How to Compare Landscape Proposals

When you’re holding two or three landscape proposals for the same project — one at $45,000, another at $65,000, maybe a third at $52,000 — the instinct is to compare bottom lines and pick the lowest. In our experience writing hundreds of proposals and reviewing competitors’ bids alongside homeowners across Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond, that instinct almost always leads to regret. The reason is straightforward: a $45K proposal and a $65K proposal for “the same backyard” are almost never quoting the same project. They differ in materials, plant sizes, drainage approach, site preparation, warranty terms, and dozens of details that don’t become visible until the work is underway — or worse, two years after it’s finished. Comparing proposals requires looking past the total and into the line items, the specifics, and the gaps. Here’s how to do that fairly, even if you’ve never read a landscape proposal before.

The short answer: because they’re not really for the same project.

Consider a backyard renovation in Kirkland. One company proposes Belgard Lafitt Rustic Slab pavers in Victorian for the patio; another just lists “pavers.” One specifies 3-gallon Cornus kousa at installation; the other lists “dogwood tree” with no size. One includes a 6-inch compacted gravel base, geotextile fabric, and a French drain behind the retaining wall; the other doesn’t mention drainage at all.

On paper, both proposals say “patio, retaining wall, and plantings.” The scope sounds identical. But the materials, preparation, and long-term performance are fundamentally different — and so is the cost.

Here’s what typically drives price variation across the proposals we see on Eastside properties:

• Material grade: The difference between a standard concrete paver and a premium natural stone can be $8–$15 per square foot installed. On a 400-square-foot patio, that’s $3,200–$6,000 in materials alone.
• Plant size at installation: A 1-gallon shrub costs $12–$18 at wholesale. A 5-gallon specimen of the same species runs $35–$65. Multiply across 40–60 plants, and the gap is substantial — and so is how the landscape looks on day one.
• Site preparation depth: A patio base can be 4 inches of gravel or 8 inches. The 4-inch base saves money up front and creates settling problems within two to three years, particularly in the clay soils that dominate Bellevue, Sammamish, and Issaquah.
• Drainage: Including or excluding drainage is the single biggest variable we see in competing proposals. A proper drainage system — French drains, catch basins, downspout rerouting — can add $3,000–$8,000 to a project. Leaving it out saves money now and creates foundation issues, plant failure, and patio heaving later.
• Warranty scope: A 1-year plant guarantee backed by follow-up care costs more to deliver than a 90-day guarantee with no follow-up. That cost is embedded in the proposal price.

We sat down with a Kirkland homeowner who had three bids for the same backyard renovation: $38,000, $52,000, and our proposal at $58,000. When we lined them up, the $38,000 bid specified a 4-inch gravel base under the patio (we specified 6 inches), listed “assorted shrubs” with no species or container sizes (we specified 5-gallon plants by cultivar name), included no drainage plan whatsoever (we included a French drain system routed to a catch basin), and offered a 90-day plant guarantee (ours is one year with follow-up visits). The $52,000 bid was closer to ours in materials but excluded soil amendment in the planting beds and didn’t specify geotextile fabric under the patio base. Once we added the cost of what the lower bids excluded — roughly $4,000 for adequate drainage, $2,500 for soil amendment, $1,800 for upsizing the plants — the $38,000 bid was actually a $46,000 project with a thinner base and a shorter warranty. The gap wasn’t about efficiency. It was about what was in the box.

A proposal that’s worth signing should read less like a quote and more like a project plan. After writing proposals for four decades, we’ve found that thoroughness protects both sides — the homeowner knows exactly what they’re paying for, and the company has a clear scope to execute against.

Here’s what we include in every Classic Landscaping proposal, and what we’d encourage you to look for in any bid you receive:

Not “install patio” but “install 425-square-foot patio using Belgard Lafitt Rustic Slab pavers in Victorian, set on 6-inch compacted gravel base with geotextile fabric separation layer, polymeric sand joints, soldier course border in Belgard Holland Stone Charcoal.” Every material named. Every dimension stated.

