As the Bids Turn........

Volunteering on the board is primarily an exercise of working the telephone and occasionally meeting a potential vendor literally outside your front door to check out a job.  Though it takes a little "homework time,"  vetting the initial round of landscaping contracts hasn't been that tough.  RS Fincher, the master association's property management company, has a "Scope of Work" document that it gives to all bidders that spells out exactly what we're seeking in grounds maintenance services.  

As of Friday afternoon, four bidders have offered a price to keep our grounds maintained for 2009.  Fontaine Landscaping, TSI Landscaping, Pine State Landscaping and Green Pro have all submitted proposals based on the "scope of work" document.  Turf Tenders, a Raleigh company, reviewed our specifications and want to tour Edgehill Farm early next week.  I'm interested to see their pricing.  By the way, the board pays for its groundskeeping in equal monthly payments over the contract's life.

What I'm learning is that many groundskeeping company literally earn their profits from the efficiency of working a property.  Their profit margins are slim until they "learn" all the nooks and crannies, then as they shave hours off the job (while keeping us happy), they earn more in "profit."  It costs us the same.  If a company can satisfy our community needs so efficiently that make more "money" off us, so be it.  We're having to cut the same check every month anyway.

If you have any thoughts on what we may need for landscaping, email me or leave a comment. 

KMc