A lawn care service contract is a written agreement between a professional lawn care specialist and a client. All the services that will be performed by the contractor should be listed in the document as well as the amount of compensation and the payment plan. Other important terms that are included in the agreement are the length of the relationship, the maintenance schedule, the independent contractor status of the provider, and the contact information of both parties.

Contents Benefits of a Service Contract Types of Lawn Care Services Cost Scheduling Residential vs. Commercial

Benefits of a Service Contract

Creating a written agreement between a lawn care service provider and a client ensures both parties understand the exchange of services and payment plan. Instead of relying on a verbal contract, the written agreement will have a list of all services that the provider will perform for them with the associated costs. Having an agreement also proves that the parties have a legal arrangement, and any warranties and guarantees made by the provider are in writing.

Types of Lawn Care Services

Lawn care service contracts vary depending on the needs of each client and their property. Service providers can be hired to complete any of the following tasks:

• Lawn mowing
• Weed whacking
• Fertilization and mulching
• Flowerbed maintenance and weed control
• Trimming and pruning trees, shrubs, hedges, etc.
• Maintaining irrigation systems
• Pool maintenance (i.e., maintaining the surrounding area and skimming the top for debris)
• Pest control

Cost

The cost of each service must be included in the agreement, and they will vary greatly depending on the size and shape of the lawn and which tasks are performed. The frequency of visits may also have an effect on the payment plan. There will often be additional charges for properties that have bigger yards, hills/inclines/obstructions, sprinkler systems, and if cleaning up after animals is needed before maintenance can start.

Scheduling

Not all properties will require frequent servicing, so the agreement should reflect the appropriate scheduling to account for this. Maintenance schedules can vary from weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, seasonal, or periodic (when the owner is away on vacation, business trips, etc.).

Residential vs. Commercial

A lawn care service contract can be used to enter into an independent contractor relationship with residential or commercial clients. The most notable difference between the two is the size of the job and length of the contract, with commercial work typically covering longer time periods and larger properties.

With residential jobs, the service contract will be between the property owner and the service provider, whereas commercial clients might be the property manager, superintendent, facilities director, etc.