Commercial Landscaping Services
A Landscape service in Albany has just been subjected to a local ordinance that prohibits the provision of services to commercial and residential clients. If the Landscape Company in Albany truly cared about providing quality landscape maintenance services to both commercial and residential clients in the County, why did they suddenly have to cease operations? Why was the Landscape Services Contractor notified of this impending ultimatum? One possible explanation for this event is the implementation of an Order of Limits by the City of Albany following the issuance of an Order of Conditions by the Common Council.
The Landscape Contractor for the alleyway landscaping in front of the county courthouse was notified by the city that the provision of a general bed contract was not authorized without the written certification of a certified landscape maintenance contractor. The Landscape Company in Albany also violated their contractual obligations set forth in their original agreement with the city. The terms of that original contract were as follows; “the Contractor hereby acknowledges and agrees that he/she will perform such work as is necessary for the proper and safe execution of the obligations of the Authority under this Article and such work will be in the best interest of the public.” The Landscape Company failed to provide a certification to their customers stating that they met all of these requirements. As a result, the Landscape Contractor was subject to the city’s Order of Limitations.
The city is now threatening to fine the Landscape Company and in some instances is demanding immediate construction or demolition action. Currently, at least one Landscape Company has made arrangements with the Public Works Department to cease all work while they negotiate the terms of the new agreement. This does not bode well for the prospects of a renewed General Beds Contractor. The current agreement provides for periodic inspection of the property and routine plant health monitoring, however, it does not extend to a comprehensive analysis of site conditions and potential environmental impacts.
Unfortunately, the scope of the original agreement was also to perform an estimate for the total cost of the project including remediation and follow-up work. Now, instead of receiving an allowance for plant health and environmental impact, the Landscape Contractor will now be required to pay for it. This could increase costs dramatically and place unnecessary pressures on already overstretched budgets. For example, the new estimate could require an additional equipment load that is not currently being used. These unexpected expenditures will only add up during the schedule time frame necessary for the complete job completion.
This kind of problem is common among landscape contractors who overextend themselves in the effort to “get the job done” without first performing a cost assessment. It only takes one bad apple spoiling the entire basket. It is unfortunate that this situation has arisen, but it is a reality and Landscape Service companies must address it wisely. A business owner can avoid these problems by establishing a solid cost management plan before starting a project. If your contractor is not following a recommended schedule, you should question whether they are capable of meeting the demands of your landscape needs.
One solution to help ensure your landscaping company is on track is to outsource your landscape planning and management needs. Landscape service companies are not limited to residential landscaping projects. They can handle everything from equestrian trails to large scale public works projects such as golf course landscaping. Outsourcing your landscape planning and management tasks allows you to focus on growing your business rather than worrying about your company’s landscaping maintenance. For the many benefits associated with properly managed landscape maintenance, it makes good sense to utilize the expertise and experience of a qualified Landscape service Company.