A free tool for HOA & condominium boards
Free Landscaping
Quote Comparison
Compare competing suppliers’ prices, service scope and exclusions before choosing a landscaping contract.
Excel workbook · Blank template + illustrative example
No payment. No email required. Your figures stay in your own file.
Quick Start
Make the proposals comparable.
Open the download in Microsoft Excel. Work in Comparison; keep the Example tab as a reference. Edit the sand-colored cells, leaving calculated results intact. Save a copy for each purchasing decision.
Set the same scope.
Use one written list of areas, tasks and seasonal visits. Record that scope reference for each supplier. Check materials, disposal, irrigation and exceptions rather than assuming “full service” means the same thing.
Enter the full cost.
Enter the base fee and its billing period. Then enter additional first-year taxes, required extras and one-time costs. Do not count included charges twice. A confirmed zero is 0; an unknown stays blank.
Confirm before comparing.
Confirm fixed rates for the same full 12 months, all required costs known, and aligned scope/visits. Until then, the specified first-year total reads “Not available.” Review quality and terms before choosing.
What it does
A useful first comparison.
- Normalizes monthly, quarterly or annual base fees.
- Keeps required extras, tax and one-time costs explicit.
- Prompts a review of scope, seasonal frequency, exclusions and notice deadlines.
- Provides a blank worksheet and a worked illustrative example.
Know the limits
Keep the judgment with your board.
This is a simplified first-year tool. It does not model changing rates, multi-year escalators, financing, uncertain work or service quality. A normalized fee is not proof that scopes match.
If a rate changes during the first year, the term is shorter than 12 months, or required extras remain unknown, do not use its total as the contract cost. Ask for a comparable fixed-period quote or use a more detailed analysis.
General purchasing education, not legal, engineering or community association management advice. No supplier ranking, savings guarantee or supplier partnership is implied.
An example, not a market benchmark
A smaller base fee may not mean a smaller total.
These invented figures demonstrate the arithmetic only. They are not local supplier quotes, market pricing or achieved savings. All three examples assume the same written scope and fixed first-year rates.
| Cost line | Illustrative A | Illustrative B | Illustrative C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quoted base fee | $3,200 / month | $9,600 / quarter | $38,000 / year |
| Annualized base | $38,400 | $38,400 | $38,000 |
| Required first-year extras | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,800 |
| One-time cost | $0 | $600 | $0 |
| Specified first-year cost | $39,600 | $40,200 | $39,800 |
The annualized base for C is lower, but its specified first-year cost is higher than A after the assumed extras. That is a cost difference—not evidence that A is the better supplier.
A few practical questions.
Do I need to sign up or share my quotes?
No. Download directly, without an email address or checkout. The worksheet runs in your spreadsheet application, and there is no upload connection to Coastal. If you save it to a cloud drive, that provider’s sharing and storage settings apply.
What happens if a cost is unknown?
Leave its cost cell blank. The total remains unavailable. Enter 0 only after confirming there is no additional charge. Do not treat an exclusion as free work or reuse the example’s assumptions for your own community.
Does it cover every contract?
No. It is a narrow, self-service landscaping comparison for three quotes on a fixed 12-month basis. Shorter terms, changing rates, multiple currencies and multi-year arrangements need a different analysis. It does not replace contract review or the association’s approval process.
Will downloading subscribe me to the newsletter?
No. Coastal Purchasing Brief has a separate optional signup and email confirmation. Downloading or sending a purchasing inquiry never enrolls you.
Volusia County communities
What contract is coming up next?
Tell us the purchase category, your community’s location and timing. That is the starting point for exploring whether nearby communities have compatible needs.
Tell us about your upcoming contractOpens your email app. Or email coastal@renewaliq.co. Please do not include contracts, resident information or financial records in your first message. This inquiry is not a paid engagement.
More useful questions, twice a month.
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