Landscape jobs mix bulk materials, plants and a lot of labor. Trades HQ helps you figure the yards and counts, price them with your rates, and get the job approved and invoiced.
Bulk materials by the yard. Mulch, soil and gravel are sold by volume, and depth matters.
Plants and replacements. Plant counts, sizes and any warranty replacements affect your cost.
Site prep. Clearing, grading and haul-away can be more work than planting.
Equipment and delivery. Equipment time and delivery fees belong on the bid.
How Trades HQ helps landscapers
Price book with landscaping items. Keep your material and plant prices and reuse them on every bid.
Measure from plans. Measure bed and lawn areas right off a site plan or blueprint PDF.
Labor-rate guidance by state. See typical landscaping worker wages in your state, then set your own rate.
Material price requests. Send one price request to your nurseries and suppliers.
Proposals customers approve online, then one click to invoice.
Change orders when the customer adds a bed or upgrades plants.
A landscape install estimate, step by step
Measure each bed and lawn area.
For bulk materials, multiply area by depth (in feet) and divide by 27 for cubic yards.
Count plants by size.
Add site prep, edging, fabric and delivery.
Estimate labor and equipment time.
Apply your overhead and profit.
Example (illustrative): 300 sq ft of beds with mulch 3 inches deep.
Step
Math
Result
Depth in feet
3 ÷ 12
0.25 ft
Volume
300 × 0.25
75 cu ft
Cubic yards
75 ÷ 27
2.78, so about 3 cu yd
Pricing tip: Put delivery and equipment time on every bid. And remember that markup and margin aren't the same number: a 20% margin needs a 25% markup. The Estimating Basics guide walks through the math, and the free markup and margin calculator does it for you.
See it in Trades HQ
A sample estimate in Trades HQ. Each line has its own material and labor cost, and the Bid Summary adds your overhead and profit. Sample numbers.
Questions landscapers ask
How do I figure how much mulch I need?
Multiply the bed area in square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. For example, 300 square feet at 3 inches deep is about 2.8 cubic yards.
Can customers approve a landscape proposal online?
Yes. Send the proposal by email or link, the customer approves it online, and you can turn it into an invoice in one click when the work is done.
Can I use Trades HQ on my phone?
Yes. Trades HQ runs in your phone’s web browser, and you can add it to your home screen like an app, so you can build an estimate or send an invoice from the truck.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, and you don’t need a credit card to start. Plans start at $75 a month, and you can cancel anytime.
Examples on this page use illustrative numbers only. Use your own costs, rates and local requirements. This page is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.
