How to Price Landscaping Jobs and Grow Your Landscaping Business

 Your Numbers: How to Price Landscaping Jobs and Still Make Money!

Your numbers: how to price landscaping jobs and still make money

Why Pricing Landscaping Jobs Correctly Is Key to Growth

Pricing. It’s the one topic that sparks endless debates in Facebook groups, forums, and industry chats. “How much do you charge for X?” or “I charged £X for this—did I undercharge?” While well-meaning, these discussions rarely help. Why? Because pricing depends entirely on your business—your costs, overheads, and goals.

Pricing landscaping jobs can feel like walking a tightrope. You need to cover your costs, pay your team, and make a profit—all while staying competitive and convincing clients you’re worth the investment. Many landscapers ask, “How much should I charge for landscaping work?” The answer depends on your business, your overheads, and your goals. But one thing is certain: pricing landscaping jobs accurately is the foundation of a successful and sustainable business.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to price landscaping jobs in a way that grows your business and satisfies your clients, covering strategies like the 3x pricing rule, avoiding pricing traps, and explaining your costs with confidence. 

Why Pricing Landscaping Jobs Correctly Is Key to Growth

Every landscaper has wondered, “Am I charging enough for my services?” Too often, the answer is no. Whether you’re matching competitors’ prices or underestimating your costs, undercharging hurts your ability to invest in your business and can lead to burnout.

Here’s why setting landscaping prices accurately is so important:

• It ensures you cover all your costs, including hidden ones like vehicle maintenance and insurance.
• It allows you to invest in better tools, training, and marketing to grow your business.
• It positions your services as premium, attracting higher-quality clients willing to pay for the best.

Remember: Pricing isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving.

Start With the Basics: Understanding Your Costs

The first step in pricing landscaping jobs is understanding your overhead costs and daily expenses. Too many landscapers leave out critical items, which means they unknowingly undercharge.

1. Calculate Your Annual Overheads
   Include:

   • Vehicle maintenance
   • Insurance (liability, van, tools)
   • Office expenses (utilities, software, admin support)

   Example: If your annual overheads are £12,000 and you plan to work 200 days a year, you need to recover £60 per working day, plus a margin for growth.

2. THEN, Price Your Landscaping Jobs as Normal

• • Materials, wages, etc - however you normally would.
  • Once this is done, you are able to add your daily overhead costs to the price.
  • If the job will take 4 days, you add 4 days of your overheads into the cost. 

If you are not including your overheads, you are the only one this is costing! Make sure to work them out properly. Don’t forget small costs like mileage—they add up. Many successful businesses factor in every expense to ensure they never lose money on a job.

Avoid the “Price Match Trap”

It’s tempting to copy what your competitors charge. But matching competitors’ prices without understanding their costs can leave you working for razor-thin margins—or worse, at a loss.

Competitors might:

• Have lower overheads or smaller teams.
• Cut corners to keep their prices low.
• Be operating unsustainably, which will catch up with them.

Instead of copying their prices, focus on how to charge higher prices for landscaping without losing clients.

How to Stand Out Without Dropping Prices

Clients rarely choose a landscaper solely based on cost. Instead, they consider a range of factors that influence their decision. When you focus on selling value, you can stand out from the competition without cutting your prices. Here’s how:

1. Dream Outcome

The first thing clients want to know is whether you can bring their dream garden or driveway to life. Most homeowners have a vision in their minds but often struggle to communicate it. That’s where you come in.

• Help them visualise: Use tools like sketches, drawings, or 3D models to show them exactly how their project will look. This not only builds excitement but also gives them confidence in your ability to deliver.
• Be the expert: Suggest creative solutions and features they might not have considered. This positions you as the professional who truly understands their needs, making it easier for them to justify paying a premium for your expertise.

By making their dream outcome feel tangible, you’ll stand out as someone who can deliver more than just a service—you’ll be seen as the key to their perfect outdoor space.

2. Likelihood of Success

Clients don’t just want the dream—they want to feel confident that you’re the person who can make it happen. Trust and reliability are everything in the landscaping industry.

• Show your track record: Use testimonials, case studies, and reviews to prove your success with past clients. When clients see others raving about your work, it reassures them that they’re making a safe choice.
• Offer guarantees: If you provide warranties or guarantees on your work, highlight these. It shows clients that you stand by the quality of your service.
• Be transparent: Walk them through your process so they understand exactly how the project will unfold. A clear and predictable process makes you appear professional and trustworthy.

Building this confidence can mean the difference between winning the job at a premium price or losing it to a cheaper competitor.

3. Time

Time is a critical factor for clients, but not always in the way you might think. While clients appreciate efficiency, they also understand that quality work takes time.

• Set realistic expectations: Be honest about your timelines. If you’re in high demand and have a waitlist, frame this as a positive—it signals that your work is worth waiting for.
• Minimise delays: Once a project starts, ensure it moves along smoothly. Clear scheduling and good project management will help avoid any unnecessary delays.
• Communicate progress: Regular updates on the project’s status can ease concerns and keep clients feeling involved.

By showing that you respect their time while also prioritising quality, you’ll strike the right balance that reassures clients without compromising on your pricing.

4. Convenience

Finally, clients want the process to be as stress-free as possible. If you can make their experience easier than your competitors, you’ll stand out as the obvious choice.

• Simplify the process: Offer clear quotes, simple contracts, and organised timelines. Clients appreciate straightforward communication and processes that require minimal effort on their part.
• Minimise disruption: Explain how you’ll keep their property clean, quiet, and undisturbed as much as possible during the project. Highlight features like post-project clean-ups or flexible scheduling.
• Handle the details: If you can, take care of the small things that often overwhelm clients, such as sourcing materials, managing permits, or arranging site access. The fewer responsibilities they have to take on, the more they’ll value your service.

Convenience isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a key selling point that can justify a higher price tag. Clients will pay more if they know they’re in safe hands and won’t have to lift a finger.

Why Higher Prices Are a Win-Win

Higher prices give you the resources to:

• Outspend your competition on marketing, winning more clients.
• Invest in better tools, training, and systems to improve your services.
• Attract premium clients who value quality over cost.

Higher prices also signal quality. While budget-conscious clients may look elsewhere, premium clients will see your higher rates as a reflection of your expertise. This is why pricing landscaping jobs accurately can help you dominate your market.

Practical Tools for Landscaping Pricing

To help you get started, we’ve created a landscaping job pricing calculator. It’s simple:

• Input your overheads, material costs, and labour.
• Adjust your profit margin to see how it affects your rates.
• Get an instant, accurate quote for any project.

Use this tool to save time and avoid guesswork. Click here to access our pricing calculator.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Pricing Today

Pricing landscaping jobs doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding your costs, avoiding pricing traps, and focusing on value, you can set rates that grow your business and satisfy your clients. Remember, it’s not just about surviving—it’s about thriving.

Ready to take the next step?

• Use our pricing calculator to create accurate quotes.
• Watch our video to learn how to stand out and charge premium prices.
• Book a free call and let us help you grow your business.