What To Include In Your HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract

Few things are as crucial as an effective homeowners association (HOA) landscape maintenance contract when it comes to maintaining a neighborhood’s beauty and functionality. Whether you’re managing a small community or a sprawling St. Louis area neighborhood, ensuring that your HOA’s landscaping needs are met can feel overwhelming. A thorough contract keeps the grass mowed and the trees trimmed and addresses all the key elements that contribute to a beautiful and healthy landscape.

Why You Should Want a Landscaping Maintenance Agreement

A well-maintained landscape improves curb appeal, enhances property values, and creates a more enjoyable living environment for residents. HOA boards are often responsible for selecting and overseeing landscape maintenance services, which can make or break the community’s appearance. A clear, comprehensive contract tailored to the community’s needs is essential.

But what should your HOA look for in a landscaping maintenance agreement to ensure you get the best results for your budget? Let’s explore the key factors that should be part of your HOA landscape maintenance contract to help your community thrive.

Must-Have Components of an Effective HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract

To ensure your HOA community always looks its best, you’ll want a landscaping maintenance agreement that covers essential services. Here’s a look at the primary tasks that should be included:

Routine Lawn Care and Mowing

Regular mowing and lawn maintenance are some of the basics of any HOA lawn care contract. Beyond simply cutting the grass, your contract should specify how often lawns will be mowed, how grass clippings will be handled, and how trimming and edging will be performed around walkways, curbs, and other landscaping features.

Consider a Sunset Hills community with a lot of shared green space—without consistent lawn maintenance, these areas can quickly become overgrown and unkempt, reducing the appeal of common areas.

Tree and Shrub Maintenance

Trees and shrubs need consistent care to remain healthy and enhance the community’s appearance. Look for a contract that includes pruning, trimming, and the removal of dead or damaged limbs. Potential tree hazards must also be addressed to prevent damage during storms, lightning strikes, or extreme weather. A strong maintenance plan ensures trees and shrubs are appropriately shaped and healthy year-round.

Imagine a Kirkwood neighborhood lined with beautiful trees. Without regular pruning, branches could overgrow sidewalks or power lines, leading to potential safety hazards and costly damage.

Explore this helpful guide to learn everything you need to ensure your trees are pruned correctly in the fall and winter.

Learn More

Seasonal Landscape Cleanup

A good HOA landscape maintenance contract should account for the changing seasons. This includes spring and fall cleanups, where leaves, debris, dead plants, or problematic brush are removed, and preparations are made for the upcoming season. Seasonal tasks like mulching, flower bed preparation, and winterizing irrigation systems should also be covered.

In autumn, fallen leaves can clutter roads and walkways, creating hazards and a sense of disorganization. A thorough cleanup ensures the community remains safe and attractive as the seasons change.

Fertilization and Weed Control

To maintain lush, healthy lawns and plants, fertilization is critical. The contract should outline a fertilization schedule for lawns, trees, and shrubs to ensure they get the nutrients needed for healthy growth. A good contract will also include weed control measures, preventing invasive plants from taking over common areas or flower beds.

A Ladue neighborhood with well-fertilized and weed-free lawns looks more inviting, and homeowners are less likely to feel frustrated by weeds spreading to their yards from poorly maintained common areas.

Irrigation System Maintenance

If your HOA has an irrigation system, including regular inspections and maintenance in the contract is crucial. This should cover checking for leaks, ensuring proper coverage, and making necessary repairs. An irrigation system that isn’t functioning properly can lead to overwatering or drought-stressed lawns, which are unsightly and waste resources.

A subdivision with brown, patchy lawns caused by a broken sprinkler system can quickly diminish the community’s overall appeal.

Pest and Disease Management

Landscapes are vulnerable to pests and diseases that can wreak havoc on trees, plants, and lawns. Ensure your contract includes provisions for pest control and disease prevention. Regular inspections can help catch problems early and prevent them from spreading.

If pests like grubs or diseases like blight are allowed to thrive, they can cause widespread damage, potentially leading to the removal of entire plants or trees.

The Emerald Ash Borer is an incredibly destructive bug that’s killing trees throughout the St. Louis area. Find out what you can do to protect your property from its damaging effects.

Learn More

Emergency Storm Cleanup

After a storm, fallen branches and debris can create hazards for residents and vehicles. Your HOA landscape maintenance contract should outline a plan for emergency response services. This includes quickly removing fallen trees or limbs and clearing pathways to ensure safety for all residents.

Swift storm cleanup after a severe storm can help restore the community’s beauty while preventing additional damage to homes and vehicles.

Landscape Enhancements

In addition to routine maintenance, many HOAs also look for opportunities to enhance their landscapes. This could include planting new trees, shrubs, and flowers or installing new features like benches, pathways, or garden beds. Be sure your contract allows flexibility in adding new landscaping features as needed.

Adding seasonal flower beds or refreshing entryways with new plantings can make a community feel more welcoming and add value to the neighborhood.

The Benefits of a Comprehensive HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract

The following benefits highlight why it’s important to invest in a comprehensive landscaping agreement:

Increased Property Values

Well-maintained common areas and private lawns help boost the property values of homes within the community. By ensuring that lawns are green, trees are healthy, and everything is neatly trimmed, a neighborhood maintains its appeal to current and prospective residents. Homes with manicured landscapes often sell for more than those in communities where the

the landscape looks neglected.

Reduced Liability

A contract that includes routine tree and shrub maintenance reduces the risk of falling branches or overgrown bushes blocking walkways and creating tripping hazards. This helps protect the HOA from liability in case of accidents.

Enhanced Community Aesthetic

A beautiful landscape creates a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of pride for residents. When your HOA landscape maintenance contract includes regular updates, cleanups, and enhancements, it helps maintain the community’s aesthetic appeal and creates a positive environment for everyone.

Peace of Mind

A thorough and properly executed lawn care contract ensures residents don’t have to worry about the appearance of their surroundings. Knowing that the landscape will be consistently maintained helps homeowners focus on enjoying their environment rather than worrying about its upkeep.

Craft a Customized HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract With the Experts at Meyer Tree Service

At Meyer Tree Service, we bring decades of experience and industry expertise to crafting customized HOA landscape maintenance agreements that ensure your community’s beauty, health, and safety. Our team of certified arborists work with you to design a plan tailored to your unique needs. Contact us today to discuss your landscaping contract and start creating a personalized solution.

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What To Include In Your HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract

Why You Should Want a Landscaping Maintenance Agreement

Must-Have Components of an Effective HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract

Routine Lawn Care and Mowing

Tree and Shrub Maintenance

Seasonal Landscape Cleanup

Fertilization and Weed Control

Irrigation System Maintenance

Pest and Disease Management

Emergency Storm Cleanup

Landscape Enhancements

The Benefits of a Comprehensive HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract

Increased Property Values

Reduced Liability

Enhanced Community Aesthetic

Peace of Mind

Craft a Customized HOA Landscape Maintenance Contract With the Experts at Meyer Tree Service

Share This Post

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