In landscaping, the price you quote has to cover more than labour and plants. This calculator builds that price from hours, materials, machine hire and travel, then checks the margin before you send the quote. It shows what changes when you treat markup as margin, and where waste and disposal costs quietly erode profit.
Begin with hours × rate
A landscaping job is not a single lump. List each task, from site clearing to planting, assign a labour rate, and multiply hours by that rate. This gives the direct labour cost that sits under everything else. Without measured hours, a per-job quote becomes a guess.
Add a plant and material waste allowance
Turf, mulch, soil and plants are rarely used at exactly the ordered quantity. Offcuts, breakages and losses during handling add up. Build a waste allowance into material quantities so the job does not quietly absorb the difference between what was bought and what went into the ground.
Include green-waste disposal and machine hire
Clearing a site produces green waste that has to go somewhere, and tip fees are a real cost per load. Add a line for disposal. If the job needs a mini excavator, chipper or turf cutter, add machine hire per day so a short rental does not disappear into the margin.
Account for travel with a trailer
Towing a loaded trailer changes fuel use and travel time compared to a light vehicle. Charge travel per kilometre or per hour and reflect the slower, heavier trip. Then check the effective hourly rate: profit divided by total hours. If it is too low, adjust the uplift or tighten the waste allowance.
Common questions
How do I cost a landscaping job?
Start with hours for each crew member, multiply by the labour rate, then add materials with a waste allowance, green-waste disposal, machine hire and travel. Compare the total to your minimum charge and apply your margin.
Why add a waste allowance for plants and materials?
Turf, mulch and plants are lost to offcuts, breakages and handling damage. Pricing the exact delivered quantity without an allowance means the job absorbs that loss as reduced profit.
How is markup different from margin?
Markup is the percentage added to cost to reach the price. Margin is the percentage of that price left as profit. They are not the same figure, and the calculator shows both so you quote with the right one.
Should machine hire and trailer travel be included in the quote?
Yes. Machine hire per day and the slower travel time of a loaded trailer are real costs. Including them stops your margin from silently paying for equipment and extra time on the road.
What does green-waste disposal actually cost?
Tip fees are charged per load and vary with volume, so clearing work should carry its own disposal line. Tracking it separately keeps the margin on clearing jobs visible.