Every commercial business whether it is a retail establishment, an office building, industrial park, or apartment or condo complex, should have budget dedicated to commercial landscape services year-round. But many businesses fail to budget for these services adequately and end up paying more in the long run. Here are a few tips for avoiding common landscape budgeting mistakes.

Assuming Commercial Landscaping is too Expensive

Many businesses overlook the need for commercial landscaping because they assume that it is too expensive, and mowing the lawn twice a month should be good enough for your business. But nothing could be further from the truth. You need to look at your business through the eyes of a customer. What does an overgrown lawn, weed-choked flowerbeds, and cracked sidewalk pavement say about a business that you visit? If they don’t care about their appearance, why would they care about the quality of their products or services? Including commercial landscape services as part of your annual budget is just as important as marketing, clean-up and janitorial services, or office supplies. And the dollar value of a positive first impression is priceless.

Not Going “All-In” on Commercial Landscaping Service

Ideally, your commercial landscape service company needs to have an annual plan in place that focuses on important tasks according to the time of year it is. Planting is important in the spring, lawn care and landscaping maintenance in the summer, leaf pick up and removal in the fall, and snow and ice management in the winter. Committing to landscaping services for one or two seasons each year is just not enough to make it work. You need commercial landscaping services all year-round.

Ignoring the Importance of Safety and Insurance

One of the features of a good commercial landscape service company is creating safe outdoor environments for customers, employees, and residents. Dead limbs, overgrown pathways and intersections, cracked and crumbling sidewalks and entrances, and poor management of resources are just insurance claims waiting to happen, and an excellent landscape development company can mitigate these by noticing and fixing these issues quickly.

Accidents happen. And making sure that the commercial landscaping service you use is bonded and insured is essential to make sure that your property is protected from accidents and mistakes.

Overlooking the Importance of a Good Irrigation System

Water is a precious resource in Utah and managing it well helps both the environment and your pocketbook. Highly efficient irrigation systems integrate smart controllers and targeted sprinkler heads to deliver the right amount of water where you need it, when you need it. The investment you make in an updated irrigation system will pay for itself quickly and improve the overall health of your landscaping.

Failing to Prioritize Your Landscaping Budget

You need to allocate your landscaping dollars carefully to make sure that you get the most bang for your buck. You should have dedicated budget for these areas:

• Safety– As mentioned above, safety issues do not only create a negative impression but also create a huge liability risk. Your budget must include money dedicated to property inspection and mitigation of possible hazards.
• Emergencies– Part of your commercial landscaping budget needs to be dedicated for unforeseen emergencies. You never know when a severe spring or summer storm might take down trees on your property that need to be cut apart and removed. A bad snow event can make opening your business impossible if you do not have prompt snow and ice management services delivered to your site.
• Landscaping Maintenance– Mowing, weeding, insect control, mulching, etc.
• Landscaping Renovation– Landscape design work such as seasonal flowerbed planting, installing new flowerbeds, shrubs, trees; hardscape care and repair, etc. should be factored into the budget.
• Snow and Ice Management– Your property needs care in the winter just as much as it does during the growing seasons. Have budget set aside for snow removal from parking lots, sidewalks and don’t forget about ice management as well.

Need Help Determining Your Commercial Landscaping Service Budget?

Aeroscape specializes in providing year-round commercial landscaping services for all types of businesses and residences. We can help you come up with a commercial landscaping budget that is affordable while still providing all of the services you need. To get the process started, give us a call at (801) 567-2383 or click on our Contact an Expert green arrow on any page of our website. Aeroscape is the premier commercial and retail landscape design company serving Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas. Reach out to get in touch with one of our commercial landscape experts today.