Evergreen Landscape Design and Build

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Evergreen Landscape Design and Build is a landscape design and installation company in Idaho. We design yards and build patios, walkways, retaining walls, planting beds and drainage, and we offer a monthly maintenance service for the yards we finish. A customer works with one company from the first sketch to the last plant.

Why this fits. A yard is one of the largest parts of a home, and many owners do not know where to start. They see a patio or a garden they like but cannot picture the cost, the permits, the drainage or the plants that will thrive in our climate. A small company that designs carefully, quotes clearly and builds what it designs earns referrals from neighbors, real estate agents and architects.

Here is what our numbers show. In Year 1 we plan about 60 design plans, 36 installation projects and 180 months of maintenance contracts (about 15 clients). That brings in sales of $487,200, growing to $1,400,311 by Year 5 as we add crews and maintenance clients. We expect a loss of about $48,500 in Year 1 because the equipment, crew and insurance are paid before the project calendar fills, then a profit of about $33,100 in Year 2, $83,600 in Year 3 and $131,800 by Year 5. Heavy equipment and crew pay are our largest costs, and the plan counts all of them.

We need $230,000 in total. Of that, $115,400 is startup costs (a used mini excavator, a dump truck and trailer, tools, a design computer, first materials, a license, insurance and a yard deposit), and the rest is cash for the first months. I am putting in $110,000 of my own savings and asking for a $120,000 equipment loan.

I am Colin Reyes, the owner and lead designer, with ten years in landscaping, including five as a designer and project lead for a larger company. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Evergreen Landscape Design and Build is a small, independently owned landscape design and installation company in Idaho, planned as a limited liability company (LLC). We serve homeowners and small commercial properties in our city and the towns around it.

Our mission. To design outdoor spaces that fit the way people live and the land they sit on, and to build them right.

What we believe. A good landscape starts with the land: slope, soil, sun and water. We design for drainage first, choose plants that suit our climate and water supply and give a written scope and price before work starts. We keep job sites clean, protect existing trees and call before we dig.

What we offer:
- Design plans. A site visit, measured sketches, plant lists and a scaled plan, delivered as a fee that can be applied to the build.
- Installation. Patios, walkways, retaining walls, planting beds, irrigation changes, lighting and drainage, built by our own crew.
- Monthly maintenance. Seasonal cleanup, pruning, mulching and plant care for the yards we build and others.
- Warranty. A written warranty on workmanship and on plants for the first growing season, with clear care instructions.

Who we serve. Homeowners, new home buyers, small businesses, churches and homeowner associations.

What we do not do. We do not take work that needs a licensed engineer or architect without one, build retaining walls or structures that require a permit without it, install plants that are invasive in our area or promise that every plant will survive without proper care.

How we are run. I am the owner and lead designer and I manage every project. A crew lead and two crew members work with me from Year 1, an office and estimating coordinator joins in Year 2 and the crew grows to seven by Year 5. An accountant keeps the books.

Where things stand today. We have quotes for the equipment and a used truck, a project contract and warranty reviewed by an attorney, a portfolio of about a dozen sample designs and early interest from four homeowners, a builder and a church. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

Homeowners often feel stuck with their yards. They may have a muddy slope, a patio that floods or a lawn that dies every summer. Hiring a designer and a separate builder means coordinating two companies, and some contractors build without a plan. Quotes can vary by thousands of dollars because each company imagines a different job.

Landscaping also has risks. Poor drainage can send water toward a house. Retaining walls built without the right base can fail. Plants chosen without attention to sun, soil and water can die, and an owner may be told it was the owner's fault.

For a small landscape company, the hard parts are the cost of heavy equipment, building a portfolio, winning the first projects, scheduling crews around weather and keeping crews busy in the slow winter months.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Landscaping is a real and steady home improvement, and good designers who also build earn repeat work. We do not know how fast projects will come, so our plan assumes a loss in Year 1 and cash to cover it. We will use current local numbers on housing, home values and competing companies in our final plan and will not overstate them.

Products & Services

Evergreen Landscape Design and Build will design the space, build it right and take care of it afterward.

How it works, step by step:
1. First visit. We walk the property with the owner, listen to how they use the space, measure, photograph and check slope, drainage, sun and soil.
2. Design. We prepare a plan with a layout, plant list and materials, usually with two options, and review it with the owner.
3. Quote. We give a written scope and price, including permits, utilities calls and a schedule.
4. Contract. The owner signs a clear agreement and pays a deposit. We schedule the work and order materials.
5. Build. Our crew prepares the site, builds hardscape and drainage first, then plants and mulches, protecting existing trees and lawns.
6. Review. We walk the finished project with the owner, explain plant care and give a written warranty.
7. Maintain. Customers can sign a monthly or seasonal maintenance plan so the yard keeps looking good.
8. Follow up. We check on the plants after 30 days and again at the end of the first season.

