Punishing Winter Might Knock Out Spring Enhancements

In his latest guest blog installment, Virginia contractor Jason Fawcett discusses how the historic winter weather has drained many property managers of spring landscaping funds.

As the winter is slowly dragging to an end, landscape contractors must shift their focus to spring. I’m in the southern mid-Atlantic region, and I can’t help but think that landscape enhancements and maybe even other landscaping and lawn care services could pay a price this season. Why, you ask? Because of the extraordinary amount of money property managers had to spend on snow and ice control this winter—even here in Virginia!

So I’m thinking about the following:

  • Are we going to miss out on some spring cleanups?
  • What about the 12-zone irrigation system upgrade?
  • And those 20 trees that really should be replaced on a commercial property?

Right now, my thoughts are split 50/50 on this. Some of my commercial customers have spent and spent and spent just to keep their doors open and the property clear of liability this winter. Others have not. That’s why I think some enhancement work is going to be there this spring, but contractors like me are going to have to really focus their teams to seek out that work.

You, your managers and your crews should keep an eye out for eye sores on the properties you maintain; we all know they are out there, you just have to sniff them out. The more people you have helping you do that, the better. Develop a system for gathering the information and reporting it back to you or the relevant manager in charge of that property. Make it everyone’s focus as we move into spring.

This year is going to be a little bit different for us at Elizabeth River Landscape Management. We are excited about focusing not so much on growth of new customers, but on the enhancement of properties we’re already maintaining. Sometimes you must set your goals and priorities on current customers.

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