How to Take Over Landscaping from an Underperforming Contractor

Most campuses that change landscape contractors do so because standards slipped slowly: patchy lawns, dead plants left in place, missed visits and thin reporting. The risk in changing is a messy handover, so a clear plan matters as much as the choice of the new vendor.

Start by documenting the current condition

Before anything changes, walk the site and record its state with dated photographs and a short written note by zone. This protects you in any dispute with the outgoing contractor and gives the new one a fair starting point.

Check the exit terms in the current contract

Look at the notice period, handover obligations, and who owns equipment, plants in nursery stock and irrigation spares on site. Settle any outstanding items before the end date rather than after.

Define the standard you want from day one

Write down the standards for lawns, plants, trees and cleanliness, and the reporting you expect. A new contractor can only meet a standard that has been described in terms that can be checked on a site walk.

Plan the transition, not just the start date

Agree who will cover the site during any overlap, when new staff are introduced, and how keys, water access and storage are handed over. Ideally there is no day without cover.

Expect a recovery period

A neglected site rarely returns to standard in a week. Ask the new contractor for a recovery plan covering lawn repair, pruning, replanting and pest control, with dates, and agree which items are part of the contract and which are charged separately.

Review closely in the first 90 days

Hold a weekly or fortnightly walk for the first three months, then move to your normal review rhythm. Early attention sets expectations on both sides.

Bonita takes over maintenance of existing sites, and starts with a documented site assessment. Tell us your takeover date through the AMC assessment form, or read how to review your vendor on a site visit.