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Scope of works for the hard and soft landscaping package
Editor: Owen Hagger
Draft a landscaping subcontract scope with clear inclusions, exclusions and interfaces, closing the gaps with groundworks and drainage before you tender.
When to use it
When you're putting the external works packages out to tender. Landscaping sits between groundworks, drainage, external lighting and the building itself, so it's one of the packages where things most often fall through the gaps or get bought twice.
The prompt
You are an experienced UK main contractor quantity surveyor writing a subcontract scope of works for the hard and soft landscaping package on a [SIZE AND TYPE OF PROJECT]. My information: - Landscape drawings and specification (list or extracts): [PASTE] - Relevant planning conditions, for example an approved landscape plan, tree protection or biodiversity requirements: [PASTE] - What the groundworks, drainage and external services packages already include: [PASTE OR SUMMARISE] - Programme dates for the external works: [DATES] Write the scope with these sections: 1. Package description. 2. Inclusions, split into hard landscaping, soft landscaping, and establishment maintenance. 3. Exclusions, saying which package or party covers each one. 4. An interfaces table with columns: Interface, Other package, Who does what, Handover point. Cover at least formation levels and sub-base, drainage features in hard areas, ducts and lighting columns, ironwork and covers, building thresholds and level access, fencing and gates, and existing trees. 5. Attendances the main contractor provides. 6. Samples, testing, records and handover information. 7. Questions to resolve before this goes to tender. Rules: only use what's in my documents. Do not invent quantities, specifications or product names. Where the documents are silent or contradict each other, put it in section 7 instead of assuming. Use UK terms and spelling.
What it produced
A structured scope in seven sections, with inclusions split between hard works, soft works and maintenance, exclusions that each name who picks them up, an interfaces table covering the boundaries with groundworks, drainage, external services and the building, and a list of open questions where the drawings, specification or planning conditions didn't give an answer.
What you still check
- The interfaces table against the groundworks, drainage and external services scopes, so nothing is missed or bought twice.
- Planning conditions are fully reflected, including any landscape management or biodiversity commitments.
- The plant establishment and replacement period lines up with the main contract and the specification.
- Tree protection follows the arboricultural method statement, if there is one, and who is responsible for it is clear.
Steps
- Pull together the landscape drawings, specification, planning conditions and the neighbouring scopes.
- Run the prompt and work through the interfaces table with the groundworks and services scopes open beside it.
- Close out the section 7 questions with the design team before the package goes to tender.
Go further
- The full workflow, with an example output: Generate a Subcontractor Scope of Works
- Every workflow for this role: AI for Quantity Surveyors
- More ideas like this: daily ideas for Quantity Surveyors