Read the spec first
Read 32 90 00 Planting and 32 84 00 Planting Irrigation. Note the plant sizes, the soil preparation and the amendments. Read the maintenance period and the plant warranty. They cost labor after the install is done. In the irrigation section, note the pipe types and the controller.
Sheets and schedules that carry the count
- The planting plan. It shows each plant as a symbol.
- The plant schedule. It lists species, size, spacing and quantity.
- The irrigation plan. It shows heads, valves, mainline and laterals.
- The irrigation legend. It ties each symbol to a product.
- The planting and irrigation details.
- The civil site plan, for the limits of landscape areas and sleeves.
Steps in order
- Count each plant symbol on the planting plan, by species and size.
- Compare your count with the plant schedule.
- Measure sod, seed, mulch and rock by area.
- Work out groundcover quantities from the area and the spacing.
- Work out topsoil and mulch volume from the area and the depth.
- Measure edging and root barrier by length.
- Count irrigation heads, valves, valve boxes and controllers.
- Measure mainline, lateral pipe, drip line and control wire by size.
Count, length, area or volume
- Count: trees, shrubs, heads, valves, controllers and boulders.
- Length: edging, pipe by size, drip line, wire and sleeves.
- Area: sod, seed, mulch, rock, weed fabric and drip zones.
- Volume: topsoil, amendments, mulch and rock.
Conflicts to find, and what to exclude
- The plant schedule quantity differs from the symbols on the plan.
- The schedule lists a plant size. The spec states a different minimum size.
- The irrigation plan stops at a point of connection that the civil plan does not show.
- Nobody states who installs sleeves under paving.
- The spec depth for topsoil differs from the detail.
Many plant schedules say the plan governs over the listed quantity. Read that note before you trust either number. State who supplies the water meter, the backflow preventer and power to the controller. Qualify fine grading, imported topsoil and the maintenance period.
Trade takeoffs · Updated 11 Nov 2026