The Property Manager’s Grounds Maintenance Checklist

Most commercial grounds contracts are compared on one number and then managed by complaint. That is how a property ends up with a vendor who is cheap in January and unreachable in July. A tighter scope up front makes bids comparable and makes performance enforceable.

What a real scope of work specifies

• Visit frequency by season — not just ‘as needed’. Growing-season and dormant-season frequencies should be stated separately.
• Turf: mowing, edging of all hard edges, line trimming, and blow-down of all hard surfaces every visit.
• Beds: weeding frequency, mulch cycles per year and depth, and edge definition.
• Shrubs and ornamentals: how many shaping rotations per year, and who handles anything above ladder height.
• Litter policing on every visit, including dumpster areas and parking islands.
• Seasonal color: how many rotations, and who pays for plant material.
• Irrigation: inspection frequency, who repairs, and that irrigation work is performed by a licensed irrigator.
• Storm response: expected timeline and whether it is included or billed separately.
• Reporting: service logs and photo documentation, and how often you receive them.

Insurance and compliance to require before work starts

• General liability, with a certificate naming your ownership entity as required.
• Workers’ compensation — and verify it covers grounds crews, not just office staff.
• Auto liability for vehicles operating on your property.
• A licensed irrigator for any irrigation repair or backflow work; in Texas this is a licensing matter, not a preference.
• A licensed applicator for chemical weed control.

Comparing bids fairly

Normalize every bid to the same annual visit count and the same scope, then divide. Ask each vendor how many crews they run and what happens when one is down. Ask who answers the phone on a Saturday. Ask for two references on properties of your type — apartment grounds are not the same job as an office park. And ask whether one vendor can cover grounds and the amenity pool, because consolidating them removes an entire category of coordination failure.

Red flags

• No written scope, just a monthly number.
• No proof of insurance, or a certificate that expires mid-contract.
• No documentation or reporting of any kind.
• Price that resets seasonally with no explanation.
• No named contact — only a general line.

SiteHarbor Commercial bids in this format on purpose: defined scope, stated frequencies, insurance documentation up front, one contact, and reporting you can forward to ownership without editing.