Why this approach is strong. One company handles design and construction, so what is drawn is what gets built. A warranty and a maintenance plan keep customers happy after the job is done.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: homeowners, new home buyers, small businesses, churches and homeowner associations in our city and the towns around it.

Our primary group is homeowners with a yard they want to improve, often when buying a home, adding a deck or remodeling. Our secondary group is small commercial owners and associations that need a design and a regular maintenance plan. We will use the most recent local numbers on housing, home sales and property values in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan about 60 design plans, 36 installation projects and 180 months of maintenance contracts (about 15 clients) in Year 1, growing to 140 design plans, 88 projects and 624 maintenance months (about 52 clients) by Year 5. Our Year 1 prices are about $1,400 per design plan, $9,500 per installation project and $340 per maintenance client each month, rising about 3% a year.

Demand data. Early interest from four homeowners, a builder and a church covers part of the first season. We do not count on any one customer. Installation work is busiest in spring, summer and fall, and slows in winter.

We do not take every project. We decline work that needs a licensed engineer we cannot bring in, sites we cannot access safely and customers who want us to skip drainage or permits.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for customers, and what makes us different.

- Large landscape companies. They have big crews and many services but may give small projects low priority. We offer a designer on every project.
- Other small design-build companies. Some are excellent. We compete on drainage, planting choices and clear quotes.
- Design-only studios and landscape architects. They produce beautiful plans. We offer the plan and the build under one contract.
- Handymen and general contractors. They may build a patio quickly but may not plan for drainage or plants. We design first.
- Do-it-yourself with big-box materials. It saves labor cost but risks mistakes. We offer professional work and a warranty.

What makes us different.
- A designer who also builds and stays on the project.
- Drainage and soil checks before design.
- A written scope, price and warranty.
- A maintenance plan for yards we finish.

What we do not claim. We are new. Larger companies have bigger crews and equipment fleets. We plan to earn trust one yard at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach customers.

Portfolio and online. A website with before-and-after photos, a design gallery and a request form, a Google business listing, reviews from every customer and a modest monthly budget for search ads.

Real estate agents, builders and architects. We will meet agents, home builders and architects, bring a portfolio and offer a quick design consult for their clients.

Neighborhoods and yard signs. A sign at each project, with the owner's permission, and a referral discount for neighbors.

Home shows and community events. We will take a booth at one or two home and garden shows a year and offer a free yard walk.

Maintenance customers. Every installation customer is offered a maintenance plan, and we look for yards that need regular care.

Pricing. About $1,400 per design plan, $9,500 per installation project and $340 per maintenance client each month in Year 1, quoted in writing.

Operations Plan

How the business will run.

Setup (the 3 to 4 months before the first project). We will form the LLC, get an EIN, open a business bank account, get the contractor license and registrations our state requires, buy and test the equipment and truck, rent a yard, set up estimating software, build a portfolio and write the contract and warranty.

The yard. A rented equipment yard for the truck, the excavator and material storage. Rent is $12,000 a year in Year 1.

Equipment. We buy about $88,000 of equipment once at the start: a used mini excavator with attachments ($38,000), a used dump truck and equipment trailer ($42,000), a compactor, saws and hand tools ($6,200) and a design computer, software and a drone for site photos ($1,800). Later years add or replace equipment.

Staffing. In Year 1: I serve as owner and lead designer. A crew lead, paid $46,000 a year, and two crew members, paid $35,000 a year each, work with me. The crew grows to 3 in Year 3, 4 in Year 4 and 5 in Year 5, with a second crew lead in Year 4. An office and estimating coordinator, paid $28,000 a year, joins in Year 2.

Costs. Materials, subcontractors and disposal are about $190 per design plan, $5,900 per installation project and $160 per maintenance client each month in Year 1. Truck and equipment fuel and repairs are about $16,000 a year, insurance about $14,000, marketing and project photography about $14,000 and software about $3,600.

Safety and compliance. We call before every dig, follow trench and equipment safety rules, hold the licenses our state requires and pull permits for work that needs them.

Payments. Customers pay a deposit, progress payments and a final payment. About $43,848 is owed to us at the end of Year 1.

Insurance. We carry general liability, commercial auto, equipment coverage and workers' compensation.

Management & Organization

The people who will run Evergreen Landscape Design and Build.

Colin Reyes, owner and lead designer. Ten years in landscaping, including five years as a designer and project lead for a larger company, where he managed crews and wrote estimates. He leads design, sales, projects and finance. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Crew lead (from Year 1). Runs the daily work on site. A second crew lead joins in Year 4.

Landscape crew members (from Year 1). Build and plant to the plan.

Office and estimating coordinator (part-time, from Year 2). Handles scheduling, material orders and invoices.

