Why Do Landscape Estimates Vary So Much? A Guide to Comparing Bids

You ask three landscape contractors to estimate the same project.

The first bid is $8,500.

The second is $12,000.

The third is nearly $17,000.

They all walked through the same property. They all heard the same basic request. So why are the numbers so different?

For property owners comparing Landscape Contractors Lowell, the answer often comes down to something that is easy to overlook:

The contractors may not actually be pricing the same job.

One estimate may include deeper site preparation, higher-grade materials, debris removal, specialized labor, equipment, delivery, cleanup, and warranty coverage.

Another may leave several of those items out.

Before choosing the lowest number, compare what is actually behind each bid.

The Total Price Is the Last Number You Should Compare

When homeowners and property managers receive multiple estimates, the natural reaction is to compare totals first.

Try doing the opposite.

Ignore the totals temporarily.

Instead, compare:

• Scope of work

• Site preparation

• Material specifications

• Quantities

• Installation depth

• Labor

• Equipment

• Drainage work

• Delivery

• Disposal

• Cleanup

• Warranty

• Exclusions

Only after those items are reasonably aligned should you compare the final prices.

Otherwise, you may be comparing a complete installation with a stripped-down version of the same project.

1. Site Preparation Can Create a Major Price Difference

Much of the expensive work in landscaping disappears once the project is complete.

You see the patio.

You do not see everything underneath it.

You see the new lawn.

You do not necessarily see the grading and soil preparation completed before installation.

One contractor may include extensive preparation while another assumes minimal preparation.

Depending on the project, preparation might involve:

• Removing existing turf

• Removing old landscaping

• Excavating soil

• Removing roots

• Correcting grade

• Addressing drainage

• Adding soil amendments

• Compacting material

• Installing a base

• Removing construction debris

These tasks require labor, equipment, and disposal.

A contractor who includes them may appear considerably more expensive than someone who does not.

Ask Exactly What “Site Preparation” Means

A proposal that says:

“Prepare area for installation”

does not tell you very much.

Ask:

How much material will be removed?

How deep will excavation go?

Will existing vegetation be removed?

Is grading included?

What happens to excavated material?

Is soil improvement included?

Will drainage problems be corrected?

The more specific the answer, the easier the bids become to compare.

2. Base Preparation Depth Can Change a Hardscape Bid

Suppose you are comparing estimates for a walkway or patio.

Contractor A includes excavation and a specified compacted aggregate base.

Contractor B writes:

“Install pavers.”

Those proposals are not detailed enough to assume they describe identical installations.

The amount and type of excavation, base material, compaction, bedding material, edge restraint, drainage considerations, and site conditions can all affect the work involved.

Base preparation is largely invisible when the project is finished.

But it can influence the amount of material, equipment, and labor included in the price.

Ask for the Installation Specification

Instead of asking:

“How much is the patio?”

ask:

“What exactly is included beneath the finished surface?”

Request details concerning:

• Excavation

• Base material

• Base depth

• Compaction

• Bedding layer

• Edge restraint

• Drainage considerations

• Finished grading

If two contractors specify different systems, you have found one reason their prices differ.

3. Material Grade Can Make Similar Projects Very Different

“Mulch” is not a complete specification.

Neither is:

“Stone.”

“Pavers.”

“Topsoil.”

“Plants.”

Material quality, size, source, finish, and quantity can vary.

For plants, even the container size or maturity can change the price substantially.

For hardscape projects, different product lines and finishes can also produce very different material costs.

One contractor may be pricing a basic option.

Another may be estimating a premium product.

Both estimates might still say “pavers.”

Ask for Specific Material Names

Whenever practical, a proposal should identify what is being installed.

For example:

Instead of:

“Install shrubs.”

look for information about species, quantity, and size.

Instead of:

“Install mulch.”

look for material type, approximate quantity, and intended depth.

Instead of:

“Install pavers.”

look for the manufacturer, product line, size, style, or comparable specification when applicable.

Specificity makes substitution less likely and comparisons easier.

4. Material Depth Changes the Quantity You Are Buying

Depth is one of the easiest ways for two landscaping estimates to look similar while pricing different quantities.

Imagine two contractors are mulching the same bed.

One calculates material based on a deeper application.

The other uses a shallower layer.

The square footage is identical.

The amount of material is not.

The same principle can apply to:

• Mulch

• Topsoil

• Aggregate

• Decorative stone

• Hardscape base

• Soil amendments

This is why square footage alone does not always tell you whether two bids are equivalent.

Compare Quantities, Not Just Materials

Ask contractors to specify measurable quantities where practical.

That might mean:

• Square feet

• Cubic yards

• Tons

• Linear feet

• Number of plants

• Number of visits

A bid that clearly defines quantities is easier to compare with competing proposals.

5. Disposal Fees Can Be Hidden in One Bid and Missing From Another

Landscaping often involves removing something before installing something new.

That might include:

• Old sod

• Soil

• Broken concrete

• Existing pavers

• Branches

• Shrubs

• Landscape rock

• Roots

• Construction debris

That material has to go somewhere.

