Comparison
Full-service contract vs. per-visit pricing
Updated · Glossary
A full-service contract gives a commercial property one predictable monthly price for a defined scope: mowing, beds, irrigation checks, treatments and seasonal color, all on a set schedule. Per-visit pricing charges for each trip and each task. For HOAs, office parks and retail centers, full service is usually the better deal. The work that keeps a property looking good, like treatments and irrigation checks, happens on schedule instead of whenever somebody remembers to call.
How each one works
With a full-service contract you agree on a scope and how often each task gets done, usually for a year. The price is split into equal monthly payments even though spring and summer are heavier. Extra work, say a tree removal or a bed renovation, gets quoted separately before it starts.
Per visit is simpler. You pay for each mow, each irrigation repair, each treatment, and nothing happens unless someone schedules it.
| Full-service contract | Per visit | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Same every month | Swings with the season |
| Budgeting | Easy to put in an HOA or property budget | Hard to predict |
| Treatments and irrigation checks | On a schedule | Only when ordered |
| Who notices problems | The crew, every visit | Often the tenant or resident |
| Extras | Quoted before work starts | Quoted before work starts |
| Best fit | HOAs, offices, retail, churches | Small sites, vacant land, one-off cleanups |
What to check in a full-service contract
“Mowing as needed” isn’t a scope. A good contract lists visits per month by season.
Find out what’s in the monthly price and what’s extra. Seasonal color, mulch, tree work and irrigation repairs are where contracts differ most. Irrigation is the one to ask about directly: inspections are often included, but parts and repair labor are often billed on top.
You should also get a record of what the crew did each visit and anything they noticed.
When per visit makes sense
A vacant lot, a site waiting on construction, or a small property that needs a mow every couple of weeks and nothing else. It also works for a one-time cleanup before a sale or a new tenant.
Common questions
Why is the monthly price the same in winter as in summer?
Most full-service contracts spread a year of work into equal payments so the budget stays flat. You pay a little more than the work in winter and a little less in peak season.
Are irrigation repairs included in a full-service contract?
It depends on the contract. Inspections and controller adjustments are usually included, while parts and larger repairs are often quoted separately, and the proposal should say which. We inspect the system first and quote any repair from that inspection before the work starts.
Can we switch from per visit to a full-service contract mid-year?
Yes. We walk the property, write a scope with frequencies for each task, and start whenever you’re ready.
Our proposals are line-item, so you can see exactly what’s in the monthly price. Each property gets one account manager and reports on a schedule set by its service level. See our maintenance services or request a proposal.