Every plant listed by botanical name (not just “ornamental grass”), with the container size at installation. There’s a meaningful difference between installing a 1-gallon Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ and a 3-gallon specimen — both in appearance and establishment success through the first Seattle summer.

How water moves across the property after construction changes the existing grade. Where French drains will run. How downspouts will be rerouted. What happens behind retaining walls. In western Washington, where we receive 37 inches of annual rainfall concentrated between October and April, any proposal that doesn’t address drainage is incomplete.

Start date, anticipated completion, and what happens if weather delays the schedule. Seattle’s construction season runs roughly April through October, with weather-dependent windows for concrete, grading, and planting. A company that can’t give you a timeline may not have the crew capacity to commit to one.

A clear breakdown of when payments are due, tied to project milestones — not just “50% deposit, 50% on completion.” Milestone-based payments protect you because they create natural checkpoints where you can evaluate progress before releasing funds.

What’s covered, for how long, and what the homeowner’s responsibilities are during the warranty period. A plant guarantee should specify the duration (one year is the standard at Classic), what constitutes a valid claim, and whether follow-up care is included.

Who pulls the permits, who pays for them, and what inspections are required. In King County, retaining walls over 4 feet, significant grading work, and structures like pergolas often require permits. If the proposal is silent on permits, ask why — and whether the work requires them.

How the crew will access the work area, where materials will be staged, and how existing landscaping, driveways, and neighboring property will be protected. On Eastside properties with narrow side yards, shared driveways, or mature tree root zones, this matters more than most homeowners realize until a skid steer cracks a driveway or compacts soil over established roots.

Two items we include that frequently don’t appear in competitors’ proposals: tree protection plans for properties with mature specimens near the work area — specifying root zone fencing at the drip line per ISA best practices (ANSI A300 Part 5), equipment exclusion zones, and no-cut root diameters — and irrigation winterization, which includes blowing out the system before the first hard freeze and a spring startup to check for cracked heads and zone coverage. On Eastside properties with significant tree canopy, the tree protection plan alone can save a homeowner $10,000–$30,000 in mature tree replacement if construction compacts soil or severs roots within the critical root zone. We also include a post-installation walkthrough scheduled 4–6 weeks after planting, which lets us check establishment, adjust irrigation zones, and address any settling in hardscape areas before they become problems.

Not every missing detail is intentional. Some companies write lean proposals because they’ve always done it that way. But certain omissions should make you pause and ask questions before signing.

“Pavers” instead of a named product. “Shrubs” instead of species and sizes. “Topsoil” instead of a specific blend. Vague specs make it impossible to compare proposals side by side and give the company room to substitute cheaper materials without technically breaking the agreement.

In our experience, the companies that don’t specify materials upfront are the same ones that show up with whatever their supplier had available that week. That may be fine for some projects — it’s not fine for a $40,000+ investment.

On any property in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Sammamish, or Issaquah — essentially anywhere west of the Cascades with clay soils — a proposal that doesn’t mention drainage is missing the most critical element. We’ve been called in to repair projects by other companies where a beautiful stone patio was installed directly over clay with no base drainage, and within two winters, frost heave and pooling water had displaced pavers across half the surface.

A single number — “$47,500 for backyard renovation” — with no line items. This makes it impossible to understand what you’re paying for, compare against other bids, or evaluate change orders if the scope shifts. Legitimate companies have nothing to hide in their pricing.

If the proposal doesn’t tell you when the work will happen and how long it will take, the company either doesn’t know or doesn’t want to commit. Neither is reassuring when you’re planning around the project’s impact on your daily life — especially if you have kids, pets, or work from home.

Industry standard in the Seattle market is 10–30% deposit to secure the schedule and order materials, with subsequent payments tied to milestones. A request for 50% or more upfront — before any work begins — puts you at risk if the company delays, disappears, or delivers substandard work.