Removal can involve crew time, trucks, trailers, loading, transportation, and disposal charges.

One contractor may include those expenses in the original proposal.

Another may exclude them or charge them separately.

Ask One Simple Question

Before accepting a bid, ask:

“Does this price include hauling away and disposing of everything removed from the property?”

Then get the answer reflected in the written scope.

Otherwise, a low estimate can become less attractive when disposal charges appear later.

6. Difficult Site Access Can Increase Labor

Two properties with identical square footage may require very different amounts of labor.

Consider a commercial property where equipment can drive directly to the work area.

Now compare it with a property where crews must move material through a narrow gate using wheelbarrows.

Same material.

Same quantity.

Very different installation effort.

Access issues can include:

• Narrow gates

• Fences

• Stairs

• Steep slopes

• Limited parking

• Long distances from the material staging area

• Restrictions on heavy equipment

• Occupied commercial spaces

• Limited working hours

Contractors may account for those challenges differently.

Equipment Access Matters Too

If machinery can reach the work area, excavation and material movement may happen much faster.

If equipment cannot reach the site, more work may need to be completed manually.

That increases crew hours.

A higher bid may therefore reflect the realities of accessing the property rather than a higher price for the same amount of work.

7. Labor Rates Are More Than an Employee's Hourly Wage

People sometimes look at a landscaping proposal and assume labor means:

Hourly wage × number of workers.

Professional labor costs can be more complicated.

A contractor's labor cost may account for wages plus applicable payroll expenses, workers' compensation, benefits, supervision, and other employment-related costs.

Estimates also need to account for the actual crew time necessary to complete the project.

That may include:

• Loading

• Travel

• Site protection

• Preparation

• Installation

• Equipment operation

• Cleanup

• Hauling

• Disposal runs

A contractor estimating only the visible installation time may arrive at a very different number from one estimating the complete production process.

Specialized Work Can Affect Labor Pricing

Not every landscaping task requires exactly the same skills.

A project involving drainage, grading, irrigation, hardscaping, or specialized equipment may require different experience than routine landscape maintenance.

That can influence labor costs.

When comparing bids, ask whether each contractor has included the same work rather than assuming every crew-hour represents identical services.

8. Equipment Costs Can Change the Estimate

Some projects can be completed largely with hand tools.

Others may require:

• Skid steers

• Mini excavators

• Trenchers

• Sod cutters

• Compactors

• Dump trailers

• Specialized attachments

Equipment can make the job faster and more consistent, but it also costs money to own, operate, transport, rent, and maintain.

One contractor may include equipment costs directly.

Another may build them into labor.

Another may list equipment as an additional charge.

Ask how equipment is handled so you can compare the complete cost.

9. Drainage Can Be a Major Difference Between Bids

Water problems can complicate landscape projects.

If the property has:

• Standing water

• Erosion

• Poor grading

• Downspout problems

• Runoff issues

• Low spots

one contractor may identify those conditions and include corrective work.

Another may simply price the visible landscape installation.

That can create a large price difference.

The lower bid may appear attractive until the new landscape begins experiencing the same water problem.

Ask Whether Drainage Is Included or Excluded

Do not assume drainage correction is included simply because the contractor noticed standing water during the site visit.

Ask directly:

“Does this proposal address the drainage issue?”

If yes, ask how.

If no, make sure you understand the limitation before accepting the proposal.

10. Cleanup Standards Can Differ

What does “job complete” mean?

To one contractor, it may mean the installation itself is finished.

Another contractor may include:

• Final grading

• Sweeping

• Debris removal

• Washing hard surfaces

• Removing excess material

• Repairing minor lawn damage from equipment

• Final inspection

• Punch-list corrections

Cleanup requires time.

If one bid includes it and another does not, the totals will naturally differ.

11. Warranty Coverage Can Be Built Into the Price

Landscape contractors may offer different warranties or follow-up policies.

For example, one contractor may include some form of workmanship or plant warranty subject to stated conditions.

Another may offer limited or no warranty.

A warranty creates potential future responsibility for the contractor.

That responsibility can influence pricing.

When comparing proposals, ask:

• What is covered?

• For how long?

• What is excluded?

• Are plant losses covered?

• Are there watering requirements?

• What happens if hardscape settles?

• How are warranty requests handled?

Do not assume every contractor offers identical protection.

12. Commercial Landscape Management Bids Can Vary by Service Frequency

Price differences become especially noticeable when comparing recurring commercial landscape management proposals.

One company might include weekly service during the growing season.

Another may provide fewer visits.

One may include edging every visit.

Another may edge periodically.

Services may also differ regarding:

• Mowing frequency

• Trimming

• Edging

• Bed maintenance

• Seasonal cleanup

• Leaf removal

• Shrub pruning

• Mulch

• Fertilization

• Snow and ice management

Lush Landscape describes its commercial landscape management services as customized care plans that can include mowing, trimming, edging, seasonal cleanup, and winter snow and ice management.

When comparing commercial contracts, make sure the service frequenci