Landscaping Material Takeoff Template
Download a landscaping material takeoff template to track plants, soil, mulch, sod, irrigation, edging, hardscape materials, and project quantities.
Turn Landscape Plans Into Usable Material Quantities
A landscaping material takeoff helps contractors convert plans, planting schedules, irrigation drawings, details, and field measurements into the quantities needed to estimate and order a project. A complete takeoff may include trees, shrubs, groundcover, sod, seed, mulch, soil amendments, irrigation materials, edging, gravel, drainage products, and hardscape materials.
This landscaping material takeoff template gives landscape contractors a structured way to organize quantities by area, material category, plant type, irrigation zone, drawing reference, and supplier before pricing or purchasing begins.
What Is a Landscaping Material Takeoff?
A landscaping material takeoff is a detailed list of the materials and quantities required to complete the landscaping scope of a project. It is commonly prepared from landscape plans, planting plans, irrigation drawings, schedules, details, specifications, addenda, and field measurements.
Depending on the project, the takeoff may cover plant material, soil, compost, mulch, sod, seed, edging, irrigation pipe and fittings, valves, heads, drip components, drainage materials, gravel, stone, pavers, landscape fabric, stakes, and other installation accessories.
When to Use a Landscaping Material Takeoff Template
Use the template whenever landscaping quantities need to be measured and organized consistently for estimating, purchasing, crew planning, delivery coordination, or change work.
- Commercial landscape installation bids
- Residential landscape projects
- Planting plans
- Sod and seed installations
- Mulch and soil-amendment work
- Irrigation installations and renovations
- Drainage improvements
- Edging and bed installation
- Landscape enhancement projects
- Hardscape scopes included with landscaping work
- Material-order preparation
- Change-order quantity calculations
Who Should Use This Template?
The template is designed for landscaping contractors and specialty contractors responsible for estimating, purchasing, installation planning, and field production.
- Landscape estimators
- Company owners
- Project managers
- Operations managers
- Purchasing staff
- Landscape foremen
- Irrigation supervisors
- Enhancement managers
- Crew leaders reviewing material needs
What to Include in a Landscaping Material Takeoff
A useful landscaping takeoff should separate count-based, area-based, linear, and volume-based materials. Plants, mulch, sod, irrigation pipe, edging, and pavers are measured differently, so each category should retain the calculation method that produced the final order quantity.
| Takeoff Category | Typical Landscaping Materials |
|---|---|
| Plant material | Trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, groundcover, annuals, and other specified plant material |
| Soil and amendments | Topsoil, planting soil, compost, soil amendments, and other project-specified growing media |
| Mulch | Wood mulch, bark, decorative stone, gravel mulch, and other bed-cover materials |
| Turf | Sod, seed, hydroseed materials, soil preparation materials, and related accessories |
| Irrigation | Mainline, lateral pipe, drip tubing, fittings, valves, sprinkler heads, emitters, controllers, wire, boxes, and accessories |
| Edging | Steel edging, aluminum edging, plastic edging, concrete edging, stakes, connectors, and related hardware |
| Drainage | Drain pipe, fittings, catch basins, channel drains, fabric, gravel, cleanouts, and outlet materials |
| Hardscape | Pavers, stone, aggregate base, bedding sand, joint sand, restraints, and other materials included in the landscape scope |
| Planting accessories | Tree stakes, ties, root barriers, landscape fabric, tree grates, guards, and other installation accessories |
| Miscellaneous | Fasteners, sleeves, adhesives, geotextiles, marking materials, erosion-control products, and other project-specific items |
How to Complete a Landscaping Material Takeoff
- Identify the current project documents. Record the landscape plan, planting schedule, irrigation drawings, details, revision date, addenda, and specifications used for the takeoff.
- Break the project into areas or zones. Separate entrances, parking islands, planting beds, lawn areas, irrigation zones, courtyards, slopes, and other logical work areas.
- Count plant material by type and size. Match tree, shrub, perennial, groundcover, and other plant quantities to the applicable schedule or plan symbol.
- Measure planting-bed and turf areas. Record square footage for mulch, soil amendments, sod, seed, landscape fabric, and other area-based materials.
- Calculate volume-based materials. Use measured area and specified installation depth to calculate mulch, topsoil, compost, gravel, or other bulk-material quantities.
- Measure irrigation materials. Track pipe and tubing by size and linear footage, then count valves, heads, emitters, fittings, boxes, controllers, and accessories separately.
- Measure edging and drainage. Track edging, drain pipe, channel drains, and similar materials by linear footage while counting basins, fittings, outlets, and other components individually.
- Calculate hardscape materials where included. Measure paver or stone area and keep base, bedding, restraints, and other supporting materials separate.