One we see repeatedly: a proposal that lists “retaining wall — $12,000” as a single line item with no mention of wall height, total linear feet, material type, footing depth, drainage behind the wall, or whether geogrid reinforcement is included. On a Sammamish property last year, we reviewed a competitor’s proposal alongside the homeowner. The retaining wall line item was a lump sum with no engineering reference. The wall was 4.5 feet tall — above the 4-foot threshold where King County requires a building permit and engineered design. The competitor’s proposal didn’t mention permitting at all. An engineered wall at that height, with proper footing, drainage aggregate, perforated pipe, and geogrid, costs roughly $150–$250 per linear foot depending on material and site access. The competitor’s lump-sum pricing worked out to about $90 per linear foot — which doesn’t cover a properly engineered installation in our market.

“Apples to apples” is the phrase every homeowner uses when they’re trying to compare bids. The challenge is that most proposals arrive as different fruit entirely. Here’s a practical method for normalizing them.

List every major scope item — patio, retaining wall, plantings, drainage, irrigation, lighting, permits — as rows. List each company as a column. Then fill in exactly what each proposal includes for each item. This immediately reveals gaps.

Where proposals specify different materials, research the difference. “Belgard Lafitt Rustic Slab” and “Mutual Materials Holland Paver” are both concrete pavers, but they differ in thickness, texture, price, and warranty. You may prefer one over the other, but you need to know the difference to compare fairly.

If one proposal lists 5-gallon plants and another lists 1-gallon, ask the 1-gallon company what their price would be at the same size. The gap may narrow, or it may stay wide — either way, you’ll understand why.

This is where most price differences live. Common items that appear in one proposal and are absent from another:

• Soil amendment: Removing existing clay and importing planting mix. This can run $2,000–$5,000 on a typical Eastside backyard.
• Irrigation: A new drip system or sprinkler zone. Ranges from $1,500 for a simple drip zone to $8,000+ for a full property system.
• Landscape lighting: Path lights, uplighting, step lights. A basic package starts around $3,000; a comprehensive system can reach $12,000+.
• Permit fees: King County and individual city permits can run $500–$3,000 depending on the scope.
• Demolition and haul-away: Removing existing concrete, old plantings, or debris. Often $1,500–$4,000.
• Final grading and topsoil: Bringing the yard to finish grade after construction. Some companies include it; others treat it as an add-on.

Call each company and specifically ask: “What is NOT included in this number?” A company that answers that question honestly is one you can trust with the project.

In a traditional arrangement, you hire a landscape designer to create the plan, then solicit bids from separate contractors to build it. The designer’s fee is separate from the construction bid. The contractors are interpreting someone else’s vision. And when a problem arises during construction — the designer specified a plant that’s unavailable, the grading doesn’t work the way the plan assumed, the retaining wall needs an extra course — nobody owns the gap.

In a design-build model, one company handles both design and construction. The proposal reflects a complete scope because the same team that designed the project will build it. They know what the materials will cost because they’ve priced them. They know what site preparation will require because they’ve walked the property with construction in mind, not just design aesthetics.

At Classic Landscaping, our proposals are written by the same team that will execute the work. When we specify “6-inch compacted gravel base,” it’s because our construction manager has evaluated the soil conditions on your specific property and determined that’s what’s needed — not because a generic spec sheet says so.

This doesn’t mean design-build proposals are always cheaper. They’re often more thorough, which means they include items that lean proposals from other companies omit. But what you see is what you get — and that clarity is worth more than a lower number that grows through change orders once the work is underway.

