PLSC 341
Landscape Bidding and Estimating
Course Syllabus, Fall Semester 2005
Department of Plant Sciences, NDSU

Instructor: Dr. Ron Smith

Credits: One

Contact Address and Various Numbers:
         166 H Loftsgard Hall
         Phone: 231-7123
         E-mail: ronald.smith@ndsu.edu

Office Hours: Open - Best by appointment with Robin

Class Meeting Times: 8 AM, Tuesday & Thursday
         Location: 217 Walster Hall
         Class will run from August 23rd through October 13th
         Final Exam will be on the 18th

Prerequisites: Major in horticulture business, design, or landscape architecture. Junior/senior status preferred.

Textbook: None required; several will be suggested throughout the course.

Expected Outcomes:

  1. Competency in developing realistic bids/estimates for landscape
    projects.
  2. Competency in preparing contracts, specification for installing and maintaining landscapes.
  3. Competency in understanding the flow/control/costs of the work under contract.
  4. Knowing when and how to limit the scope of a landscape contract.
  5. Increased communication/presentation skills.


General Outline of Class Subject Matter:

  1. -Overview of landscape industry
    -Basic construction law
    -The bidding process
    -Contracts for landscape design and related services
    -Landscape maintenance contracts
    -Landscape installation contracts
    -Specifications
    -Breaches of contract and remedies
  2. -Overview of the estimating process
    -Preliminary bidding and estimating considerations
    -Estimating labor and equipment costs
    -Estimating materials and subcontract costs
    -Overhead expenses
    -Recap of project - costs, contingencies, and profit
  3. -Scheduling
    -Cash flow accounting
    -Mechanics' liens
    -Insurance and bonding
    -Attributes of a good manager
    -Developing and reviewing budgets and business plans

Grade Determination:

         Final exam 30%
         Assignments 30%
         Quizzes 30%
         Class participation 10%

Tentative Class Schedule/Topic Coverage:
     
August: 23rd Introduction to landscape contracting industry; history, pretest, assignments for semester
     
  25th Breaking into the business as a sole proprietor, evolving into partnerships, corporations. Contract negotiations; three phases of a bid - 1. Finished product/service; 2. General conditions; 3. Margins and markups.
     
  30th Understanding Income Statements and Balance Sheets; sales projections and budget developments; adjusting projections month-by-month, and their effect on bids; creating backlogs
     
September: 1st Quiz #1; Managing cash flow; building profit in every bid; handling accounts receivable with monthly invoice status reports
     
  6th Identifying costs in a job; materials, subs, equipment, and commissions.
     
  8th Getting A Loan; Selling yourself to the lender - Guest speaker: Becky Olderness, loan officer, NEFCU Starting a landscape maintenance business; incentive prepayment for season
     
  13th Irrigation service business operations; establishing service call charges
     
  15th Quiz # 2: Landscape design business; ball-parking prices
     
  20th Design/Build Landscape Contracting business; residential and commercial
     
  22nd Continue
     
  29th Profit centers; evaluation of a center’s worth even without profits
     
October: 4th Executing a job after award; change orders; recaping. Selling maintenace
     
  6th Bidding a job the Valley Crest way
     
  11th Dealing with personal problems; examples
     
  13th IVN Conference - Ethics in business Guest speaker: Debora Dragseth, Business Prof. DSU
     
  18th Reports due; review for final
     
  20th Final Exam