Key Questions For a Commercial Landscape Management Contract

Posted on by wrote in Commercial Landscape, Property Management.

Don’t Sign a Commercial Landscape Management Contract Before Asking These Vital Questions!

Any time you sign a landscape management contract, you need to be aware of what kind of agreement you’re entering. Sure, you could blindly autograph any document that is shoved in your face, but you may end up with a lifetime supply of knives from an infomercial and only one kidney.

While it’s highly unlikely that anything so dastardly would happen when signing a commercial landscape management contract, it’s important to remember that this is Florida, and anything can happen. As such, you need to ask the right questions before signing.

To help ease the anxiety you may be feeling and inspire the confidence to ensure you secure the best contract for your property, we’ve compiled this handy guide to the most vital questions you need to ask. With the appearance and health of your property on the line—not to mention your money—you want to be positive that the commitment you’re making is the right one!

calm lake with vibrant surrounding grass and palm trees

Is Safety Important to Them?

When hiring commercial landscape management professionals to work on your property, it is important to check their safety record. This may be a factor from a liability standpoint, but more importantly, it speaks to a company’s quality standards and the level of care they show their clients and employees.

Asking about safety programs is a start, but we recommend going a step farther. If possible, find data that gives evidence of safety standards rather than settling for face value and official-sounding lingo.

Do They Have Experience?

It would be silly to think a high school soccer player could suit up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers even though they’re both athletes, right? It’s one thing to have experience in a general field. It’s an entirely different thing to have experience with specific properties that are similar to yours. The same is true of commercial landscape management.

Every property is unique and has its own demands. Before signing a contract, ask for examples of similar properties the company has managed. You may even want to ask for references. Size, geography, type of plant life, and a myriad of other factors are at play here, so be sure to do your homework!

What Are Their Employees Like?

A commercial landscape management company is only as good as its employees, making this a subject that is an absolute must to address before signing a contract. The hiring process for landscape companies can be anything but standard, and certifications are often overlooked.

Be sure to explore how a company finds and hires its employees. This proves should exhibit how stringent the standards it holds its employees—and itself—are. You want experts and professionals working on your property, so look for a company who employs people who fit those criteria.

Certifications are also important to note. Make sure that all employees are federally approved—in other words, hire a company that employs legal workers. Beyond legality, we recommend finding a company whose employees are certified by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. This certification is referred to as Landscape Industry Certified or LIC.

Quality of work almost always correlates to the caliber of employee a company selects. However, the consequences can extend much deeper. Serious injury to individuals, equipment, and even property can occur if workers are underqualified or not held to high standards!

How Do They Measure Quality Work?

While quality work is expected in the world of professional services, it’s important that you ask questions about what a company’s standards are, how they measure quality of work, and what they do to ensure those standards are met.

The reason for this is twofold—how do they hold themselves and their employees accountable, and do they have policies in place to fix any issues that may arise? These types of systems speak to the seriousness with which a company approaches their craft and should act as a built-in assurance that there’s more to their business than just lip service.

A sunny Florida path is seen in this photo with bright spring blooms -- all of these are great examples of what you should plant in your Florid landscape this spring!

There are, of course, more questions to ask before signing a commercial landscape management company, but we hope this brief guide has given you a strong foundation on which to build your own unique parameters. At Landcrafters, we stand behind our work and take pride in not only the quality we offer but also the openness and honesty with which we handle our professional relationships.

For more landscaping information, check out our frequently updated blog. We would also be happy to hear from you via our contact page or by phone at (727)-201-3947!