Plant pricing can look like a straightforward multiplication exercise: quantity times unit cost. In a tender package, however, the schedule may be spread across drawings and specifications, supplier availability can differ by size, and delivery details can materially affect the number carried in a bid. A repeatable review makes those assumptions easier to see before close.
01 / Estimating
Start with the current tender documents
Before counting or requesting prices, confirm that the planting schedule, drawings, specifications and addenda are the current set. A species name or quantity may have changed in an addendum while an earlier sheet remains in the drawing package. Record the issue date or revision that your estimate uses, and keep a list of any missing or unclear documents.
Identify where the plant information lives. Some packages provide a consolidated schedule; others combine keyed symbols, plan callouts, notes and specification sections. Check whether alternates, optional areas, restoration zones or future phases belong in the base tender. It is much easier to resolve scope boundaries before sending a long quote request to suppliers.
02 / Estimating
Normalize species, sizes and quantities
Organize each line with the botanical name as specified, common name where useful, plant size or format, quantity, and any relevant note. Keep the specified size intact. A #2 container, a plug and a bare-root plant are not interchangeable simply because they share a species name; their cost, handling, availability and installation context differ.
Reconcile quantities between the schedule and drawings when the contract documents require it. Document the basis for any counts made from symbols, area ratios or planting details. If a drawing count conflicts with a schedule, do not quietly choose the larger or smaller number. Record the discrepancy and ask the appropriate project contact for direction.
03 / Estimating
Research supply and pricing deliberately
A useful supplier inquiry includes botanical name, specified size, quantity, required timing, delivery location and any known provenance or production requirements. Grouping information consistently makes responses easier to compare. Ask suppliers to identify quote validity, whether freight is included, what availability was checked and any conditions attached to a substitution or equivalent size.
In British Columbia, project location matters. The supplier options and freight considerations for Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley may differ from those for a more distant site. Treat availability as time-specific information rather than a permanent fact, and distinguish a budget price or availability indication from a confirmed reservation or order.
04 / Estimating
Make the estimate reviewable
Carry assumptions beside the relevant plant lines: date of supplier information, delivery basis, unpriced items, taxes or other exclusions, and any items requiring approval. If a line is priced from a comparable size or a proposed alternative, label it clearly and keep the specified item visible. Avoid merging distinct sizes into one number where that would conceal a scope difference.
Before tender close, perform a final scope check against the latest addenda and your internal bid inclusions. Confirm that quantities, units and delivery assumptions align across the takeoff and supplier responses. A clear plant estimate does not remove every risk, but it gives the bid team a better view of what has been checked and what still needs a decision.