For syndicat de copropriété boards, property managers and owners. These are questions worth asking any landscaping company, ours included. Print the comparison sheet and fill it in for each proposal.
Questions to ask any vendor
- What exactly is included, and what is excluded? Is it written?
- Which work is recurring, which is seasonal and which is a project, and are they priced separately?
- How is extra work requested, priced and approved before it is done?
- Who is our contact, and how quickly do they say they will respond? (Be cautious of vague promises.)
- What record do we get after each visit, and who receives it?
- Can you show proof of liability insurance?
- How are keys, codes and access handled?
- What are the start, renewal and exit terms?
- What happens if a visit is missed or something is damaged?
How our process maps to it
- Discuss the property, assess the site, prepare the scope and proposal, then agree responsibilities and scheduling.
- A named contact, a checklist for each visit and a brief photo report to the recipients you name (not a technical inspection certificate).
- Recurring, seasonal and project work kept separate; additional work approved before it is done.
- Insurance: contractor’s commercial general liability. Ask about a certificate on the documents page.
More: capability sheet, the guide compare maintenance proposals, and the site assessment request.
Comparison sheet (print and fill in)
| Question | Vendor A | Vendor B |
|---|---|---|
| Written scope: tasks, exclusions, frequency | ||
| Recurring, seasonal and project work kept separate | ||
| How additional work is approved and priced | ||
| Named contact, and how to reach them | ||
| Visit records and who receives them | ||
| Proof of insurance (ask for a certificate) | ||
| Access, keys and site rules process | ||
| Start, renewal and exit terms | ||
| Payment terms | ||
| Who answers when something goes wrong |
A request for a site assessment is a request for review, not a proposal or contract.