Landscape Maintenance Costs for Large Campuses: What Drives the Price
There is no standard price per acre for landscape maintenance, and any figure quoted without seeing the site should be treated with caution. The cost of a campus contract follows a handful of factors, and understanding them makes quotes far easier to compare.
Area is only the starting point
Two campuses of the same size can need very different effort. A site with large lawns and few beds needs mowing capacity. A site with dense planting, flowering beds and many trees needs more skilled labour and more frequent attention.
The standard you want decides the manpower
A site that must look presentable for visitors every day needs more people and more frequent visits than a back-of-house area. Be clear about which zones need a high standard and which need basic upkeep, and ask for pricing by zone.
Water and irrigation
Hand watering, drip systems, sprinklers and borewell or treated-water supply each change the labour and the repair work involved. Ask who maintains the irrigation system and who pays for repairs and parts.
Equipment, materials and consumables
Mowers, trimmers, sprayers, soil, fertiliser and pesticides can be supplied by the contractor or by you. Check whether they are included, and whether the quote assumes you provide water, storage space and waste disposal.
Plant replacement and renovation
Plant losses are normal, and what you do about them is a pricing decision. Agree what share of replacements is included, how losses caused by site conditions are treated, and how seasonal colour and lawn renovation are charged.
Supervision, safety and reporting
Supervisors, horticulturist visits, safety equipment and reporting all cost money, and the cheapest quotes often leave them out. They are also what keeps the standard consistent from month to month.
How to compare quotes
- Ask every bidder to price the same scope, with the same zones and standards
- Compare the number of people and hours on site, not only the total
- Check what is excluded or charged as extra
- Look at reporting and supervision, not only labour
Read our guides to choosing a landscaping company for a corporate campus and what a maintenance contract should cover, or ask for a site assessment.
