Start with the decision
Build the landscaping schedule around confirmed dependencies rather than a promised duration in isolation. The important inputs include approved planting selections, prepared areas and the agreed seasonal work window. Ask the contractor to state what must be ready before it can begin and what the following trade will receive.
This guide is for business-to-business project planning in the United States and Canada. For the wider trade context, visit the landscaping resource hub.
Plan the handoffs
| Package | Information needed before release | Completion handoff |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | planting schedule and approved locations | plant inventory and agreed care information |
| Ground preparation | soil and grading information for the package | agreed preparation and area-acceptance records |
| Irrigation and aftercare | irrigation interfaces and follow-up requirements | operating information and agreed maintenance handoff |
Download the landscaping schedule worksheet (CSV)
Fill in the response, owner or source, and date checked. Keep unresolved items visible. The file contains planning prompts only; it does not calculate quantities or make an approval decision.
Put the checklist to work
- Separate approvals, procurement, mobilization, installation and completion checks. Assign an owner to each release decision.
- Ask for the contractor’s stated availability and the date it was confirmed. Do not present an indicative window as a reserved crew.
- Resolve interfaces involving bulk grading, soil supply, irrigation, hardscape and maintenance after installation. Put decisions and deliveries that affect the sequence into the same schedule discussion.
- Agree how changes will be raised. Record the affected activity, revised assumption and who confirms the next workable date.
A scope gap worth discussing
Illustrative example — not a Build Accord client project
A planting quote includes installation but excludes establishment care. Agree who carries the follow-up work before comparing it with an offer that includes that period.
Apply this to your decision: A dependency-based schedule discussion with named owners and confirmation dates, without invented standard durations or guaranteed delivery windows.
Using this in the US and Canada
For a project in the United States
Record the state, local jurisdiction and actual service area. Confirm the project location and the scope of the business’s authority with the responsible project team. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides a starting point for business licensing resources.
For a project in Canada
Record the province or territory, municipality and actual service area. Use Canada’s permits and licences resources to locate relevant checks, including the linked BizPaL service. Confirm requirements for the actual activity and location.
For either market, state the currency, units and deadline time zone. This worksheet is general planning guidance, not a determination of licensing, procurement eligibility or technical compliance.
The next useful step
Continue with landscaping contractor handover checklist. For the other side of the conversation, see the landscaping bid proposal guide.
Build Accord coordinates introductions between construction project teams and trade contractors. An inquiry starts a discussion of fit and availability; it does not guarantee a contractor, an invitation to bid or an award. These guides are not a listing of currently available crews or projects.