What's in a Landscaping Maintenance Contract — and What to Watch Out For
Signing a landscaping maintenance contract without understanding what's included is how homeowners end up frustrated with their service. Here's what a good contract covers, what's typically excluded, and the questions to ask before signing.
Landscaping maintenance contracts range from a simple weekly mowing agreement to comprehensive annual programs that cover everything your property needs. The problem is that "landscaping maintenance" means very different things to different companies — and the confusion usually surfaces the first time something isn't done that you expected to be included.
What a Standard Residential Maintenance Contract Covers
Most residential maintenance contracts in Lebanon, TN and Wilson County include a defined core scope:
*Mowing:* Typically weekly during the growing season (April–October in Middle Tennessee), bi-weekly in fall, and on-call or as-needed in winter. Frequency matters — ask specifically what the mowing schedule is during peak season.
*Edging:* Defining the edge between turf and hard surfaces (driveways, walks, curbs). Quality edging makes an average lawn look significantly better than a well-maintained lawn with no edging. Some contracts include this every visit; some do it monthly.
*Trimming:* String trimming around obstacles the mower can't reach — tree rings, fence lines, beds, utility boxes.
*Blowing:* Blowing clippings off hard surfaces after mowing. This should be on every visit; if a contractor leaves grass clippings on your driveway and walks, that's a quality standard issue.
What's Often NOT Included in a Basic Contract
Understanding exclusions is where most homeowner-contractor frustration originates:
*Bed maintenance (weeding, edging beds, pruning shrubs):* This is frequently a separate service or separate pricing tier. A mow-and-blow contract doesn't include pulling weeds from your beds.
*Seasonal cleanup:* Spring cleanup (removing winter debris, cutting back ornamental grasses, pruning) and fall cleanup (leaf removal, cutting back perennials) are usually priced separately.
*Fertilization and weed control:* Pre-emergent, post-emergent herbicide applications, and lawn fertilization are almost always separate from the mowing contract.
*Mulching:* Annual mulch installation is typically a separate quote.
*Tree and shrub pruning:* More than light trim work — structural pruning of trees and major shrub shaping is typically quoted separately.
What to Ask Before Signing
1. What exactly triggers a service visit — calendar schedule or your approval? 2. Is edging included on every visit or periodically? 3. What happens if the crew misses a visit due to weather — do they make it up or skip? 4. Are bed weeding and shrub trimming included? At what frequency? 5. Is there a minimum contract term? What's the cancellation policy? 6. What does the price increase look like year to year?
Red Flags in Maintenance Contracts
Watch for contracts that are vague about frequency ("regular service" without defining what regular means), don't specify what equipment or crew size will be used at your property, have no process for service quality complaints, or lock you in for long periods (12+ months) without any performance guarantee.
What a Quality Annual Program Looks Like
A complete annual maintenance program — not just mowing — might include: 26 mowing visits, 4 bed weeding visits, spring and fall cleanup, 2 mulch applications, seasonal pre-emergent applications, and irrigation startup and winterization. This is what turns a well-maintained lawn into a property that looks professionally managed year-round.
Lebanon Scapes offers both a-la-carte mowing service and comprehensive annual maintenance programs. Call 615-487-2965 to discuss what your property actually needs.