
The Industry Growth Council of the National Association of Landscape Professionals conducted an HOA/Commercial Landscape Market Survey in partnership with the Community Associations Institute to gauge the perception of commercial landscape professionals by Community Associations managers.
568 Community Association managers responded to the survey. Below are some of the takeaways from the survey.
As for the top services the respondents use, 96 percent use professional landscape maintenance services; 86 percent engage contractors for tree work and removal; 83 percent use professional lawn care services; 73 percent use water management and irrigation services; and 71 percent use landscape contractors for landscape design and installation.
93 percent of respondents say they were moderately to extremely satisfied with 61 percent rating their satisfaction as an 8 or higher out of 10. Only 6 percent rated their satisfaction at a 4 or less out of 10.
The 3 most important factors for Community Associations managers when it comes to hiring a landscape contractor are that they are licensed, they focus on safety and they present a professional image.
93 percent of respondents say they view their landscape contractor as a ātrusted advisorā and 91 percent say their landscape contractor is an āexpert in the field.ā The Community Association managers also describe their landscape contractor partners as ātrustworthyā (72 percent) a āvaluable partnerā (70 percent) and that they have the āpropertyās best interest at heartā (53 percent).
The top critiques from respondents were that landscape contractors were ānot proactive about the propertyā (30 percent) and the services were āexpensiveā (21 percent).
Respondents said landscape contractors are doing the best job sharing āadvice for long-range planningā and āregularly sharing enhancements suggestionsā (66 percent), while doing slightly less well āsharing information on landscape design or property usage trendsā (55 percent), and āoffering information on the latest technology advancesā (52 percent).
The information respondents say they want more of from their landscape contractor including āmore consideration of long-term planningā (74 percent), āmore information about plant material optionsā (72 percent), āmore information on budgeting for enhancements and replacementsā (64 percent) and āmore information on sustainability optionsā (49 percent).
Community Association managers also said if they saw a more standard contractor or bidding sheet to compare the services of landscape contractors with greater ease this would be helpful.
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