Landscaping Contracts: How to Win Recurring Work

Types of landscaping contracts

Landscaping contracts come in several forms, depending on the client and property type. Understanding the different types of landscaping contracts can help you focus on opportunities that match your company’s size, crew capacity, and growth goals.

Broadly, there are three main types:

• Residential: Ongoing maintenance or seasonal services for homeowners, HOAs, or multi-unit residential properties, often focused on lawn mowing and cleanup.
• Commercial: Recurring services for offices, retail centers, institutions, and other large outdoor spaces that have detailed scopes of work for grounds maintenance.
• Government: Contracts issued by local, state, or federal agencies for public properties such as parks, schools, roadsides, and municipal buildings.

Government contracts tend to be awarded to service providers through a structured bidding process. Commercial contracts may be granted under an RFP (request for proposal) process.

The different types of contracts can also be broken down by the kinds of landscaping services you’ll provide:

• Design and installation: Project-based agreements for landscape construction, upgrades, or large installations that may lead to ongoing maintenance contracts.
• Maintenance: Long-term agreements focused on routine landscaping and lawn care services like mowing, trimming, irrigation checks, fertilization, and seasonal cleanups.
• Seasonal/annual services: Contracts covering specific timeframes or services, such as snow removal, spring and fall cleanup, or planting seasons.

How to get landscaping contracts

To find and win landscaping contracts, you’ll need to have the right systems in place. Potential clients look for clear pricing and proof that your landscaping company can handle ongoing work at scale. 

The steps below outline how most successful landscaping professionals get their contracts:

• Define your ideal client. Decide whether you want contracts with residential, commercial, or government clients, or a mix of all three. Each has different requirements, so narrowing your focus helps you prepare and bid more effectively.
• Build a portfolio. Clients want proof you can manage properties like theirs. Document completed work, recurring maintenance accounts, property sizes, and service frequency. Include photos and descriptions with measurable results to show your credibility.
• Standardize your services. Create clear service packages for maintenance and seasonal work. Standard pricing templates and defined scopes make it easier to respond to landscaping bids and negotiate clear contracts.
• Prepare business and compliance documents. Many clients require landscapers and other service providers to have a business license, business insurance, bonding, safety plans, and other documentation. Having these ready ahead of time speeds up the bidding process.
• Find contract opportunities. Commercial contracts can come from property managers, HOAs, and facility management companies. Government contracts are posted on public procurement portals, which have strict submission deadlines, so check them often.
• Submit competitive bids. Winning bids clearly follow instructions, match the requested scope, and include accurate pricing. Avoid underbidding just to win the contract, since you’ll need to stick to that pricing long-term and still make a profit.

How to price landscaping contracts

Pricing is one of the most important parts of any landscaping contract. Your prices need to be competitive, but you need healthy profit margins so you can reinvest in your business.

Follow these tips for pricing your landscaping services:

• Define the scope of work. The contracting officer or commercial property owner will likely tell you the scope of work, including services, visit frequency, property size, response times, and any special requirements. If the scope isn’t clear, ask questions to avoid underpricing.
• Calculate your service costs. Factor in costs like labor, equipment, fuel, materials, and overhead. For recurring and ongoing contracts, account for year-round costs, not just peak season labor.
• Standardize your pricing. Creating pricing models for common property types and service levels helps you respond faster to bids and maintain consistency across contracts. It won’t work for all contracts, but it cuts down on bidding time for simple jobs.
• Set realistic prices. To avoid getting locked in at a too-low price that doesn’t cover your expenses, calculate how much it costs to provide the right level of service for the contract you’re bidding on. Cost isn’t the deciding factor for many clients—and the ones who care most about pricing may not be clients who will help your business grow.
• Plan for long-term service. With longer contracts, your pricing may need to stay the same for the full landscape contract length. Make sure this pricing accounts for increases in your business expenses, like employee wages, fuel, and materials.

Pro Tip: Look for clauses that allow or prevent annual price increases and scope changes. Pricing should support long-term service quality, not just the first contract year.

How to bid on landscaping contracts

Once you’ve identified landscape contracting opportunities, follow these steps to move through the bidding process:

• Read the entire RFP or bid package, noting deadlines, required documents, submission format, and how bids will be evaluated.
• Review the scope of work, including listed services, service frequency, performance standards, and landscaping agreement length.
• Conduct a site visit to confirm property size, access points, obstacles, irrigation systems, and any conditions that affect labor and equipment needs.
• Ask any questions by the provided deadline to avoid making assumptions that could affect your pricing.
• Prepare your pricing based on the confirmed scope and your cost structure.
• Include all supporting documents, including forms, certificates, and references.
• Review for accuracy and double-check calculations, attachments, and submission instructions.
• Submit the bid early to avoid technical issues or delivery delays.
• Be available for follow-ups in case the client has questions or wants to meet with you.
• Be ready to sign the contract, schedule crews, and begin service according to the contract start date.

What to include in a landscaping contract

A well-written landscaping contract sets clear expectations for both parties and helps prevent disputes during the contract term. All of your landscaping contracts should include:

• Service description, including tasks, service frequency, and quality standards.
• Service schedule with expected days and response times.
• Property location and service areas with address(es) and boundaries clearly defined.
• Contract term and timeline with the start date, end date, and renewal options.
• Guidelines for using subcontractors with approval requirements and responsibility for the quality of their work.
• Proof of insurance with required coverage types, limits, and deductibles.
• Proof of business license and any other necessary documents that the client requires.
• Compliance and safety requirements, including environmental regulations and any property-specific rules.
• Pricing and payment terms, including total contract value, billing schedule, payment methods, and late payment terms.
• Change order and scope adjustment guidelines defining how additional work or changes to services will be priced and approved.
• Cancellation and termination policy with conditions for termination, notice requirements, and any associated penalties or fees.
• Dispute resolution guidelines stating how disagreements will be handled, like mediation or legal action.
• Signatures of authorized representatives with the contract execution date.