7 Things a GC Confirms Before Hiring a Retaining Wall Contractor
A GC should confirm 7 things before hiring a retaining wall contractor. They are who owns the engineered design, drainage behind the wall, the permit and inspection sequence, base and backfill, the tie in to sod and plantings, the schedule against the CO date, and closeout photos. A gap in any one c
Why Your Landscape Bill Ends Up on the Variance Report: Controllable Expenses Explained
Landscaping is a controllable operating expense in most commercial leases. When it grows faster than the tenant cap, the owner absorbs the difference and the property manager explains the variance.
Your Association Does Not Have to Accept the Lowest Landscape Bid
Florida law requires condos and HOAs to bid large landscape contracts. It also says they do not have to accept the lowest bid. Here is what the statutes say and how a board can choose on quality.
CAM Irrigation SOW: SFWMD Dry Season Prep
Quick Answer A landscape vendor scope of work for a Palm Beach or Broward County HOA should require a documented irrigation inspection at least 60 days before SFWMD mandatory water restrictions typically tighten in May, with written deliverables, a hard repair deadline, and vendor financial accountability for compliance violations caused by missed inspection dates. If […]
HOA Landscape Vendor Scorecard for CAMs
Quick Answer: A landscape vendor scorecard built for an HOA board meeting scores five categories (service quality, irrigation compliance, communication and documentation, contract adherence, and enhancement responsiveness), assigns numeric weights to each, and produces a single composite score you can defend in front of a board. Build it from your own site visit records, not […]
Arborist-Staffed Landscape Vendors Boca Raton HOA
Quick Answer: Most landscape vendors serving Boca Raton HOAs do not employ licensed arborists. They subcontract tree work or send maintenance crews to handle assessments that require credentials. For boards managing gated communities and residential campuses, that gap creates documented liability, inconsistent pruning standards, and tree decisions made by people who are not qualified to […]
CAM Multi-HOA Landscape Contract Negotiation Guide
Quick Answer: A community association manager negotiating landscape contracts across multiple HOA communities should bundle all properties into a single bid package, require line-item pricing, cap mid-contract price adjustments to a published index, and assign a dedicated account manager across the portfolio. Start 90 to 120 days before your budget year closes to give yourself […]
SFWMD Irrigation Permit Verification for CAMs
Quick Answer Before any landscape vendor adds or relocates irrigation zones at a property you manage in Palm Beach or Broward County, you are responsible for confirming that a South Florida Water Management District permit has been submitted and is on file. Ask for the SFWMD permit application number before work begins, verify the status […]
Consolidate Irrigation & Grounds Vendors: Portfolio Manager Guide
Quick Answer A portfolio manager overseeing commercial and HOA properties in Palm Beach, Broward, or Miami-Dade can consolidate irrigation and grounds maintenance under a single licensed vendor through a master service agreement, creating one point of accountability for water district compliance, coordinated audit documentation, and a unified monthly report across every site in the portfolio. […]
CAM Irrigation Compliance Audit: SFWMD Pre-Season
Quick Answer: Before the summer rainy season, community association managers in Palm Beach and Broward counties should request three items from their landscape contractor: proof of a current irrigation license, a written audit confirming the system is programmed to SFWMD’s current day-of-week and time-of-day restrictions, and documentation that rain sensors have been tested and are […]