- Apply material-specific allowances. Keep measured quantity separate from waste, breakage, cuts, coverage, or ordering allowance.
- Review the completed takeoff. Compare quantities with the drawings, schedules, scope, supplier information, and field conditions before pricing or ordering.
Example Planting Bed Takeoff
North entrance bed: The planting plan calls for 8 shrubs, 24 ornamental grasses, and 36 groundcover plants within approximately 620 square feet of bed area. The estimator records the plant counts by scheduled size, calculates mulch volume from the bed area and specified depth, measures the steel edging around the exposed perimeter, and records the drip tubing and emitters separately. Keeping each material category visible makes the final order easier to review.
Landscaping Material Takeoff Best Practices
- Record the drawing revision and planting schedule used for the takeoff.
- Keep plant quantities separated by species, cultivar, size, container, or other specified designation.
- Separate measured area from material depth when calculating bulk soil, mulch, or gravel.
- Track sod and seed areas independently when both occur on the same project.
- Keep irrigation pipe separated by size and system rather than combining all footage.
- Count valves, heads, emitters, boxes, and fittings separately from irrigation pipe.
- Measure edging by the perimeter or boundary where it is actually installed.
- Keep pavers, aggregate base, bedding material, joint material, and restraints as separate quantities.
- Use supplier-specific package or coverage information before converting measured quantities into order quantities.
- Keep measured quantity separate from waste, cuts, breakage, and ordering allowances.
- Compare estimated quantities with actual project usage to improve future takeoffs.
Common Landscaping Material Takeoff Mistakes
Counting Plants Without Checking the Schedule
A symbol count alone may not capture specified plant size, container size, variety, or substitutions between areas. Match plan symbols to the current planting schedule before finalizing quantities.
Calculating Mulch From Area Without Considering Depth
Square footage does not determine the full quantity of mulch, soil, compost, or gravel. Include the required installation depth and keep the calculated volume visible.
Using Gross Lawn Area Without Deducting Beds or Hardscape
Sod or seed quantities can be overstated when planting beds, sidewalks, patios, buildings, and other non-turf areas remain inside the measured area. Keep deductions visible where practical.
Measuring Irrigation Pipe Without Fittings and Devices
Linear footage alone does not include valves, heads, drip components, fittings, boxes, wire, controllers, or transition materials. Take those items off separately.
Forgetting Planting Accessories
Tree stakes, ties, root barriers, landscape fabric, edging stakes, guards, and other accessories can be easy to miss when attention is focused on plant counts.
Applying One Waste Percentage to Every Material
Plants, sod, pavers, mulch, edging, irrigation pipe, and bulk materials have different ordering considerations. Use material-specific allowances where appropriate instead of one blanket percentage.
Connecting Landscape Takeoffs With Estimating and Purchasing
A spreadsheet is a practical way to organize landscaping quantities and keep the measurement logic visible. As project volume grows, separate takeoff files, estimates, purchase information, expenses, documents, and job-cost records can become harder to manage consistently.
SimplySub is construction management software built for subcontractors and specialty contractors. It helps teams organize estimates, jobs, purchase-order workflows, expenses, equipment, documents, and job costs, providing a more structured way to carry project information from estimating into production.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be included in a landscaping material takeoff?
A landscaping material takeoff may include plants, soil, compost, mulch, sod, seed, irrigation materials, edging, drainage products, gravel, pavers, planting accessories, and other materials included in the contractor's scope.
How do you calculate mulch or soil quantities?
Start with the measured area and multiply it by the required material depth to determine volume. Convert the result into the supplier's ordering unit and keep any waste or ordering allowance separate from the net calculated quantity.
How should plant material be tracked?
Track plants by schedule designation, species or description, specified size, quantity, and installation area. Keeping plant sizes and types separate makes nursery pricing and delivery coordination easier to review.
Should irrigation materials be included in the same workbook?
Yes when irrigation is part of the contractor's scope. A separate section can track pipe, tubing, valves, heads, emitters, fittings, boxes, wire, controllers, and other accessories.
How should sod and seed be handled?
Measure the applicable turf area and keep sod and seeded areas separate. Convert the measured area into the supplier's order unit using current product or supplier information and add a project-specific allowance only where appropriate.
Can the takeoff be used for material purchasing?
Yes. Once quantities, sizes, product requirements, allowances, and scope have been reviewed, the takeoff can provide a useful basis for supplier pricing and purchase orders. Current availability and package quantities should still be confirmed before ordering.
Turn Landscape Measurements Into Practical Order Quantities
A consistent landscaping material takeoff gives contractors a clearer path from plans and field measurements to plant, soil, mulch, sod, irrigation, drainage, edging, and hardscape quantities. Keeping measurement methods and allowances visible makes the takeoff easier to review and more useful for estimating, purchasing, delivery planning, and field production.