A Bellevue homeowner came to us after accepting a lower bid from another company for a full backyard renovation — patio, planting beds, and a short retaining wall. The competitor’s bid was $41,000. Ours had been $56,000. Three months into the project, the homeowner had approved $11,000 in change orders: $4,200 for drainage that wasn’t in the original scope (but was necessary once excavation revealed the water table), $3,800 for soil amendment and larger plant sizes after the homeowner saw how sparse the 1-gallon material looked, and $3,000 for a permit and engineering for the retaining wall that turned out to be 6 inches taller than the original plan once finish grade was established — putting it over the 4-foot King County permit threshold. The final cost was $52,000, with a thinner base, a shorter warranty, and the stress of mid-project surprises. Our $56,000 proposal had included all of those items from the start. The $15,000 gap at signing was really a $4,000 gap — and the homeowner would have had a smoother process and stronger warranty for the difference.

Once you have proposals in hand, these questions help you evaluate them beyond the numbers:

1. “Can you walk me through each line item?” — A company that can explain every number builds confidence. One that can’t may not have put serious thought into the estimate.

1. “What’s your allowance process for materials I haven’t selected yet?” — If the proposal includes an allowance for, say, natural stone, ask what happens if your actual selection costs more. Is the allowance realistic, or deliberately low to keep the bid competitive?

1. “What’s excluded from this proposal?” — Ask directly. Irrigation, lighting, permit fees, soil amendment, and final cleanup are the most common exclusions.

1. “How do you handle change orders?” — What’s the markup? Is there a minimum? Do you need written approval before the work happens?

1. “What does your warranty NOT cover?” — Every warranty has limits. Understanding the exclusions matters more than understanding the coverage.

1. “Who is my point of contact during construction?” — One person with authority to make decisions keeps projects on track. A rotating cast of project managers creates communication gaps.

1. “Can I speak with a homeowner whose project was similar in scope to mine?” — Not just any reference — a reference for a project that matches yours in complexity and budget. A company that’s built 2,000+ landscapes across the greater Seattle area should be able to provide this without hesitation.

For a deeper list, see our guide on questions to ask any landscape company before signing.

The most expensive surprises in landscape construction aren’t the ones on the page. They’re the ones that were never mentioned. Here are the most common exclusions we see across proposals in the Seattle market — items that homeowners assume are included but frequently aren’t:

• Irrigation system: Many proposals cover plantings but not the system that keeps them alive through Seattle’s dry summers (mid-June through September). A new irrigation system can add $3,000–$10,000 depending on zones and property size.
• Landscape lighting: Assumed by homeowners, excluded by many contractors. Low-voltage LED path and accent lighting runs $3,000–$12,000.
• Soil amendment: Eastside clay soil typically needs to be amended or replaced in planting beds. Importing quality planting mix runs $45–$65 per cubic yard delivered, and a typical backyard renovation might need 15–30 yards.
• Permit and inspection fees: Varies by city. Seattle, Bellevue, and Kirkland each have different requirements and fee schedules.
• Arborist report: Required by many Eastside cities before removing or significantly impacting trees above a certain diameter. Reports typically cost $300–$800.
• HOA review: Some communities require architectural review board approval, which adds 2–6 weeks to the timeline.
• Sealing and ongoing maintenance: Paver sealing, wood staining, and seasonal maintenance are almost never included in construction proposals.

When you’re comparing proposals, add these items to every bid that excludes them. The $45,000 proposal that doesn’t include irrigation, lighting, and soil amendment is actually a $55,000–$65,000 project — and suddenly it’s not the low bid anymore.

A proposal grounded in a real site visit will reference specific conditions on your property. It will mention the slope in your backyard, the mature cedar along the fence line whose root zone constrains where a patio can go, the downspout on the south side that dumps water into the lawn, or the fact that your neighbor’s addition blocks afternoon sun from the west planting bed.

A template proposal uses generic language. “Install plantings as per design.” “Grade for positive drainage.” “Retaining wall per engineering requirements.” These phrases could apply to any property in any city. They suggest that the company priced your project from a desk, not from your yard.

In our experience across properties from Mercer Island to Woodinville, the most significant cost variables — drainage, access, soil conditions, existing root zones, grade changes — can only be accurately assessed on-site. A company that hasn’t spent meaningful time on your property hasn’t priced your project. They’ve priced a generic version of it.