Greenhouse & Irrigation CAPEX Calculator.
Estimate the indicative capital cost of a greenhouse and irrigation project by area, structure type, irrigation system and automation tier — then see the financing tracks that typically match a project of that size.
How do you build a greenhouse and irrigation CAPEX estimate?
CAPEX is assembled bottom-up: structure, covering, climate, irrigation and fertigation, energy, growing system, site works, engineering, logistics and contingency — each per m² or as a lump sum for the project scope.
- Site works and civils are excluded from most supplier quotes — budget separately.
- Freight, duties and installation can add 12–25% to FOB equipment cost.
- Hold 8–12% contingency until the technical specification is frozen.
- A structured CAPEX table is the foundation of a bankable RFQ.
Project inputs
All values are editable. Ranges are global indicative averages.
- Greenhouse structure & climateUS$945K – US$2.9M
- Irrigation & fertigationUS$13K – US$42K
- Engineering, install & contingencyUS$115K – US$644K
Global indicative ranges only. Real quotes depend on specification, geography, energy strategy and supplier. Not a financial or engineering commitment.
Suggested financing for a project around US$2.3M.
Indicative financing tracks that typically fit a project of this size. Final structure depends on jurisdiction, sponsor balance sheet, offtake and equipment origin.
Structured long-tenor debt against project cash flows — typical for CEA and Venlo builds.
Explore Project financeOECD ECA cover for imported greenhouse structures, climate and fertigation systems.
Explore Export credit (ECA)Off-balance-sheet leasing on pumps, pivots and greenhouse mechanicals.
Explore Equipment leasingDocumentary and standby letters of credit to secure supplier commitments.
Explore LC / SBLC / trade linesReady to move from estimate to bankable brief?
A dedicated sourcing specialist opens your RFQ to the full field of qualified global greenhouse, irrigation and energy suppliers, and introduces the financing tracks that match the project size and jurisdiction.
Want the reasoning behind these numbers? Read our commercial greenhouse cost guide — CAPEX ranges by structure, crop and technology level.
What the estimate includes
- Structure, cladding, foundations
- Ventilation, screens, cooling
- Climate control & CO₂ (per tier)
- Driplines / pivots / sprinklers
- Fertigation head, dosing, EC/pH
- Filtration and disinfection
- Design & engineering
- Freight, installation & commissioning
- Spares and 12–22% contingency
Not included: land, permits, roads, connection to grid, buildings outside the greenhouse footprint, first-crop working capital, and site-specific soil, water or seismic works.
Tell us five things and we route your brief
These fields decide which specialist and which suppliers see your request. Nothing is submitted here — your answers are carried into the private RFQ.
SeedMatchGroup works on commercial projects from USD 250K. Smaller budgets are still reviewed, but sourcing depth is limited.
A sourcing specialist shortlists reviewed providers for your scope and returns comparable offers. Supplier details stay with us — all communication runs through SeedMatchGroup.
Estimate only: these figures are indicative planning numbers, not a quotation. Final pricing, specifications and lead times come from supplier offers after your brief is reviewed.
What can change the result?
This is a preliminary planning estimate based on the values you entered. The variables below usually move the outcome most, and should be confirmed with an agronomist, engineer and supplier offers before final design.
- Growing area and layout — hectares alone are not a greenhouse specification
- Greenhouse type and technology level (tunnel, naturally ventilated, high-tech)
- Structure specification, wind and snow loads, and site civil works
- Growing system (soil, substrate, hydroponic) and plant density
- Project country: duties, freight, installation cost and permitting
Frequently asked questions
Plan the project around the numbers
A calculator output is a starting point. Pair it with the planning guides below to align timeline, irrigation, budget and risk before you launch an RFQ.
One private brief, specialist review, private supplier research and a like-for-like comparison.
Month-by-month schedule from concept to first harvest across 9 stages.
Design principles for drip, pivot, fertigation and filtration on commercial projects.
How CAPEX, working capital and operating cost drive the project business case.
The ten most expensive planning and procurement pitfalls — and how to avoid them.
Procurement answers behind these numbers
A model output only holds if the scope, contract route and delivery terms match the assumptions. These reference answers cover the commercial decisions that move the figure.
- Turnkey EPC vs separate equipment packages
- What belongs in a greenhouse equipment specification
- Normal payment milestones in equipment contracts
- Which Incoterms to use for greenhouse and irrigation equipment
- How long a commercial greenhouse takes from order to handover
- What is normally the owner's scope on a greenhouse project
Turn this estimate into a project brief
Send these figures to the greenhouse RFQ form. Your inputs and results are attached to the brief, a sourcing specialist reviews it, and only then are suitable suppliers or project partners approached.
Send estimate to the RFQ formBuying more than once? Save these project details to your buyer profile so your site, crop, budget and timeline are pre-filled on every future request.
Indicative only. Not financial advice, not agronomic advice, not engineering design. Final numbers require supplier, agronomist, engineer and local regulatory review.
Indicative only
- This tool is indicative only.
- It is not financial advice.
- It is not agronomic advice.
- It is not engineering design.
- Final numbers require supplier, agronomist, engineer and local regulatory review.
SeedMatch Group is an independent agricultural project sourcing and RFQ platform. We are not a farm, seed producer, fertilizer manufacturer, irrigation manufacturer, greenhouse builder, EPC contractor, lender or financial advisor. Supplier and project partner outreach is handled only after a commercial project brief is reviewed.
Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. SeedMatch Group does not provide automatic buyer-supplier introductions. Every agriculture project request is reviewed manually by David / SeedMatch Group, and supplier introductions are made only after internal approval.