HOA Landscaping: In-House, or Outsource?

One of the biggest debates in HOA management is when to outsource and when to build an in-house team. When managing a whole community, it’s practical to have staff on-hand to handle repairs and consult for planning purposes. Building maintenance, regular upkeep and other tasks that fall into HOA areas of expertise are ideal for in-house staff to handle.

Outsourcing is a practical answer for large projects and areas that fall outside of HOA expertise. Landscaping tends to fall into this category. If your council does not include a landscaping professional, then the best move is to hire an outsourced landscape management team to take care of all your HOA's landscaping needs.

Here are some more reasons why outsourcing HOA landscaping is a practical choice.

5 Reasons to Hire a Professional for HOA Landscaping

1. Experienced HOA Landscaping Strategies

There are many logistical advantages to outsourced HOA landscaping, but the No. 1 reason to outsource is expertise. Professional landscapers who have experience with residential community grounds will know what to do about every facet of your landscape, from keeping the edges of the lawn neat to pruning trees so they look their best and remain healthy year-round.

2. An Increase in Landscaping Manpower

In-house HOA landscaping limits your team to current staff members. However, expansive grounds require significant time or a bigger team to get the job done faster. Whereas it might take days for two staff members to mow and fertilize community grounds, a larger professional team could tackle the same task in a single afternoon.

3. Avoid the Cost of Landscaping Equipment

With in-house landscaping, HOAs must buy or rent all the equipment necessary to perform the landscaping work (and in the case of purchased equipment, also maintain it). This list of items can range from smaller tools like hedge shears to heavy machinery like a riding lawnmower, as well as supplies like mulch and fertilizer — all of which come directly out of the HOA budget. An outsourced landscaping team takes on all of these costs, while often having access to lower-cost supplies through industry suppliers.

4. Take Pressure Off HOA Maintenance Staff

HOA staff has an abundance of tasks to handle beyond landscaping, so having them perform lawn care maintenance is not always the best use of their time, and can in fact delay their ability to tackle other property responsibilities. When you hire a professional landscaping team, they’ll handle everything grounds-related. This allows members of your staff to focus on what they do best, whether that ties back to maintenance, event planning or managing finances.

5. More Efficient Use of Landscaping Budget

In conjunction with the cost of equipment, HOAs that bring landscaping in-house also have to account for the potential cost of manual errors that could damage the outdoor space, as well as potential injuries on-site. Based on the level of expertise that a professional brings to the table, as well as their licensure and insurance, an investment in professional HOA landscaping offers peace of mind and has a positive impact on your balance sheet.

Simplify HOA Landscaping, Work with Green Impressions

By outsourcing HOA landscaping to a professional like Green Impressions, you’ll save time and costs while achieving better results. With years of commercial landscape experience under our belt, we’re well versed in the best products and techniques to keep HOA landscapes beautiful, healthy and functional. Your homeowners will be more satisfied, and so will your in-house staff.

Ready to get in touch about our commercial landscape services? Request your free consultation.