Outside advisors. A landscape architect, an attorney, an accountant, an insurance broker and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: owner and lead designer $56,000, crew lead $46,000, landscape crew member $35,000 and office and estimating coordinator $28,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them.
- Before the first project (3 to 4 months ahead): get equipment and truck quotes, form the LLC, get an EIN and the contractor license, rent the yard, build a portfolio and book at least 10 design consultations.
- Year 1: a crew of three, about 60 design plans and 36 installation projects; $487,200 in sales and a loss of about $48,500.
- Year 2: an office coordinator, about 90 design plans and 52 projects and about 25 maintenance clients; $743,660 in sales and a profit of about $33,100.
- Year 3: a larger crew, about 110 design plans, 66 projects and 35 maintenance clients; $980,061 in sales and a profit of about $83,600.
- Year 4: a second crew lead, 126 design plans, 78 projects and 45 maintenance clients; $1,203,095 in sales and a profit of about $94,700.
- Year 5: a crew of seven, 140 design plans, 88 projects and 52 maintenance clients; $1,400,311 in sales and a profit of about $131,800.
Growth depends on winning and keeping customers, so treat the later years as goals, not promises.

What we check every week: design consultations, quotes sent, projects booked and finished, material cost per project, crew hours, maintenance clients and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total we are raising: $230,000.

How we got that number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds up three things:
- Startup costs of $115,400, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section: $38,000 for used mini excavator with attachments; $42,000 for used dump truck and equipment trailer; $6,200 for compactor, saws, pavers tools and hand tools; $1,800 for design computer, software and a drone for site photos; $6,500 for first stock of gravel, plants, mulch and edging for small jobs; $1,200 for contractor license and business registration; $3,200 for attorney: project contract, warranty terms and LLC setup; $6,000 for truck lettering, project photos and a website; $7,500 for insurance down payment; $3,000 for equipment yard deposit and first month.
- The cash the business uses before it breaks even, about $49,200. The truck, excavator and crew are paid before the first projects pay, and projects are billed in stages, so cash is needed to cover the early weeks of each job.
- A cash cushion of about $63,200: three months of Year 1 operating costs.
- Together, the cash used before break even and the cushion come to about $112,400, and the three pieces add up to about $227,750, rounded up to the nearest $500: $228,000.
We are raising $2,000 more than that, $230,000 in all, to cover a slower first season and the third crew member added in Year 3. With this funding, the lowest year-end cash balance is about $67,500, at the end of Year 1.

Where the money comes from:
- My own money: $110,000.
- Equipment loan: $120,000.

Kind of funding we are looking for. An equipment loan from a lender that finances trucks and construction equipment, with the equipment as collateral, backed by my own savings.

How we will pay it back. We expect a loss of about $48,500 in Year 1, a profit of about $33,100 in Year 2, a profit of about $83,600 in Year 3, a profit of about $94,700 in Year 4 and a profit of about $131,800 in Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank at the end of every year of the plan. Our loan is the equipment loan at 10.75% over 7 years, about $2,039 a month. That payment is already included in our cash flow. We chose these as cautious planning rates; ask the lender for the real rates, which may be lower or higher.

What we are offering the lender: the excavator, truck and trailer as collateral and my personal guarantee.

A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan:
- Phase 1: start with one used truck, rented equipment for larger jobs and a crew of two, which lowers startup costs and the loan.
- Phase 2: once projects are steady, buy the mini excavator, add the third crew member and the office coordinator and follow this plan.
To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match.

All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume and a personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form).
- Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov).
- Your contractor license or registration.
- Quotes for the excavator, truck and equipment.
- Your project contract, warranty terms and sample designs.
- Your insurance quotes.
- Letters of interest from homeowners, builders and churches.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Design Plans (per project): about $1,400 in Year 1, rising to $1,576; about $190 in direct costs, rising to $218; about 60 in Year 1, growing to 140.
- Installation Projects (per project): about $9,500 in Year 1, rising to $10,692; about $5,900 in direct costs, rising to $6,770; about 36 in Year 1, growing to 88.
- Monthly Maintenance Contracts (per client, per month): about $340 in Year 1, rising to $383; about $160 in direct costs, rising to $184; about 180 in Year 1, growing to 624.
- Installation projects average about $9,500 in Year 1 with about $5,900 in direct costs. Prices rise about 3% a year and costs about 3% to 4%.
- A second truck is added in Year 3 ($30,000), and the plan counts smaller amounts each year for tools and repairs.
- Pay (a full year, per person): owner and lead designer $56,000; crew lead $46,000; landscape crew member $35,000; office and estimating coordinator (part-time) $28,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: truck and equipment fuel and repairs $16,000, insurance (liability, vehicles, workers compensation) $14,000, equipment yard rent $12,000, marketing and project photography $14,000, estimating and project software $3,600, accounting and legal $5,000, payroll taxes $16,000. These grow between 4% and 12% a year.
- Startup equipment and later purchases ($88,000 in Year 1, then $6,000, $30,000, $8,000 and $6,000) are spread evenly over five years in the plan's books.
- Customers and payers pay about 33 days after service, so at the end of Year 1 about $43,848 is still owed to us. Income tax at 21%.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs