How to Choose the Right Commercial Landscaping Company in the DC Metro Area

There’s a lot riding on this partnership.

Sure, you want your commercial property to look great. But your landscaping affects so much more than your site’s appearance.

It contributes to your curb appeal; safety; tenant and resident satisfaction; brand perception; sustainability goals; operating costs; and long-term property value.

Who do you trust with all this?

If you’re a property manager, a regional or asset manager or facilities director, this important decision is probably on your shoulders. No pressure, right?

Keep reading for some helpful tips for hiring a commercial landscaping company in DC, Maryland or Virginia, from smart questions to ask to key things you should look for that set some companies apart from the rest. (Hint: we know account managers who bake treats for property managers’ dogs and who will hand you an entire proactive tree pruning plan before that big windstorm rolls in.)

How to choose a commercial landscaping company? Carefully, armed with great tips.

Let’s get to it.

Table of Contents

• Don’t Choose a Landscaping Company Based Just on Price

• How Proactive Are They? Ask for Examples

• How to Choose a Commercial Landscaping Company: Are They Locally Owned? 

• How to Hire a Commercial Landscaping Company: Are They the Right Size to Meet Your Needs?

• Partner with a Company Where Relationships Matter

• Need Snow Removal? How to Evaluate Commercial Landscaping Companies

• What to Look for in a Commercial Landscaping Company? A Commitment to Sustainability 

• Questions to Ask a Commercial Landscaping Company

• Watch for Red Flags Before You Make a Decision

• Choosing a Commercial Landscaping Company in DC? Trust Level Green

Don’t Choose a Landscaping Company Based Just on Price

Of course, you have a budget when you’re choosing a commercial landscaping company in DC, but keep in mind not all prices are created equal.

Be wary of companies that offer you a cheaper rate compared to what you’ve seen from most other companies. They may be lowering their price because they really need customers. If that’s the case, are they the best choice?

Or, the low cost could be because they aren’t paying for the proper insurances or investing in quality employees or equipment.

How to compare commercial landscaping bids? Know this: What you’re really buying is the number of hours landscaping crews spend on your property. If one bid is significantly less, that means you’re buying fewer hours spent on your property.

What tasks are they leaving out? You might notice dead plants, ugly weeds, or messy debris on your walkways. Fewer hours spent on your property could head to liability issues, from dangling tree branches to icy parking lots.

Landscape maintenance is incredibly labor-intensive work. You need that skilled labor to keep your property safe and impressive. If you pay less, you’re paying for fewer hours spent.

Also, watch out for companies underperforming in scope. Are they bidding for 24 maintenance visits? Or fewer?

At Level Green, we won’t bid for less than 24 visits. It takes that many to do the job right.

When you’re listing questions to ask a commercial landscaping company, ask them how many times they’ll be pruning. How much time will they spend weeding your beds?

We’ll tell you exactly how much time crews are doing each task, from how much time we spend mowing to time spent spraying weeds in sidewalk cracks.

(Weeds are a huge eyesore. You’ll definitely notice them if landscaping crews aren’t spending enough time.)

What to look for in a Maryland commercial landscaping company?

Price is an important part of your decision-making process, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider.

You don’t want to have to pay a new company to redo the work from the low-ball one. That’s just throwing away money, and you won’t actually be saving any in the long run.

How Proactive Are They? Ask for Examples

How to pick the right landscaping company for your commercial property? Make sure they’re proactive when it comes to caring for your property.

That means noticing potential problems before you do. It means using the latest technology to alert you to any issues, and giving you a solid plan to fix it.

When you’re listing questions to ask a commercial landscaping company, add this one: can you give me some examples of your proactivity?

At Level Green, any of our team members are happy to list a few:

• We use innovative mapping software that generates handy progress reports our team members will send directly to property managers. If we see an issue anywhere on your property, we can drop a pin on a GPS map of exactly where it is and send it you with a note so you can see where it is, along with the plan to address it. You don’t have to walk out there to see it.
• When the Level Green account manager for one of our HOA clients got wind of an impending storm, he did an immediate inventory of trees on the property, identifying any weak or damaged trees that could topple in strong winds. He pulled together a proactive proposal for tree removal and had the vulnerable trees out of there before the storm blew in.
• Small details matter. An HOA property we service features a lakefront beach with imported white sand. Level Green crews regularly rake the white sand beach so it’s smooth and ready for residents’ bare toes.
• Addison Swisher, the Level Green account manager for a premier mixed-use development, can give you a whole list of problems she pounced on with proactive problem solving, from replacing bark mulch that washed away in the rain with sturdier river rock to power washing benches that weren’t as bright as they could be.

“I look for anything that people walking by would notice,” Swisher says. “But I want to see it first. I go to them with any problems, but I always offer a solution.”

Property managers are busy, dealing with a multitude of issues every day that go beyond landscaping. Anything that Swisher can handle proactively and take off their plate makes their job easier, she says.

• Level Green account managers prepare annual budget worksheets for every property to help customers plan their commercial landscaping budgets. They’re a helpful starting point for property managers and HOA boards to proactively prioritize services. Safety concerns first, including tree work to prevent limbs from falling. Utility needs like turf aeration second. Beauty third, including seasonal flowers.

That’s just a short list of examples. We’ll happily tell you more.

How to Choose a Commercial Landscaping Company: Are They Locally Owned?

Chances are, they aren’t. But this is an increasingly important question to ask.

Several years ago, most of the medium-sized commercial landscaping companies in the DC Metro area were locally owned.

Today, almost all of them are owned by private equity firms. These are investment management companies that pool capital from investors to buy private companies, increase their value, then sell them later at a profit.

Why should you care? Do you value a personal relationship with your landscaping company? If you do, this matters.

When private equity owners take over a landscaping company, it usually becomes all business, without the personal touch of a local owner.

Level Green co-founder and managing partner Doug Delano meets with clients, attends HOA board meetings and knows all his company’s managers personally, even though he runs a $48 million company.

Want to meet? We’re right here. When your Northern Virginia landscaping company is owned by a private equity firm, good luck talking to the person in charge.

While landscaping companies owned by private equity firms focus on short-term financial goals to make money fast, a locally owned company like Level Green can take a longer-term vision that allows us to put customers first in a way our private equity-owned competitors may no longer do.

Level Green Landscaping is named for Delano’s great-grandfather's northern Virginia family farm. He says the company, like his family’s rich history, is here for the long haul, putting customers first and following the company’s treasured motto: Do the Right Thing.

How to pick the right landscaping company for your commercial property? Stay local.

How to Hire a Commercial Landscaping Company: Are They the Right Size to Meet Your Needs?

You need a Maryland or Northern Virginia landscaping company with enough team members and equipment to meet your property’s needs, from design to installation to maintenance.

Can they handle your irrigation? Your snow removal? All your enhancement needs? Ask them.

Quality team members are crucial when it comes to landscaping company capacity and reliability. Do they actively recruit quality team members year round, so they’re always have enough quality people on board, or do they only hire seasonally?

What to look for in a commercial landscaping company? What size company is right for you?

A small company might not have all the resources to meet your diverse needs.

A huge landscaping company might not have that personal touch that’s important to many customers.

Here at Level Green, we take pride in relationships, both with our customers and with each other. Yes, we’re big enough to handle any commercial landscaping job. But we’re small enough to know our co-workers, and we value that family atmosphere.

Our customers appreciate it, too. Which brings us to…

Partner with a Company Where Relationships Matter

What to look for in a commercial landscaping company? Do they care about people as much as properties?

The Level Green website features personal profiles of many of our team members that reveal the passion behind their professions.

You’ll read that account manager Ryan Rimshaw doesn’t like hiding behind his computer screen or his cell phone. He wants to shake your hand.

“I’m old school,” he says. “I like to make eye contact. If you’re just bouncing texts back and forth, it’s a lot harder to establish that relationship.”

Business development manager Jennifer Rabanal loves planning kind and thoughtful gestures that make clients feel special.

One of her clients is a huge Miami Dolphins fan. Jennifer stopped by with a package of coffee with a dolphin logo.

Another client loves sketching. She dropped off a new sketch book.

“I want to connect on a personal level,” she says. “It’s why we live on this earth, to make these connections. The power of making somebody smile makes you happy, too.”

Account manager Mary Ellen Burton bakes homemade dog treats for her clients’ furry friends. It’s part of her friendly relationship building.

“It shows me how much she cares about me, about the property,” one of her property manager clients says. “She goes above and beyond.”

When you’re choosing a commercial landscaping company in DC, go ahead and ask them how their team members go the extra mile to foster great relationships with clients. They should have lots of examples.

Need Snow Removal? How to Evaluate Commercial Landscaping Companies

If you need snow removal as part of your commercial landscaping services, that’s another whole layer of importance.

It’s critical to protect everybody who spends time on your commercial property, and minimize your risk of liability due to slips, falls, traffic accidents, and property damage.

How to hire a reliable commercial landscaping company that won’t let you down when the snow piles up?

Look for Proactive Communication So You’re Always Informed

You shouldn’t have to call or text your DC commercial snow and ice management company to find out when they’re arriving or what their plan is for your property.

They should tell you.

Look for a company that has a detailed proactive communication plan in place. Ask them what you can expect.

At Level Green, you’ll hear from us via email five days before a projected weather event. It’s your first communication, but there’s plenty more to come.

Next up: 48 hours before, we call or email our commercial snow and ice management customers with an update.

Another call goes out 24 hours ahead, to update you on our proactive plan of attack for your property.

We keep a close and constant eye on weather forecasts and the ground temperature, keeping our crews alerted and updating our plan for your property as needed. Then we communicate that to you.

Make sure you partner with a commercial landscaping company in the DC Metro area with a detailed, proactive communication plan to keep you in the know.

Ask About Their Snow Contract Options

You should have options beyond the typical time and materials contract most snow removal services in DC, Maryland, and Virginia offer. You don’t need that stress.

You have no idea what your exact cost will be until the end of each snow event. It makes budget planning tricky.

Ask if they offer a seasonal snow and ice management contract, where you pay a set amount for snow and ice services for the season, no matter how much snow falls or how many visits they make to your property.

Want even more peace of mind? Find a snow removal company that offers a five-year contract. The low snow years and high snow years will even out over the span of the contract.

And you don’t have to worry about signing another snow contract for five years. Bye, stress.

Make Sure They’ll Walk Your Property with You

A great Maryland snow and ice management company will do a comprehensive pre-season walk through of your property with you.

At Level Green, we use this time with you to gather important information to help us prepare detailed overhead site maps of your property. Our snow and ice management crews use these maps as they work to quickly and efficiently clear your property.

Ask How They Treat the Environment

You need your property to be safe. But keeping the environment safe is a big concern, too. How to evaluate commercial landscaping companies? How do they treat the earth?

Salt used in snow and ice removal makes its way into area waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay, where it can kill the creatures who live there.

It damages plants and lawns, too.

How does your snow and ice management company balance getting the job done with care for the environment?

Ask them. Here’s what you want to hear:

• They keep ice melt materials on hard surfaces, so the chemicals don’t damage your turf and plants.
• They measure all your sidewalks and hard surfaces then calculate the exact amount of ice melt products needed and then only use that amount.
• They limit use of straight rock salt by using other methods, too, including an engineered ice melt mixture that’s less corrosive than straight salt and friendlier to the environment.
• They use brine, a liquid ice melt mixture that uses one quarter of the amount of salt as traditional rock salt. That means it’s better for the environment.

State and local governments are moving toward regulating rock salt usage to protect the environment, so partner with a commercial landscaping company in the DC Metro area with a track record of caring for the earth.

Level Green Landscaping provides customized snow removal and ice management services for commercial properties in Washington D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia who we already service throughout the year.

When a company knows all the details of your property by caring for it every week through the year, it just makes sense to trust your property to them during the important snow removal months, too.

Do Your Part with a Detailed RFP

Your part in choosing a commercial landscaping company in DC, Maryland or Virginia is putting together a detailed request for proposal.

What to include in a snow removal RFP?

Lots of details about your needs and expectations. A map of your property, including areas to push the snow. Information about your hours. Any special requests.

Do this right, and potential Northern Virginia commercial snow management companies will have everything they need to know about your property and can give you a thorough, detailed proposal for your commercial snow and ice removal.

What to Look for in a Commercial Landscaping Company? A Commitment to Sustainability

Having a sustainable property might not be at the top of your list, but it is for many tenants and customers.

What to look for in a commercial landscaping company? How can they help your sustainability efforts?

They might suggest you replace high-maintenance annual flowers with low-maintenance native plants. Or install a smart irrigation system that adjusts based on weather, saving lots of water. Can they install rain gardens that help filter and manage stormwater?

Sustainable landscaping focuses on conserving resources like water and energy; reducing waste; minimizing pollution and the amount of chemicals used; and creating landscapes that support nature.

