materials and labour shown separately
• Plant schedule where planting is involved — species, size and quantity
• GST, payment terms and a clear exclusions list

How to price materials and plants

Charge materials, soil, mulch and plants at cost plus 20–30%. Landscaping materials are bulky, perishable and easy to under-order — the markup covers sourcing, delivery, wastage and the inevitable extra trip to the supplier. For plants, quote a named schedule (e.g. "5× Lilly Pilly 200mm, 3× Lomandra 140mm") so there's no argument about what was supplied.

Exclusions that protect your margin

• "Assumes clear site access for machinery — manual cartage quoted separately"
• "Excavation assumes standard soil — rock or fill removal charged at cost"
• "Does not include removal of existing structures unless listed"
• "Plant establishment and ongoing maintenance not included"
• "Council approvals, drainage connections and engineering at client's cost"

Quote on-site with landscaping quoting software

The best time to quote a landscaping job is while you're standing in the yard with the client. You can see the access, the levels and the existing site — and the client is already engaged. The problem is that an itemised landscaping quote takes time to write up by hand, so most landscapers do it later that night or over the weekend, by which point the client has three other quotes.

Landscaping quoting software solves this: describe the job — turf area, retaining wall length, garden beds, irrigation — or upload a plan, and the AI prices materials, plants and labour to current Australian rates in under a minute. You review, adjust any line, and send a branded PDF before you leave the site. Quoting first, on the spot, is the single biggest lever a landscaper has on win rate.

Related guides

• How to Write a Trade Quote in Australia
• How to Price a Job as a Tradie
• Why Tradies Who Quote Fast Win More Work

Quote landscaping jobs on-site in under 60 seconds — see how Insta Quotes works for landscapers.