Landscaping Takeoff Guide: Softscape, Hardscape, and Irrigation Quantities

A landscaping takeoff is the quantity list for every plant, every square foot of sod, every cubic yard of mulch, every linear foot of wall, and every irrigation head on the job. This guide walks through each part in plain English so you can build an accurate bid on any site from a corner lot to a municipal park.

What a Landscape Takeoff Is

A landscape takeoff is a list organized by work category: softscape (living plant material and lawn), hardscape (built features like paver patios and retaining walls), irrigation, lighting, and site furnishings. Each category has its own measurement units and pricing methods.

Softscape is measured by the piece (for trees and shrubs) or by the square foot (for lawn, ground cover, and mulch beds). Hardscape is measured by the square foot for surfaces and linear foot for walls and edges. Irrigation is measured by the piece for heads and valves and linear foot for pipe and wire.

Reading the L Sheets

The L sheets (landscape) are the primary source. A typical landscape plan package includes:

• L-1 — cover, legend, general notes
• L-2 — planting plan (trees, shrubs, ground cover)
• L-3 — planting details and plant schedule
• L-4 — hardscape plan (walks, patios, walls)
• L-5 — irrigation plan
• L-6 — landscape lighting
• L-7 — specifications and details

C Sheets (Civil) for Context

The C sheets show grading, drainage, and utility locations that affect landscape work. Check existing grades versus finished grades so you know how much soil moves. Confirm that irrigation piping does not conflict with utilities.

Specifications Division 32

Division 32 in the specs covers exterior improvements: planting, lawns, irrigation, paving, site improvements. Read it for plant sizes, seed blends, topsoil requirements, warranty periods, and maintenance scope.

Softscape: Plants and Lawn

Plant Schedule

Every plant on the plan has a symbol keyed to the plant schedule. The schedule lists:

• Key or symbol — the code used on the plan (e.g. AR for red maple)
• Botanical name — Latin name for unambiguous identification
• Common name
• Quantity
• Size — caliper (trunk diameter) for deciduous trees, height for evergreens, container size for shrubs and perennials
• Root — balled and burlapped (B&B), container (CONT), or bare root (BR)

Tree Takeoff

Count each symbol. Cross-check with the plant schedule total. Note the size, because a 2 inch caliper red maple costs a fraction of a 4 inch caliper. Typical sizes:

• Small ornamental: 1.5 to 2 inch caliper or 6 to 8 foot tall
• Medium shade: 2.5 to 3 inch caliper
• Large specimen: 3.5 to 6 inch caliper
• Evergreens: 6, 8, 10, 12 foot tall

Shrub and Perennial Takeoff

Count each symbol. Common container sizes: 1 gallon, 3 gallon, 5 gallon, 7 gallon, 15 gallon. Perennials are often 4 inch pot, quart pot, or 1 gallon. Ground cover is sometimes specified by quantity per square foot (e.g. 12 inch on center = 1 plant per SF).

Sod

Measure the lawn area in square feet. Divide by the pallet coverage (typically 450 to 504 SF per pallet). Add 5 percent for cuts. Separate sod types (bluegrass, fescue, bermuda, zoysia) because pricing differs.

Seed

Apply rate per 1,000 SF:

• Kentucky bluegrass blend — 5 lb per 1,000 SF new, 2 to 3 lb overseed
• Tall fescue — 7 to 9 lb per 1,000 SF new
• Perennial rye — 8 to 10 lb per 1,000 SF new
• Bermuda hulled — 2 to 3 lb per 1,000 SF

Include starter fertilizer, erosion control blanket on slopes, and hydromulch if specified.

Topsoil, Mulch, and Amendments

Topsoil

Priced per cubic yard. Calculate by area x depth / 27. Standard depths:

• Lawn — 4 to 6 inches
• Planting beds — 12 to 18 inches
• Tree pits — 2 to 3 feet deep, 2x to 3x root ball width

Mulch

Priced per cubic yard. Standard depth 2 to 3 inches, sometimes 4 inches.

