Tips for Picking the Right Landscaping Vendor for Your HOA

Many homeowners choose to live in a community with a homeowners’ association (HOA) because of the clean and attractive aesthetics. Well-maintained communities offer an inviting landscape that buyers can actually see themselves in; however, it can take a lot of digging to find the right landscaping vendor.

Before starting your search for a landscaping vendor, check out your association’s governing documents. Every community has different needs and rules, so be sure to read carefully before starting the process. Once you’ve settled on a plan, follow these tips to help you refine your search for landscaping vendors.

1. Check for certifications.

One of the easiest ways to validate a vendor’s skills and expertise is to check out their certifications and licenses. The National Association of Landscape Professionals is the national trade association that represents nearly 100,000 landscape industry professionals in the United States, Canada, and abroad. Certifying businesses in lawn care, landscape design and installation, landscape maintenance, and more, it’s a valuable resource for vetting your vendor’s certifications.

2. Ask for—and contact—references.

It’s always a good idea to ask for references before investing your trust in a vendor. Make sure that the references include communities that are similar to yours with comparable needs. Contact the references to not only get an idea of what the vendor can deliver but to also get a feel for their professionalism.

3. Ensure they’re responsive.

Does your vendor answer your calls? Do they return calls promptly? Consider an in-person meeting to gauge their timeliness. One of the last things you’ll want to do is track down your vendor to complete work that can be unsightly to potential buyers, like unkempt lawns and overgrown shrubbery.

4. Make sure they can handle the work.

From trees and grass to flowers, rocks, and mulch—there’s a lot that goes into the upkeep of a community’s landscape. You want to ensure that your landscaping vendor has the staff to support your community’s needs and complete work on schedule and in a timely manner. Having a robust team can signal that the vendor will stick to agreed-upon timelines.

5. Determine if your expectations align.

You have expectations of your landscaping vendor, and they should be able to meet those expectations. Talk about what those expectations are, and make sure the vendor is on board. Whether you expect them to suggest landscape enhancements to improve the value of your community or are comfortable with simple, routine upkeep, having a mutual understanding of what those expectations are will help keep the relationship in good standing.

Access discounts from trusted vendors.

Weeding out bad seeds from a pool of vendors can be stressful, but we’re here to help streamline the vetting process. Free for our communities and homeowners, Associa Advantage offers access to hundreds of vendors we already know and trust. Check out how Associa Advantage can help you find a reputable vendor for your landscaping services at associaadvantage.com.