Guide

Questions to ask a commercial landscaping and snow contractor

Ask for: a certificate of insurance naming you; equipment and backup for storms; how many properties are on the route ahead of you; visit and storm logs; references from similar properties; how residents or tenants reach them; and termination terms.

Updated November 11, 2026

Request a proposal

The cheapest bid that can't plow your lot by 6 a.m. isn't cheap.

What should you ask before hiring?

Certificate of insurance naming the owner or association?
Equipment, and backup if a truck goes down?
Where is our property on the storm route?
Logs with time stamps and photos?
References from similar properties?
Single point of contact and response time?
Fertilizer by soil test, and records (Massachusetts)?
Termination and notice terms?

We're a referral service: one local crew answers these in a written proposal.

Questions people ask

Do commercial landscapers need a state license?

Grounds maintenance generally doesn't in RI; pesticide application does need licensing. Ask.

How many references?

Two or three similar properties.

Should we visit their other sites?

If you can, yes.

Landlord vs tenant snow duties: Owners keep shared walks, stairs and exits clear in both states; tenants can be assigned only a private entrance, in writing. What it means for multifamily and mixed-use owners.
Snow liability: RI vs MA: Rhode Island's Connecticut rule versus Massachusetts' reasonable-care rule for snow and ice, plus town sidewalk deadlines in Bristol, Barrington, East Providence, Newport and Fall River. Not legal advice.
Writing a scope: The scope of work property managers and boards should send out: grounds frequency, beds, pruning, cleanups, enhancements, snow trigger and clear-by times, ice, logs, insurance and contact. For East Bay RI and South Coast MA.
Slip-and-fall worries: Property managers in Bristol, Barrington, East Providence, Newport and Fall River: how Rhode Island's Connecticut rule and Massachusetts' reasonable-care rule differ, and how ice management and logs reduce risk.
Property looks tired: Tired beds, salt-burned shrubs and thin lawns hurt leasing, sales and reviews. A one-time refresh plus a maintenance scope for commercial properties in Bristol, Newport, Barrington and East Providence.

Sources

Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources: Plant nutrient regulations for turf and lawns (330 CMR 31.00) fact sheet

Request a proposal

Tell us about the property. One local crew based in Bristol walks it and puts a scope and proposal in writing.

1. Send the property and what you need. Two minutes.
2. We pass it to one local commercial crew, not a list.
3. They walk it and send a written scope and proposal.

First name

Last name

Mobile number

ZIP

Property address

Suite / unit

What do you need?

Business or association name (optional)

You are the

Property type

Properties

Photos or a site plan (optional, up to 4)

Up to 4 photos. They go only to the crew with your request.

Anything else worth knowing

Snow routes are set in the fall. A site plan helps the crew propose it right.

East Bay Commercial LandscapingBristol, RI · grounds · snow · HOAs

Plain, sourced answers for property managers and boards in Bristol and the East Bay, and one introduction to a local grounds and snow crew.

Services

Problems

Guides

Areas

East Bay Commercial Landscaping is an independent referral service, not a contractor. We don't do, schedule or price work; the local crew we connect you with contracts with you directly and is responsible for its own insurance. We are not lawyers; nothing here is legal advice.

Questions to ask a commercial landscaping and snow contractor

What should you ask before hiring?

Questions people ask

Related

Sources

Request a proposal