M Tips on Writing Turf Contracts and Landscape Maintenance Specifications

Tips on Writing Turf
Contracts and Landscape
Maintenance Specifications
aintenance contracts for turfgrass areas should be written to provide security
for all parties involved. The person or company receiving services (the client)
should know precisely what to expect, and the company providing the services (the
contractor) should be aware of everything it has agreed to and therefore is required to
do. This publication provides basic guidelines on how to write a good contract regarding turfgrass maintenance.
Distributed in furtherance
of the Acts of Congress of
May 8 and June 30, 1914.
North Carolina State University and North Carolina
A&T State University commit themselves to positive
action to secure equal
opportunity regardless of
race, color, creed, national
origin, religion, sex, age, or
disability. In addition, the
two Universities welcome
all persons without regard
to sexual orientation. North
Carolina State University,
North Carolina A&T State
University, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, and local
governments cooperating.
A contract is an agreement between two
parties in which each party promises to do
something for the other. Usually one party
promises to provide goods and/or services, and the other party promises monetary
payment in exchange.
A valid contract is binding on both
parties and is legally enforceable. If either
party fails to live up to the terms of the
agreement, the other party can sue in a
court of law to enforce the terms of the
contract or, more commonly, to collect
damages in compensation for the breach
of contract.
Usually a contract is written and
signed by the two parties or their representatives. Sometimes an oral agreement
can constitute a contract, in which case it
would have the same legal consequences
as if written. However, oral contracts are
sometimes difficult to enforce. The advantage of a written contract is that there can
be no dispute over the exact wording of
the agreement.
Contracts should be clear and simple.
A contract should state the agreement between the parties as clearly and simply as
possible. Plain, ordinary English is satisfactory, as long as it describes in sufficient
detail exactly what each party promises to
do. Fancy words or special legal terms are
not necessary.
Although a contract is enforceable by
the courts, going to court is a costly and
time-consuming process, best to be avoided. A well-written contract will reduce the
chance of arguments or misunderstandings
by stating in clear, specific terms what each
party has agreed to do. If any portion of the
contract is vague or unclear or can be interpreted differently by each of the parties, the
contract should be rewritten to eliminate
this ambiguity. If both parties understand
at the very beginning of their relationship
exactly what is expected of them, there is
less chance of disagreement in the future.
What to include in a contract. Make sure
the contract specifies the work to be done
and its cost. It should include:
1. The location of the work (use drawings if helpful).
2. A detailed description of the work to be done and the expectations of each party.
3. Starting dates, frequency, and duration of the work.
4. Who will do the work.
5. What equipment will be used.
6. Who will pay for what, how much, and when.
7. Definitions of any ambiguous terminol-
ogy that may be interpreted differently by the two parties.
8. A performance clause that specifies penalties for failure to complete the work in
a timely or acceptable manner.
9. Exclusions and limitations to cover
such situations as vandalism, theft, and
adverse natural conditions.
Tips on Writing Turf Contracts and Landscape Maintenance Specifications
Several other factors also should be considered and
included in the contract:
1. Is the contractor expected or required to be licensed
for all types of operations required by the contract, to
obtain any permits, or to carry insurance (Workmen’s
Compensation, liability for personal injury or property damage, etc.)? If so, the contract should so state.
2. Is the contractor allowed to subcontract any work or
assign it to others? If not, the contract should prohibit assignment of the agreement (or any portion) to
others without the written permission of the client.
3. Is the contractor expected to collect and dispose of
the trash that the work generates? If so, how soon? Is
the contractor expected to remove dead, diseased, or
unsightly branches, vines, or other growth or to pick
up litter and debris from the grounds?
4. Who is responsible for maintenance of the irrigation
system (providing there is one), and, in particular,
who is responsible for repairing damage? (Keep in
mind that damage is not always detected as soon as
it occurs; therefore, it is often impossible to say for
certain who or what caused the damage or when it
5. Are any practices that are fairly common in the trade
prohibited? If so, the contract should specify them. If
the contract calls for “weed-free” beds, for example,
are chemicals permitted? If not, are all chemicals
prohibited, or only certain ones?
6. Is the contractor responsible for barricades, warning
devices, or other precautions to protect people if the
work is potentially hazardous?
7. Is the contractor expected to notify the owner or
manager of problems as they are noticed? If so, it
helps to specify what kinds of problems the contractor is expected to report. (If the contractor is expected to inspect for certain problems and report on
them on a regular schedule, it helps to provide the
contractor with a checklist that can be turned in after
each inspection.)
8. Is there any additional work that might arise? If the
contractor is expected to provide any additional services without an additional fee, the contract should
make this clear.
9. What constitutes breach of contract, who will pay
legal fees, and who will deal with work stoppage
10.What are the cancellation options? Be sure to include
who may initiate cancellation and what the notification requirements are.
11.Are there requirements from a homeowners’ association that must be met?
Maintenance specifications
Maintenance specifications are not quite the same as a
contract. They are a description of the work to be done,
but by themselves they are not a binding agreement.
However, they can be incorporated into a contract as a
part of the agreement.
Maintenance specifications enable the client to specify the type and level of maintenance desired for the
grounds. Such specifications are extremely important
as a means of obtaining comparable bids if the job is to
be awarded to an outside contractor. Without detailed
written specifications, there will be no way to ascertain
whether bids from different contractors are based on
similar levels of service.
Maintenance specifications are also useful in situations in which no contract is needed, such as when a
company hires its own crew to maintain its grounds.
These specifications can provide guidelines or instructions for the grounds maintenance crew, and they promote continuity of service if there is a major change
in personnel. Maintenance specifications can even be
helpful in making management decisions. If the budget
must be reduced, for example, a review of the specifications might suggest which items could be eliminated or
reduced in frequency in order to save money.
