Lecture # 18 Installation and Maintenance Maintenance Contracts Contracts.

Lecture # 18Lecture # 18Installation andInstallation and MaintenanceMaintenance

ContractsContracts

Interior Landscape Interior Landscape FirmsFirms

The major interiorscape firms today areThe major interiorscape firms today are interiorscapers only. interiorscapers only.

Hundreds of businesses nationwide ranging in Hundreds of businesses nationwide ranging in from small firms with a few employees andfrom small firms with a few employees and gross volume under $50,000 to large gross volume under $50,000 to large corporationscorporations with hundreds of workers and annual volumes with hundreds of workers and annual volumes aboveabove $83 million.$83 million.

As a group, interiorscapers sell a customer As a group, interiorscapers sell a customer installedinstalled plants and guaranteed maintenance. This plants and guaranteed maintenance. This arrangement arrangement accounts for the majority of sales, with the accounts for the majority of sales, with the balancebalance coming from leases and rentals.coming from leases and rentals.

Large firms derive a greater portion of their Large firms derive a greater portion of their incomeincome from leases than do smaller companies, while the from leases than do smaller companies, while the reverse is true for plant rentals.reverse is true for plant rentals.

Interior Landscape Interior Landscape FirmsFirms

The firms handle hotels, restaurants, shoppingThe firms handle hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, offices, showrooms, retail stores,malls, offices, showrooms, retail stores, institutions, and residence accounts. institutions, and residence accounts.

Interior landscape contractors rely on designInterior landscape contractors rely on design professionals (architects and interior professionals (architects and interior designers)designers) for a large portion of their new business.for a large portion of their new business.

Interior Landscape Interior Landscape FirmsFirms

Various methods are used in the plantscape Various methods are used in the plantscape business.business. When outright sale is used, the plant material is When outright sale is used, the plant material is thethe property of the client. Once installed, the property of the client. Once installed, the contractorcontractor is not concerned with aftercare.is not concerned with aftercare.

Three other modes of operation are similar:Three other modes of operation are similar: install and maintain;install and maintain; install, maintain, and guarantee;install, maintain, and guarantee; lease and maintain.lease and maintain.

Interior Landscape Interior Landscape FirmsFirms

Installation GuidelinesInstallation Guidelines

Negotiations or competitive bidding. Negotiations or competitive bidding. All costs must be considered carefully andAll costs must be considered carefully and covered in the bid. Include:covered in the bid. Include:

blueprints and specifications;blueprints and specifications; a layout plan, a grading plan, and a planting a layout plan, a grading plan, and a planting plan;plan; plant list, including common names, plant list, including common names, scientificscientific names, quantities specified, plant sizes;names, quantities specified, plant sizes;

an interior site analysis:an interior site analysis: the total design concept;the total design concept; furnishings;furnishings; lighting;lighting; heating and cooling;heating and cooling; site accessibility;site accessibility; labor requirements.labor requirements.

Installation GuidelinesInstallation Guidelines

MaintenanceMaintenance

Interiorscape foliage plants should be Interiorscape foliage plants should be healthy, disease and pest free, and healthy, disease and pest free, and attractive attractive at all times. A low loss rate, healthy at all times. A low loss rate, healthy plants,plants, and client satisfaction are the primary and client satisfaction are the primary goals.goals.

MaintenanceMaintenance

Start with properly acclimatized high qualityStart with properly acclimatized high quality plants, and install them using plants, and install them using knowledgeable,knowledgeable, trained technicians.trained technicians.

A successful firm should not replace more A successful firm should not replace more thanthan 10% of the plants per year.10% of the plants per year.

PersonnelPersonnel

Maintenance technicians are key personnel in Maintenance technicians are key personnel in thethe success of an interiorscape.success of an interiorscape.

Individuals with interest in plants and severalIndividuals with interest in plants and several years of greenhouse or landscape experience years of greenhouse or landscape experience areare recommended.recommended.

PersonnelPersonnel

A training period is necessary in all cases. A training period is necessary in all cases. A program takes several weeks and A program takes several weeks and involvesinvolves classroom work as well as on-the-job classroom work as well as on-the-job trainingtraining with an experienced technician.with an experienced technician.

Minimize costly employee turnover.Minimize costly employee turnover.

ProcedureProcedure

Regular servicing once a week, or more often, Regular servicing once a week, or more often, isis the norm, as routine evaluation and care the norm, as routine evaluation and care beingbeing the key to maintenance of high quality the key to maintenance of high quality plants.plants.

Provide the personnel with the necessary Provide the personnel with the necessary transportation and equipment. transportation and equipment. Perform all the maintenance during the day,Perform all the maintenance during the day, and spraying at night.and spraying at night.

ProcedureProcedure

Planting is usually a one-time operation lastingPlanting is usually a one-time operation lasting over a year. Rotation and pilferage mayover a year. Rotation and pilferage may necessitate replacement increasing planting necessitate replacement increasing planting costs.costs.

An inventory of every planting should beAn inventory of every planting should be maintained and a worksheet kept for each maintained and a worksheet kept for each plant.plant.

ContractsContracts

A maintenance contract is desirable to A maintenance contract is desirable to protectprotect both the contractor and the client and both the contractor and the client and eliminateeliminate misunderstandings.misunderstandings.

ContractsContracts

Items for consideration in the contract Items for consideration in the contract include:include:

Frequency and type of maintenance.Frequency and type of maintenance. Environmental considerations .Environmental considerations . Replacement.Replacement. Guarantee restrictions.Guarantee restrictions. Cancellations rights.Cancellations rights. Fees.Fees. Insurance.Insurance.

Interior Landscape InstallationInterior Landscape Installation

Interior Landscape Interior Landscape MaintenanceMaintenance

Your Friends and Your EnemiesYour Friends and Your Enemies