Property Managers
"I spend a majority of my time at work caught in the middle of the same reoccurring issues between Landscape Vendors, Residents and Board Members—tasked with justifying contractor performance, resolving disputes, and managing unreasonable expectations, often without the necessary budget, standardized tools or the level of landscape experience needed to back them up."
HOA Board Members
“We are constantly changing vendors every other year. We are always scrambling to explain budget gaps, justify vendor changes, and calm frustrated residents. Meanwhile, my community's landscape is headed in the wrong direction, and we have no other options except to spend money we didn't budget for —or firing the current contractor for the next ‘great deal’ that I'm sure won't last.”
Developers
"I invested heavily in curb appeal to sell homes, but because I did not have a long-term maintenance strategy, somebody to implement it and a way to hold the landscape provider accountable while my team was not on site, those investments quickly deteriorate—leading to warranty issues, resident dissatisfaction, and loss of perceived
In most cases, the issues are not a result of a lack of effort, it’s a lack of structure, transparency and accountability. The traditional landscape maintenance model suffers from several recurring flaws:
To win work, vendors are often forced to offer extremely low pricing while trying to match services offered by other companies who are also purposely underbidding the RFP then relying on change orders just to survive. As a result, critical services are skipped, material quality and quantities will gradually decline, and seasonal enhancements are delayed or removed altogether. Meanwhile, HOA funds originally reserved for other capital improvements are drained on last-minute landscape fixes that were never apart of the budget
Without detailed takeoffs, transparent pricing, standardized processes, and proactive planning, costs will continue to spiral out of control. Prices will rise. Service quality falls. Accountability fades. And the trust and energy needed to repair the relationship breaks down—on all sides.
In the end, landscapes decline, accountability disappears, and there is no more money to spend, and everyone loses. Not just the Board, not just the Residents, not just the Vendors, and not just the Developers trying to build value into the community. Everyone. The result? Frustration. Mistrust. And surprising costs make landscape maintenance feel like a money pit. This is known as the “Landscape Maintenance Budget Black Hole”.
Homeowners Associations
Lose an average of $5,000 to over $250,000 on waste related to landscape maintenance every year. The waste is reoccurring—driven by vague contracts, inefficient workflows, inflated budgets, hidden costs, and reactive short-term decision-making.
Property managers
Left juggling vendor relationships, resident concerns, and board pressure—without the data, tools, or scope clarity to make efficient, proactive decisions. The result? Endless change orders, inconsistent service, and a revolving door of vendors.
Developers
Invest heavily in landscape design to attract buyers—but often without a long-term strategy. Without proper planning and structured handoffs, these investments quickly deteriorate post-turnover, triggering warranty issues and undermining community value. In the end, short-sighted decisions don’t just cost money—they erode trust, performance, and long-term results.
Establish your Baseline and take control of your community's landscape.
Baseline is your starting point — a clear, measurable foundation for your landscape expectations, budgets, service scopes, and long-term goals. At Baseline Landscape, we help HOA Boards, Property Managers, Landscape Companies, and Developers escape the Budget Blackhole by:
1. Conducting accurate takeoffs and develop detailed service scopes tailored to ensure every proposal and contract is grounded in real numbers.
2. Offering transparent pricing models that eliminate guesswork, hidden fees, and endless change orde.rs
3. Developing standardized service schedules, inspection templates, and 4. reporting tools that keep everyone informed, accountable and focused on the areas where they can make a positive impact.
5. Aligning budgets and short-term actions with long-term strategies — protecting your investment, reducing waste, and improving property value over time.
6. With the right planning, the right tools, and a shared standard for success, every stakeholder wins.