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As a landscape business owner, you have to manage your business and juggle several jobs at once. You also need to bid on projects, which is a tough task for most landscapers. Don't miss out on landscaping projects or, worse, lose money because you underestimated the cost of a job. Increase the profitability of your business by using a system to create landscaping estimates for each job you bid on and take.
Create detailed estimates for each landscaping bid with Skynova's free estimate template. Put aside Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word, and use Skynova's template to create customized estimate forms. You'll get a professional-looking template that you can edit or download as a printable PDF.
The landscaping estimate can be even sent through email, and you'll be able to see when your customer opens your estimate. All of which makes for quicker and easier correspondence with your customers. If you're a landscaper, check out the template we've made below just for your business:
Create detailed, professional-looking landscaping estimates, and impress your customers. Use Skynova's estimate template to make a job estimate like the one featured above. The template can be easily edited and customized. We'll walk you through the steps below.
In this section, provide contact information that your customer will recognize clearly. If the customer mistakes your landscaping estimates as an unsolicited advertisement or email, they may overlook or discard it. You may even want to include your email address and phone number so that your customers have all the information on how to get a hold of you.
You should also double-check that you put the right name and address for your customer. A wrong name or address in this section can send your estimate worksheet to the trash pile. Most people won't read anything that isn't addressed to them.
A customized estimate form shows professionalism. Think of it as a business card. Skynova's business estimate template makes it easy to upload the image file of your choice. Find customization options at the top on the estimate template page. Check the "Logo" option and click the browse button to choose from your files and upload your small business or company's logo.
If you haven't been using identifying numbers with your estimates yet, it's time to start now. Skynova's template allows you to add an estimate number to your business form. Adding numbers allows you to track and refer to each landscaping estimate you send out. It also makes it easy for you to add a purchase order (P.O.) number and automatically convert estimates to invoices once they are accepted.
This feature will make sending invoices and getting paid for your landscape services easier. Find it under the customization options at the top of the estimate template page. Check the "P.O. #" box to add a P.O. number and easily send the invoice when the project is done.
The date generally refers to the date the estimate is created or sent, which is the same in most instances. It's important to always include a date for your estimate, so your customer knows when you will expect them to respond.
After meeting with your customer and noting what kind of landscaping they want to be done, make a plan and specifications for the project that you can use to estimate materials costs.
To enter the estimated cost of materials, select "Product" from the "Item" drop-down section of the estimate template page. Remember to use language that your customer will understand when describing the soil, stone, or types of sod you'll need for the project. It's just another step you can take to accommodate your customer and make sure they recognize what they're being asked to pay.
You can input materials like soil as a whole by selecting "Product," adding a description, and entering the total amount. For supplies, such as plants or trees, you can enter the individual price and the quantity for each on the estimate sheet.
If you're going to do the job yourself, enter your hourly or daily rate as agreed on with your customer. To do this, select "Hours" or "Days" from the "Item" drop-down and enter the number of hours or days you estimate the job will require. Your hourly or daily rate will go under "Unit Price," and the total will be calculated automatically.
If you are working with a subcontractor, enter the price they've quoted the same way you entered your rate if they provided you with an hourly rate and an estimated number of hours. Or you can select "Service" from the "Item" drop-down list and enter the total amount.
If you have employees working on a project with you, estimate their labor costs with payroll tax and any additional percentage you charge to cover for contingencies, such as delays or unexpected additional work. You can advise your customers about the contingency in the notes section of the estimate.
As a landscaping business owner, one way to pick up new customers is to offer discounts. You may offer free consultations and estimates, free products like plants, or a referral credit for customers who refer you to their friends and family.
With Skynova's estimate template, you can easily and efficiently include these discounts under the line items. Select the "Discount" category from the "Item" drop-down list, and enter the description of the item in terms that your customer will understand. For example, if your customer is getting two free plants, enter the quantity and unit price. The total amount will be shown as a negative number (e.g., "-100.00"). It will be automatically subtracted from your estimate total.
If you offer a free consultation, add it to the line items and leave the total amount as zero. This creates transparency, and it will make your customer feel good to know they received a service they didn't pay for.
Every landscaping estimate template comes with a "Notes" section where you can include additional descriptions or explanations about line items. You can use it to remind your customer of any agreement you've reached previously, such as how long the estimate is good for. Normally, this can range from 30 to 90 days after the date on the estimate. However you choose to use it, the "Notes" section is a valuable space to clear up anything that may confuse your customer about the estimate.
You can also explain any contingency expenses that you might have added on the line items. As with the nature of landscaping work, there might be additional costs that you'd need to cover but are difficult to anticipate until you start digging.
If you don't have anything to address on the estimate, you can always use the space to leave a customized note for your customer. A simple "I'm looking forward to designing your backyard oasis" can go a long way. It's an opportunity to add a personal touch to your services and make your customer feel special.
To run a profitable landscaping business, you need to be able to estimate how much a job will cost. Whether you're creating commercial landscaping or providing a home lawn service, your customers will want to know how much they'll need to spend. So, develop a plan on how you'll complete every job. Also, follow these best practices for landscape estimates.
Make a list of all of the materials, subcontractors, labor, and equipment needed and the corresponding costs. However you prefer to price and add a markup to each job you bid on and accept, your estimate should reflect the exact services you offer and anything else relevant to the project. Your customers ask for estimates to assess their budgets. It might cause disagreements if you then bill them for a lot more than what you estimated for the job.
Consider using Skynova's landscaping estimate form to help you make a cost estimate. Your customer will surely appreciate that their landscaping contractor allows them to review and accept estimates online.
When you agree to a project, make sure you and your customer sign a written agreement that specifies the terms of the job. This is not just for your protection; it's a requirement in many states. It will also cover you if the customer asks for additional services. You'll have the right to charge more for any services you provide on top of what's specified in your contract.
As with the estimate, make sure the service contract also details all of the relevant costs and the extent of the services you're providing. It's important to get your customers to sign an agreement for all landscaping jobs, whether they're maintenance like lawn care or commercial.
Make it a point to identify and consider unexpected delays, mistakes, or anything that could go wrong in a project. Add the estimated cost of these mishaps into the cost and timeline of the landscaping job.
These are not easy to predict, but you can look back on old jobs and learn from them. What situations seem to happen a lot, and how much did they cost to rectify? Use this knowledge to guide your estimates for future jobs.
You should create a system to seal the deal. As you're looking to run a profitable landscaping business, most of your customers will also be looking out for themselves. They want the best services for the least amount of money. It's human nature.
So, you must have an answer ready to deal with price objections. You'll have to learn to market your services and hold your ground. It also doesn't hurt to check out your competitors.
Use Skynova's cost estimating software to produce professional-looking, detailed estimates that you can easily print, download, or send through email to your customers. The feature that allows them to review it and accept or decline online will mean less idle time for you and more time doing paid work.
Create a brighter outlook for your landscape business with Skynova's invoice templates, proposal templates, and additional software products. These functions will let you integrate all aspects of your business seamlessly, from sending price quotes to creating expense reports. You can truly grow your business with Skynova.