Landscape & Hardscape Proposal Template (Free, Copy and Print)
[Project name] · [Client name]
[Property address]
Date: [Date] · Proposal #[000] · Valid for [30] days
[Company]
[Phone]
License/Reg. #[#]
1. Scope of work
[Company] will furnish all labor, equipment and materials to build the following at the property above:
- [e.g. 16 x 20 ft paver patio with 6×9 soldier border]
- [e.g. 32 LF seat wall, 20 in. high, with glued cap]
- [e.g. 4 in. drain line from downspout to daylight]
- Site cleanup and removal of construction debris at completion.
Write scope in quantities and dimensions, not adjectives. “A nice patio” starts arguments; “320 sq ft, 6 in. compacted base” ends them.
2. Design plan
The work will be built to the attached plan, sheet(s) [L-1, W-1], dated [date]. Where this proposal and the plan differ, [this proposal / the plan] governs. Field adjustments of up to [6 in.] may be made for grades, roots or utilities without changing the price.
3. Materials
| Item | Product / color | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Pavers | [Brand, style, color] | [sq ft] |
| Wall block & cap | [Brand, unit, color] | [face sq ft / LF] |
| Base stone | [e.g. compacted crushed stone] | [depth / tons] |
| Bedding & joint sand | [e.g. concrete sand, polymeric sand] | [–] |
| Edge restraint / drainage | [–] | [–] |
4. Price and payment
Total contract price: [$00,000].
| Payment | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | At signing | [$] |
| Progress | [e.g. base complete] | [$] |
| Final | At substantial completion | [$] |
Many states cap deposits on home improvement work. In Pennsylvania, for example, the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act limits the deposit on contracts over $5,000 to one-third of the price, plus the cost of any special-order materials designated in the written contract. Check your state’s rule.
5. Schedule
Estimated start: [date or week]. Estimated completion: [date], about [X] working days on site. Weather, ground conditions, material delivery and utility locates can move these dates.
6. Not included unless written above
- Permits, engineering, surveys and HOA approvals, unless listed in the scope.
- Rock removal beyond normal digging, unmarked private utilities, and buried debris.
- Irrigation, electrical, gas or plumbing work.
- Lawn repair beyond [topsoil and seed along new edges].
- Damage to driveways or lawns from material delivery along the access route agreed with the client.
7. Changes, warranty and cancellation
Changes to the scope will be written up as a change order, with price and schedule effect, and signed by both parties before the work is done. [Company] warrants workmanship for [X years] from completion; manufacturer warranties apply to materials. The warranty does not cover damage from misuse, de-icing chemicals not approved by the manufacturer, or settlement caused by others’ work.
[Insert any cancellation notice your state requires.]
Home improvement law varies by state. Pennsylvania’s HICPA, for example, requires the contractor’s registration number, a 3-business-day right to cancel notice and other specific terms on contracts over $500. Have a local attorney review your final contract form once; then reuse it.
8. Acceptance
By signing, the client accepts this proposal, the attached plan and the terms above, and authorizes [Company] to schedule the work.
How to make a proposal that actually closes
Attach a plan, not a sketch
Clients compare proposals line by line. When yours is the only one with a scaled, dimensioned plan, the comparison stops being about price. If you don’t draw your own, we draw plans for contractors under your logo from $295, with a takeoff that fills section 3 for you.
Quantities in the scope, adjectives in the sales talk
Square feet, linear feet, base depth and product names belong in the proposal. They protect you when the client’s memory of the sales conversation drifts.
Say what’s not included
Most disputes are about things nobody wrote down: rock, permits, lawn repair, unmarked lines. Section 6 settles them before the dig.
Price it from a real takeoff
Our guide on how to estimate a paver patio walks through the takeoff step by step, and the paver calculator and wall block calculator do the math.
Questions
Can I use this template for my business?
Yes, free for any contractor. Edit it however you like. It’s a starting point, not legal advice, so have your final version reviewed by an attorney in your state.
Is a proposal the same as a contract?
Once both sides sign it, a proposal like this usually becomes the contract. That’s why state home improvement rules apply to it.
What should go in the design plan?
A scaled layout, dimensions, finished grades and drainage, base and wall sections where needed, and quantities. See real sample plans.
Template by Groundwork Design Co., the design studio of Muthler Landscaping & Construction LLC, Lock Haven, PA. Not legal advice.