Landscaping proposal: areas, materials and maintenance

Name the work areas before listing tasks

Use labels the client will recognise, such as the front planting bed, rear lawn or path beside the garage. An approximate area from an enquiry can help you prepare questions, but it is not a confirmed measurement. Record what still needs a site check before you commit to quantities or a price. Ask what the client wants to keep as well as what they want changed. If a photograph leaves part of the site unclear, ask about that area rather than assuming it is included.

• Which parts of the outdoor space are included?
• Is the request for clearance, planting, maintenance or several tasks?
• Which existing plants, surfaces or features must stay?
• Are the measurements confirmed or still approximate?

Separate a one-off project from regular care

A one-off garden improvement and a recurring maintenance visit are different offers. For a single project, describe the work and the condition you intend to leave behind. For regular care, explain the visit frequency, areas covered and tasks included in that service. Do not let “ongoing care” imply unlimited visits or every possible seasonal task. If the client wants both installation and later maintenance, present them separately so they can see what each covers and whether both are included in the displayed price.

Explain materials, access and waste removal

Identify who will supply plants, soil, mulch or other materials that your particular scope requires. Keep an undecided selection visible instead of naming a product the client has not chosen. Ask about access restrictions and any scheduling arrangements you need to assess the work. Describe waste removal separately: collecting green waste, taking it away and removing existing hard materials are not interchangeable tasks. Confirm what you can actually provide. Do not promise specialist work or a disposal arrangement that you have not checked.

• List confirmed materials and mark unresolved choices clearly.
• State whether the client or contractor supplies each item.
• Explain which waste, if any, is included in removal.
• Keep access codes and other private security details out of the proposal.

Use a defined garden project as a scope check

The example below is fictional. It illustrates proposal boundaries, not a planting recommendation, a market price or a complete contract. Notice that it names a specific area and leaves materials, quantities and timing open until they are assessed. If the client also asks for lawn care, that request needs its own scope decision rather than silently becoming part of the bed refresh. Replace every detail with your own reviewed offer before sending anything to a real client.

Project: Refresh the front garden planting bed for Cedar House. Included: Remove the agreed unwanted planting, prepare the identified bed, install the selected plants and mulch, and clear the work area. Materials: Contractor to supply the agreed plants and mulch after selections and quantities are confirmed. Waste: Removal of green waste produced by the described work only. Excluded: Lawn care, paving, irrigation changes and ongoing maintenance. To confirm: Bed measurements, planting selections, access, waste arrangements, price and suitable working dates.

Connect each price to the work it covers

A price line should correspond to an understandable task or package. If a package includes labour and materials, avoid charging the same materials again without explaining the difference. Label allowances and estimated quantities honestly. Keep optional work separate from the base scope and make clear whether it contributes to the total. Describe proposed timing as conditional where access, selections or site checks remain unresolved. Avoid promising a fixed completion date just because a first draft would read more smoothly with one.

Collect the brief and review the client-facing version

ScopeMic includes a Gardening and landscaping questionnaire covering the type of work, approximate area, materials, site restrictions and waste removal. Review the questions before sharing the link, then use the answers alongside your own site assessment. Prepare your proposal from voice notes or written details. Check the draft against the areas, quantities and exclusions you intended to offer, and review both the client preview and PDF. The questionnaire helps collect a brief; it does not replace an assessment of the site or decide your commercial terms.