• 1 CY covers — 162 SF at 2 inches, 108 SF at 3 inches, 81 SF at 4 inches
• Types — shredded hardwood, pine bark, dyed mulch, pine straw, gravel mulch

Soil Amendments

• Compost — CY, tilled into existing soil
• Gypsum — pounds per 1,000 SF for clay soils
• Lime — pounds per 1,000 SF to raise pH
• Starter fertilizer — pounds per acre or 1,000 SF

Hardscape: Pavers, Walls, Walks

Concrete Pavers

Count by square foot. A 6x9 paver is 0.375 SF; a 1,000 SF area needs about 2,670 pavers plus 5 to 10 percent waste for cuts. Also take off:

• Geotextile fabric — SF
• Crushed stone base (4 to 8 inches) — CY
• Concrete sand (1 inch setting bed) — CY
• Polymeric joint sand — bags
• Edge restraint — LF
• Spikes for edge restraint — per 10 spikes per 8 LF edge

Poured Concrete Walks

SF of surface area. 4 inch thick standard, 6 inch for driveways. Also take off:

• Base stone — CY
• Rebar or wire mesh — LF or SF
• Expansion joints — LF
• Saw cuts — LF
• Curing compound — SF

Retaining Walls

Face square footage = length x height. Also take off:

• Base material — CY (typically 6 to 12 inches of crushed stone)
• Drainage pipe behind wall — LF
• Washed gravel backfill — CY
• Geogrid reinforcement — SF (every 2 or 3 courses on taller walls)
• Cap block adhesive — tubes
• Top cap units — LF

Natural Stone Walls

Priced by the ton or by the face SF. Stacked dry-laid walls take about 1 ton per 15 to 25 face SF. Mortared walls take less stone but add mortar material and mason labor.

Steel Edging and Plastic Edging

Priced per LF. Steel edging is more durable and costs more. Plastic edging is quick to install but does not last as long.

Irrigation Takeoff

Heads and Emitters

• Pop-up spray heads (4 inch or 6 inch) — used for lawns under 15 foot radius
• Rotor heads — used for lawns 15 to 40 foot radius
• MP rotators — efficient hybrid, precipitation rate matched
• Drip emitters — 0.5, 1, or 2 gph, used in beds
• Drip line tubing — LF, with emitters at 12, 18, or 24 inch spacing

Pipe

• Main line — usually 1.5 to 2 inch PVC Schedule 40, under constant pressure
• Lateral lines — usually 3/4 to 1.25 inch PVC or poly
• Flex swing arms — at each head, absorb soil movement

Valves and Controller

• Zone valves — one per zone, typically 1 inch
• Valve boxes — rectangular or round, sized to fit valve count
• Master valve — at the supply, shuts off whole system
• Controller — station count matches zone count
• Rain sensor or smart weather device — required by many jurisdictions
• Backflow preventer — PVB (pressure vacuum breaker) or RP (reduced pressure)

Wire

Measure wire run from the controller to each zone valve. Add 10 percent for splices and slack. Common: 14 or 18 gauge multi-strand direct-burial wire.

Accessories

• Quick-coupler valves (for manual hose use)
• Hose bibs
• Drain valves at low points
• Flush valves at line ends

Landscape Lighting

Low-voltage landscape lighting is often a separate sub-trade. Count:

• Path lights
• Up-lights and down-lights
• Step lights
• Underwater lights (at water features)
• Transformer (sized by total fixture wattage plus 20 percent buffer)
• Low-voltage cable by LF
• Timer or smart controller

Site Furnishings and Extras

• Benches — each
• Trash receptacles — each
• Bike racks — each
• Bollards — each
• Planters — each
• Pergolas and arbors — each, often require engineering and footings
• Water features — lump sum or detailed piece count
• Decorative boulders — count and size (small 200-500 lb, medium 500-1,500 lb, large 1,500-5,000 lb)
• Signage and wayfinding — each

AI Landscape Takeoff

AI landscape takeoff software like PILRS reads the L sheets, identifies plant symbols, measures planting bed areas and lawn areas, measures hardscape in SF, and counts irrigation heads. What used to take half a day to a full day of manual counting and measuring finishes in 30 to 60 minutes.

What AI Does Well

• Counts plant symbols by type
• Measures lawn, bed, and hardscape areas
• Counts irrigation heads and measures pipe runs
• Links counts to the plant schedule
• Flags discrepancies between plan and schedule

What the Estimator Still Owns

Plant sourcing, soil and amendment scope, tree staking, warranty and maintenance period, and pricing judgment based on season and local availability.