Start with the decision
Write the landscaping scope around named deliverables, the drawings that describe them and the interfaces with other trades. Separate landscape installation from ongoing maintenance. Planting, hardscape and irrigation need clear responsibility boundaries and approved selections. Use the worksheet below to expose missing information before requesting a firm quotation.
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.
Define each package boundary
| Deliverable | Input to include | Boundary to settle |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | planting schedule and approved locations | plant supply, installation and substitution assumptions |
| Ground preparation | soil and grading information for the package | bulk preparation versus final landscape preparation |
| Irrigation and aftercare | irrigation interfaces and follow-up requirements | system work and maintenance responsibilities |
Download the landscaping scope of work 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
- Attach the current drawing and specification references, and identify who may receive them. Separate issued information from items still awaiting approval.
- Assign bulk grading, soil supply, irrigation, hardscape and maintenance after installation explicitly. Use included, excluded, by others or unresolved, with a named owner for unresolved items.
- Document assumptions about approved planting selections, prepared areas and the agreed seasonal work window. A target date is not a substitute for those inputs being available.
- Issue the same revision to all invited businesses. Record clarifications and circulate material changes before comparing proposals.
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 scope sheet with deliverables, interfaces, exclusions and unresolved decisions that every invited business can price against.
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 invitation to bid 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.