You can see how environmentally friendly a company is by asking questions like these:

• Do you use native plants, which require less water and maintenance?
• How do you incorporate sustainability into your projects?
• Do you locally source materials when possible?
• What would you recommend to make my site more sustainable?
• Do your team members have training or certifications in sustainability issues, including the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional certification?

Sustainable commercial landscaping isn’t just about being kind to the environment. It’s a smart, cost-effective strategy that makes your landscaping easier to maintain, saves you money, and helps you comply with increasing environmental regulations.

When you’re looking for a commercial landscaping company in the DC Metro area, make sure sustainability is a priority for them, so they can help make it a priority for you.

Questions to Ask a Commercial Landscaping Company

How to pick the right landscaping company for your commercial property?

Ask a lot of questions. They should be happy to give you the answers.

Here are some to get you started:

• Who will manage our account day to day? How can I contact them?
• Tell me about your commitment to communication
• What similar properties do you currently maintain?
• How do you handle urgent issues or weather-related needs?
• What should we expect during the first 90 days?
• Can you provide references for properties similar to ours?
• What kind of staff training do you provide?
• How will you make things easy for me?
• What’s your employee retention rate?
• What’s your customer retention rate?
• Do you offer different options for contracts, including a seasonal contract for snow removal?
• How often will my account manager be on site?
• What kind of training and certifications do your team members have?
• How important is safety to you and your team?
• Do you conduct regular safety checks and meetings?
• What will you do to improve my property?
• What can you tell me about your sustainability efforts?
• Why should I choose you?

Look for a commercial landscaping company in the DC metro area that gives you all the right answers.

Watch for Red Flags Before You Make a Decision

You’ve asked your questions, you’ve reviewed all the bids. Before you choose a commercial landscaping company in DC, think through your interactions with the landscaping companies at the top of your list.

Are there any red flags?

Here are a few to look for as you ponder:

• Fuzzy language in their scope of services. A company’s scope of services should describe in detail what services they’ll perform, where and when. The more detail, the better.
• Poor communication. If a company is slow to return calls, avoids questions, or provides vague answers about services and pricing, communication might become even more difficult after you become a customer. Look for a reliable commercial landscaping company that’s responsive, organized, and happy to explain its process.
• A price that seems too low. We hit on this earlier. Chances are, when you compare bids from a handful of qualified Maryland landscape maintenance companies, their estimates should be in the same ballpark. If they’re skilled and experienced, they know what it takes to care for your property and will price accordingly.
• Sketchy insurance coverage. Be sure the company carries general liability, auto liability, property, and workers compensations insurance, and will provide a certificate of insurance if you request one. If they don’t have the proper coverage and one of their employees is injured on your property, you’ll be responsible.
• Nobody sticks around. Ask about their retention rates for both their employees and their customers. If the company can’t hold on to good employees or customers, they’re doing something wrong. At Level Green, our employee retention rate for managers and crew leaders is about 90 percent. We average above a 92 percent customer retention rate.

People like it here. That’s a good sign for you.

Choosing a Commercial Landscaping Company in DC? Trust Level Green

There are plenty of reasons to choose Level Green for your landscaping needs.

We’d love to tell you more.

We offer the best of both worlds. We have the capacity for large-scale work, but we’re still local.

Our owners are involved in the day to day business. They come to presentations. They show up at job sites.

You name it, we can handle it. Lawn mowing. Weed control. Irrigation. Fertilization. Trimming. Fall clean-up. Snow removal. Ice control. Landscape design. Sustainability features. Enhancements to boost your property’s appeal.

Here at Level Green, we take pride in relationships, both with our customers and with each other. While we’re big enough to handle any commercial landscaping job, we’re small enough to know our co-workers, and we value that family atmosphere.

Yes, we care about properties. It’s the core of our business. But we also care about people.

We’re happy to tell you more about our local roots and our comprehensive, quality services.

How to pick the right landscaping company for your commercial property? Choose a reliable commercial landscaping company that best fits your expectations, budget and landscape’s needs, and also one you’re comfortable calling a landscaping partner.

If you’re not already a Level Green Landscaping client, we’d love to add you to our growing list of happy customers.

Our focus is on commercial properties like offices, mixed-use sites, HOAs, municipalities and institutions in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia.

Contact us at 202-544-0968. You can also request a free consultation online to meet with us one-on-one.

We’d love to hear from you.