How do you take off a landscape plant schedule?

What is in a landscape plant schedule?

A plant schedule is the table on a landscape plan that lists every plant by code, botanical name, common name, pot or container size and, for mass planting, density. It is the key that links the symbols and codes on the planting plan to the stock you will price and order.

Read the whole schedule before you count anything. Note which codes are trees, which are shrubs and groundcovers placed individually, and which are mass planted at a stated density. Check whether the schedule includes its own quantity column, because that becomes the total you reconcile against later.

Also read the notes around the schedule and the planting specification. They often set out the mature size or height at supply, staking requirements, installation details and any provisional or PC items. Our guide to the documents needed to price a landscape tender covers where each of these usually sits.

When do you count plants and when do you measure area?

You count plants when the planting plan shows each one as its own symbol, and you measure area when the plan shows a hatched or outlined bed with a code and a density. Trees, feature shrubs and specimen plants are almost always shown individually. Groundcovers, grasses and low shrubs are often shown as mass planting.

Many plans mix both methods in one bed, such as a mass planted groundcover with individual shrubs through it. Take each off by its own method, and if the intent is unclear, ask.

How do you calculate mass planting quantities?

Mass planting quantity is the net bed area in square metres multiplied by the density stated in the plant schedule, in plants per square metre, rounded up to whole plants. The density must come from the schedule or specification for that code, never from habit or a general rule.

Where the schedule gives a spacing instead of a density, convert it using the method the documents describe, or query it. Where it gives neither, raise a tender query and state your assumption in your clarifications. A density assumed silently is a quantity nobody can check.

Measure the net planted area, not the gross bed outline. Exclude paths, tree pits shown separately, maintenance strips and anything else inside the bed that is not planted. Our guide on calculating topsoil, mulch and turf quantities uses the same bed areas, so measure them once and use them for both.

How do you work through a plant takeoff?

A plant takeoff is a repeatable sequence. The figures below are made-up example figures, not recommended densities or quantities; always use the ones in your own tender documents.

1. List every code from the schedule. Set up one row per code with species, pot size and whether it is counted or mass planted.
2. Check the drawing scale. Confirm the scale on each sheet before measuring anything.
3. Count individual plants by code. Mark each symbol as you count it so nothing is counted twice. Made-up example figure: 38 shrubs of code SH-04.
4. Measure mass planted beds by code. Take the net area of each bed. Made-up example figure: 120 m2 of groundcover code GC-02.
5. Apply the scheduled density. Made-up example figure: if the schedule states 4 plants per m2, 120 m2 x 4 = 480 plants.
6. Total each code across all sheets. Add every bed and every sheet together for each code.
7. Reconcile against the schedule. Compare each total with the schedule quantity and note any difference.
8. Record the source. Note the drawing number and revision for every count and area.

Takeoff software keeps a marked-up record of every count and area. Our guide on how to do a landscape quantity takeoff covers the general setup.

How do you reconcile plan counts with schedule totals?

Reconciling means comparing your measured total for each plant code with the quantity printed in the schedule and explaining every difference. Schedule totals are often prepared at a different stage from the plan, so they do not always match.

Where a difference appears, recheck your own count first. If it still does not match, list the difference by code and raise it as a tender query. In your tender clarifications, state which figure you have priced so the head contractor knows the basis of your price.

Also check that every code on the plan appears in the schedule and every code in the schedule appears on the plan. An orphan code on either side usually means a revision was not carried through.

How should trees be taken off?

Trees should be taken off as individual counts by species and size, with every associated item listed as a separate line. A tree on a commercial job is rarely just a tree: the details usually add stakes and ties, root barrier, tree pit excavation, structural or planting soil, irrigation and sometimes tree grates or surrounds.

Read the tree planting detail closely. Measure root barrier as a length or by the unit the bill asks for, tree pit soil as a volume and staking per tree as specified. Larger stock may need machine or crane lifting and traffic or access management, which belongs in your preliminaries or as its own item.

What about substitutions and stock availability?

Substitution is replacing a specified plant with a different species or size, and in a tender you should price what is specified unless the documents allow alternatives. If a species or size looks hard to source, say so in a clarification and offer a named alternative separately.

Confirm availability with your nurseries while you price, not after award. Ask about current stock, the lead time to grow on or hold stock for the programme, and any cost to reserve it. Lead times vary by species, size and season, so get them from the nursery for each job.

After award, substitutions usually need the landscape architect's or superintendent's approval. Check the contract for how that is handled and whether a change in stock could become a variation.

How do you present plants in the bill of quantities?

Plants in a bill of quantities are best grouped by pot or container size, with each species as its own line showing code, botanical name, quantity and unit. Grouping by size matches how nurseries quote and how install labour is usually priced.

Keep trees, individually placed plants and mass planting in clearly separated groups, and carry staking, root barrier and tree pits as their own lines. If the head contractor has supplied a bill of quantities, follow its structure and check its quantities against your own takeoff rather than pricing them blind.

Our guide on quoting softscape vs hardscape covers how the planting lines are then priced.

Summary table

The table below sets out how each type of planting item is measured and what to check before it goes into the bill.

Frequently asked questions

What is a plant schedule on a landscape drawing?

A plant schedule is the table on a landscape plan that lists every plant by code, botanical name, common name, pot or container size and, for mass planting, density. It is the key that links the symbols and codes on the planting plan to the stock you price.

How do you calculate plant numbers for mass planting?

Measure the net area of each mass planted bed in square metres and multiply it by the density stated in the plant schedule, in plants per square metre. Round up to whole plants. If the schedule gives no density, raise a tender query rather than assuming one.

What if my plant count does not match the schedule total?

Recheck your count first, then list each difference by code and raise it as a tender query. State in your clarifications which figure you have priced, your own count or the schedule total, so the head contractor knows the basis of your price.

Should trees be priced separately from other plants?

Yes. Trees carry extra items such as stakes and ties, root barrier, tree pit excavation and soil, and sometimes crane or machine lifting. Price the tree itself by size and list each associated item as its own line so nothing is lost inside a single rate.

Can you price a substitute plant in a landscape tender?

Price the plant as specified unless the documents allow alternatives. If a species or size looks hard to source, say so in a clarification and offer a named alternative separately. Substitutions after award usually need the landscape architect's approval, so check the contract.

How should plants be set out in a bill of quantities?

Group plants by pot or container size, then list each species as its own line with its code, quantity and unit. Keep trees, mass planting and individually placed plants clearly separated, and carry associated items such as staking as separate lines.

Key takeaways

• Read the whole plant schedule and its notes before counting: codes, species, pot sizes and densities.
• Count individually shown plants; measure mass planting as net area x the density in the schedule.
• Never assume a density or spacing: if the schedule does not give one, raise a tender query.
• Reconcile every code against the schedule total and state which figure you priced.
• Take off trees by species and size, with staking, root barrier and tree pits as separate lines.
• Check stock availability and lead times with nurseries while pricing, and group the bill by pot size.