Invoice app and templates for landscapers
Seasonal rushes, delivered materials and clients who want the same visit every week. Landscape invoices should make repeat work easy to bill.
Landscaping splits into two kinds of billing: the one-off job, such as a spring clean-up or a new bed, and the standing visit, such as weekly mowing. They need different invoices, and a business that bills both well can smooth out a seasonal year.
What makes landscaping invoices different
- Materials such as mulch, soil, stone and plants are delivered in bulk and priced by the unit, not the job.
- Disposal, dump fees and equipment hire are real costs that often get left off.
- Recurring clients are the steady base, and each visit needs a record even when the price does not change.
- Weather moves jobs around, so a visit may be rebooked and the invoice needs to match what was actually done.
What goes on a landscaping invoice
- Each task with crew hours and the rate, such as “spring clean-up, two-person crew”.
- Bulk materials with the quantity and unit, such as cubic yards of mulch, and the delivered price.
- Disposal and dump fees as their own lines.
- Equipment hire or delivery charges, if they are passed on.
- For a recurring service, the visit dates covered by the invoice.
Example: spring clean-up and new mulch
| Item | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring clean-up, two-person crew (hours) | 6 | $55.00 | $330.00 |
| Mulch, delivered (cubic yards) | 4 | $48.00 | $192.00 |
| Mulch spreading (hours) | 3 | $55.00 | $165.00 |
| Debris haul-away and dump fee | 1 | $40.00 | $40.00 |
| Total | $727.00 |
Total $727.00. The mulch is priced by the cubic yard, so if the client asks for another bed, the cost to add it is obvious.
Three billing problems landscapers run into
Materials priced as a guess
Measure the area, work out the volume, and quote the material by the unit. If the final quantity differs, the invoice can adjust cleanly.
Recurring clients billed late
A client who is billed monthly forgets what the visits were. Invoice at a regular time and list the visit dates.
Price rises that never happen
Fuel and labour costs rise every year. A short notice and a small rise each spring is easier than a big jump after years of none. Our guide on raising your prices shows how.
Estimates, deposits and getting paid
For design and install work, write an estimate that lists materials by quantity and the stages of the job, and ask for a deposit when you order plants or stone. For recurring visits, agree a price per visit or a monthly rate in writing.
How Invoice Mint fits landscaping
- Save your regular visits, hourly rates and materials, so repeat clients are quick to bill.
- Duplicate last month’s invoice and change the dates, instead of building it again.
- Send the invoice as a link from the property when the visit is done.
- See who has paid for the season and who has not.
How much do landscapers make?
In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts the median annual wage for grounds maintenance workers, the BLS category for landscaping and groundskeeping, at $40,080 as of May 2025, about $19.27 an hour. BLS reports pay for this group by the hour at the low and high ends, so the table shows those as hourly figures.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| The lowest-paid tenth earn less than | $15.01 an hour |
| Median wage | $40,080 ($19.27 an hour) |
| The highest-paid tenth earn more than | $28.10 an hour |
| Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035 | 5 percent |
These figures are for employees. BLS wage data does not include self-employed workers, so an owner’s income depends on the prices they charge, the work they win and the costs they carry. Say you want to take home the median, $40,080, and your truck, trailer, mowers, fuel, repairs and insurance cost $15,000 a year. If you can bill 1,200 hours (most of a self-employed year goes on quoting, driving, buying materials and paperwork), you need $45.90 for each billable hour just to get there, before tax and before any profit.
Do landscapers need a licence, and how do you learn the trade?
BLS says landscaping and groundskeeping workers typically need no formal educational credential, and that most training takes a month or less. It also says states may require licensing for workers who apply pesticides and fertilizers, so check the rules before you offer those services.
Taxes and costs when you run a landscaping business
In the United States, self-employed people pay self-employment tax of 15.3 percent, made up of 12.4 percent for Social Security and 2.9 percent for Medicare, on top of income tax. The IRS also says they may have to pay estimated tax every quarter. Costs that are specific to landscaping include:
- Trucks, trailers and equipment, with fuel and repairs that rise in season.
- Dump and disposal fees for debris and green waste.
- Insurance and any pesticide licence your area requires.
- Seasonal downtime, when income stops but costs do not.
- Replacement of blades, trimmer line and small tools.
Rules in Canada, Australia, the UK and elsewhere are different, so check with your own tax office. A habit that works everywhere: move a fixed share of every payment into a separate account the day it arrives, and ask an accountant what share suits your income.
Free tools for landscapers
- Free estimate template for contractors and small businesses A free, clean estimate template in PDF, Word and Excel. Fill in your lines and prices, send it, and win the job. Open
- Free invoice template for contractors and small businesses Free invoice templates in PDF, Word and Excel. Pick a style, add your lines and prices, and send a professional invoice. Open
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Service price calculator
Free service price calculator. Enter hours, your rate, costs and a profit markup to see what to charge for the job.
Open
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Markup and margin calculator
Free markup and margin calculator. Enter your cost and a markup, margin or price to see the selling price and profit.
Open
Common questions
How do I bill recurring lawn or garden visits?
Agree a price per visit or a monthly rate. Invoice on a regular schedule and list the dates of the visits covered, so the client can match the invoice to what they saw.
How should I price bulk materials?
By the unit, such as cubic yard, with the delivery included or listed separately. Measure the area first so the quantity is accurate.
Should I charge for dump fees?
Yes, if you pay them. List disposal as its own line so it is clear it is a cost of the job, not a hidden markup.
Is there a free landscaping estimate template?
Yes. The free estimate and invoice templates can be edited for landscaping and downloaded as a PDF, Word file or Excel sheet.