What to include in maintenance specifications. The
same general principles that apply to writing contracts
apply to writing maintenance specifications. The specifications should describe what is expected in clear,
simple, yet specific terms.
In developing maintenance specifications, begin by
making a list of the broad areas of concern, such as turf,
shrub beds, hedges, ground covers, flower beds, trees,
mulched beds, pathways, sidewalks, and paved areas.
Then for each of these general areas, make a list of
the important components. For example, mowing, edging, trimming, fertilization, irrigation, thatch removal,
aerification, re-seeding, and pest management would be
listed under “turf.” Similarly, a list for “shrubs” might
include fertilizing, pruning, mulching, and pest management.
Finally, for each of these components, try to identify
all critical factors (specific details that determine whether the job will be done properly), and include these details in the written specifications.
Thus, with respect to mowing, specify not only how
often the turf is to be mowed, but also address mowing height, clipping disposal, type of mower, and blade
sharpness. To take another example, it is not enough
to state that the turf will be fertilized four times a year.
Specify the approximate dates, the type and analysis of
fertilizer to be used, the rate at which it will be applied,
how it will be applied (type of spreader to be used), and
whether excess fertilizer applied to impervious surfaces
will be swept or blown off the hardscape and onto the
turf areas.
Try to avoid statements that are vague, since they can
lead to disputes. Stating that “flower beds will be kept
free of weeds” and “hedges will be pruned as needed to
keep them neat and attractive” sounds nice but can result
in arguments later. How many weeds will be allowed?
What is “neat and attractive”; how often is “as needed”?
It is easy for people to disagree over such matters.
In order to be more specific, try to find objective,
measurable standards by which the performance can
be judged. With respect to weeds, for example, describe
how often the weeds will be pulled, and then state that
all weeds over a certain size will be removed or that no
more than a certain number of weeds will be allowed in
a given area. With respect to hedges, describe how often
the hedge will be sheared at various times of year, or
state how much growth above the desired height will be
permitted before pruning is again required.
Maintenance specifications should be very precise
and provide exact details about the work to be per-
formed. They should also include information on every
phase of maintenance, regardless of who is responsible
for performing the work.
It is suggested that North Carolina Cooperative
Extension Service recommendations for turf and ornamental care be followed when writing specifications for
landscape maintenance, so that maintenance practices
will be based on sound information. This information
can be obtained from a local county Cooperative Extension Office or online at www.TurfFiles.NCSU.edu or
The following is a sample contract. For legal advice,
consult an attorney.
Lawn Maintenance Contract
This is an agreement between ABC Lawn Care Company, hereafter referred to as Contractor, and XYZ Management
Company, hereafter referred to as Client, for work located at 1234 Main Street, Anytown, N.C.
Contractor and Client hereby promise and agree to the following:
1. Mowing — Contractor will mow all turf areas for XYZ Management Company at the address given above, once
a week from March 1 through October 31. The rest of the year Contractor will mow at least once every two weeks,
and more often if needed to keep the grass from growing more than 1 ½ inches above the mowing height. Mowing
height shall be no less than 3 inches and no higher than 3½ inches, as measured to the mower blade from a flat,
paved surface. Clippings can be left on the turf as long as no readily visible clumps remain on the grass surface after
mowing. Otherwise, clippings must be collected and disposed of by Contractor.
2. Edging and Trimming — All the edges (along sidewalks, driveways, and plant beds and around trees, etc.) shall
be edged once every two weeks from March 1 through October 31 and at least once a month the rest of the year.
Turf around sprinkler heads shall be trimmed so that grass does not interfere with or intercept the irrigation stream—
3. Fertilizing — An annual soil test will be performed to determine fertilization and lime requirements and as a basis
to adjust annual phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels. All turf areas shall be fertilized three times a year within
the following dates, September 1 to 15, November 1 to 15, and March 1 to 15. The fertilizer shall be in granular form
and have at least 25 percent of the nitrogen (N) in water-insoluble or slow-release form. Contractor shall notify Client
when the turf is to be fertilized so that Client will set the irrigation system to water after the fertilizer has been applied.
4. Aerification and Seeding — Contractor will aerate in the fall during September and reseed at a rate of 3 pounds
per 1,000 square feet immediately afterward, using tall fescue cultivars recommended by NC State University.
5. Pest Management — Contractor will apply a preemergence herbicide in the late winter or early spring to control
annual weed problems. Contractor will also scout during the late spring and summer for signs of disease and insect
problems and will apply appropriate materials to prevent turf damage resulting in more than 10 percent turf loss.
6. Irrigation System Inspection — Contractor shall operate and inspect the irrigation system once a month and
report immediately to Client any damage, malfunctions, or other problems. Contractor will invoice Client for any
necessary repair parts at actual cost.
Contractor agrees to furnish all supervision, labor, materials, supplies, and equipment as necessary to properly perform the work described above. Contractor also agrees to carry liability insurance covering property damage and
personal injury, with minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per accident.
This agreement is for a period of one year, beginning January 1, 20xx, and ending December 31, 20xx.
In consideration, Client agrees to pay Contractor the sum of $12,000.00 in 12 monthly payments of $1,000.00 each,
the first payment to be made on or before January 1, 20xx, with succeeding payments due on the first day of each
month thereafter. Late fees will be assessed after the fifth day of the month at a rate of 1.5% per week with a minimum charge for one week.
In witness whereof, the parties to this Agreement have signed and executed it this 21st day of November, 20xx:
XYZ Management Company
ABC Lawn Care Company
Signature of owner or agent
Signature of owner or agent
Prepared by
Charles H. Peacock and Matthew Martin
Department of Crop Science
North Carolina State University
5,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $687, or $0.14 per copy.
Published by
AG-679 E07 45859