How Do Lawn Care Companies Land Their First HOA and Commercial Contracts?

Where to start: As you grow your residential business, commercial leads will start sniffing around for you too. We’ve been at it for 10 years, and the commercial work has steadily grown. Commercial usually has better profit margins, easier work (on account of larger open lawns) and less nitpicky feedback. But they also typically have more litter, slower or no response for issues, longer payment cycles and less loyalty to your brand. When our business was smaller I thought I wanted 150 commercial contracts next season, but that was naive. You have to have bigger and better equipment, and redundant equipment when that fails, and very well trained staff. Best to grow into that over time. 

How to get them: You can start by searching property management companies in your area and introducing yourself to them. Could be just an email or delivering a box of baked goods on Monday morning. That simple act won’t make them call you, but the more they hear your name over 12-24 months, the more likely you are to be remembered when they have to go out to get 3 quotes. There’s probably 5-6 other indirect strategies that will do this too. 

What do you need? Thick skin, excellent insurance, and a practiced routine for getting questions answered by property managers or hoa presidents that are surprisingly bad at answering questions. I think following that, having a bulletproof service agreement that you know inside and out is very helpful. 

Congratulations on the growth you’ve already achieved! Reaching 55 recurring lawns in your first season is a solid foundation.

I’m in a similar position where my long-term goal is to earn HOA and commercial contracts, so I’m following this discussion closely. My focus right now is building strong systems—consistent communication, reliable scheduling, quality work, and earning customer trust—so I’m prepared when those larger opportunities come.

For those who have landed HOA or commercial contracts, what made the biggest difference? Was it networking with property managers, responding to RFPs, building relationships with realtors, joining local business organizations, or simply getting referrals from existing clients?

I appreciate everyone willing to share their experiences. Discussions like this help newer companies like mine build the right foundation from the start.

Hi yall, Truly your work will be what gets you in the door to grow in all directions. Those residential yards are more than someone’s home, they too have jobs and so do their neighbors, So showing up, doing exceptional quality work and great communication, will open so many doors, your business name and logo on trucks is huge part of that and good ole cold calling and boots to the ground. In my experience word of mouth is everything in this business. Best of luck to you all! 

One thing worth knowing before you chase these: commercial and HOA work pays slower and expects more paperwork than residential, so price in the 30 to 60 day wait and the extra admin rather than treating it like a bigger version of a home lawn. Ask up front who signs, who approves extras, and how invoices get paid, because a board that needs three signatures for a $200 irrigation repair will eat your season. For finding them, property management companies are the real gatekeepers rather than the HOAs themselves, and most manage a dozen properties, so one relationship can turn into several sites. On bidding, get the current contract's scope in writing and bid that exact scope so you are comparable, then list optional add-ons separately. Also watch the annual contract trap: quoting a flat monthly number based on an average season works only if you cap visits, otherwise a wet spring turns your best account into your worst one.

Start local and keep it simple. Make a list of HOAs, apartment complexes, offices, retail centers, and property managers, then reach out directly and offer a free site visit and quote.

Have your insurance, business license, references/photos of your work, service agreement, and pricing ready. Highlight that you can handle mowing, cleanups, mulch, snow removal, and salting so they can use one reliable company year-round.

Most importantly, start with smaller commercial properties, cold call/email property managers, visit properties in person, network with other contractors, and ask your current customers for referrals. Your first few accounts will help build the portfolio you need to land bigger contracts.