Commercial office & hospitality plant scheme estimator
For office managers, workplace consultants and interior designers. Enter floor area, desks and light, and get a display schedule, a monthly maintenance fee and a three-year rental versus purchase comparison you can print as a proposal brief.
How the scheme is sized and priced
The estimator converts square feet to square metres (1 sq ft = 0.0929 m²), then applies the planting ratios we use on first surveys: one desk or shelf display for every three desks; one medium floor or trough display per 30m² of floor plus two for each meeting room and each breakout or kitchen zone; and one architectural specimen of 150–220cm per 150m², plus a matching pair for reception.
Rental with maintenance is priced per display: £5.50, £15 and £22 a month for the three sizes, with a contract minimum of £125 a month. Purchase prices are £38, £145 and £360 per display installed, followed by maintenance at 65% of the rental rate with a £95 floor. The 36-month comparison adds the purchase price, three years of maintenance and an allowance of 15% of the purchase price a year for replacing plants that decline, and sets that against three years of rental, which already includes replacements.
Light level changes the species, not the count. Deep-plan or north-lit floors get Aglaonema, Zamioculcas and Epipremnum; floors with windows on one or two sides take Philodendron, Dracaena and Calathea in self-watering troughs; glazed façades and atria carry Ficus, Monstera on moss poles and Kentia palms. Sites above 1,500m² move from fortnightly to weekly visits. A survey then refines the numbers around columns, fire routes and measured light at each position.
Commercial scheme questions
Still unsure? Email care@growtropic.co.uk with a photo of the plant and its roots — the nursery team replies Monday to Thursday.
What does the monthly fee include?
Plants, planters, installation, fortnightly visits by a horticultural technician, substrate moisture checks, biological pest control, cleaning and feeding, and 100% replacement of any plant that declines. There is no separate call-out charge.
How do you work out how many plants we need?
We start from one desk display per three desks, one medium floor or trough display per 30m² plus two per meeting room and breakout zone, and one architectural specimen per 150m² plus a pair for reception. A site survey then adjusts for columns, walkways, fire routes and actual light readings.
Is it cheaper to buy the plants?
Over three years, rental usually costs less once replacements are counted, because office plants fail more often than people expect after a move, a heating change or a holiday shutdown. Purchase suits clients who want to own the asset and are confident in the environment. The estimator shows both totals.