Updated October 2026
Most commercial and HOA properties on the Central Coast under 5 acres spend between $500 and $3,000 a month on full-service landscape maintenance. Larger HOAs, business campuses and multi-site portfolios typically run $1,900 to $10,800 a month, and sites over 50 acres are priced from a site walk. Where your property lands depends on maintained acreage, how much turf versus planted beds you have, irrigation complexity, and how often crews are on site.
Those are planning ranges, not quotes. Your property has its own mix of turf, beds, trees, slopes and irrigation zones, so we built a tool to get you closer to your real number. Try the K&D commercial maintenance pricing calculator and get a ballpark in a few minutes.
We have maintained commercial properties, HOAs and public spaces across the Central Coast since 1986. Here is what drives the price and how to compare bids fairly.
Quick Answer: Typical Monthly Ranges
| Property type | Total site size | Monthly planning range |
|---|
| Small office, retail pad or small HOA | Under 1 acre | $500 to $1,100 |
| Mid-size HOA, office park or shopping center | 1 to 5 acres | $700 to $3,000 |
| Large HOA or business campus | 5 to 20 acres | $1,900 to $7,000 |
| Very large campus or multi-site portfolio | 20 to 50 acres | $4,500 to $10,800+ |
| Over 50 acres | 50+ acres | Priced from a site walk |
These ranges come from the K&D maintenance pricing calculator for a retail or office property that is about half landscaped, on flat ground, with standard care. Property type, landscaped share, terrain and service level move the number up or down. Your calculator result and site walk will be specific to your property.
Why Published Prices Are All Over the Place
If you have searched this before, you have seen numbers that do not agree. One source puts ongoing commercial maintenance at $0.05 to $0.20 per square foot per month, or roughly $1,500 to $8,000 a month for a typical property. Another says each additional maintained acre can add $1,000 to $3,000 per month on a weekly plan. Others quote per-acre mowing rates that look far cheaper.
The gap usually comes down to scope. A mowing-only price and a full-service price are different products. Full service covers turf, beds, pruning, weed control, irrigation management, litter pickup and seasonal work. Before comparing any number, ask what it includes.
What a Full-Service Contract Should Include (and What Is Usually Extra)
This is where most budget surprises come from. A clear contract separates the base scope you pay for every month from enhancements that are priced separately.
| Usually in the monthly base contract | Usually priced as an enhancement |
|---|
| Mowing, edging and string trimming | Mulch and bark refresh |
| Shrub and groundcover pruning | Seasonal color and flower rotations |
| Bed weeding and weed control | Tree work above a set height |
| Litter and debris pickup | Irrigation repairs beyond minor fixes |
| Leaf cleanup | Plant replacements |
| Routine irrigation checks and controller adjustments | Turf conversion and drought upgrades |
| Fertilization on a set schedule | Storm cleanup and erosion repair |
Every company draws this line a little differently. The best protection is a written scope that names visit frequency, what is included, and how enhancements are approved and priced before the work happens.
What Drives Your Price on the Central Coast
Maintained acreage and layout
Open turf is fast to maintain. Narrow parking lot islands, tight planters and lots of edges take more labor per square foot. Two properties with the same acreage can have very different costs.
Visit frequency
Weekly service costs more per month than every-other-week service, but it keeps the property consistently sharp. Many HOAs and retail centers choose weekly during the growing season and reduce frequency in winter.
Turf versus planted beds
Turf needs regular mowing and water. Beds need hand weeding, pruning and mulch. Converting low-use turf to drought-tolerant planting often lowers water bills and can change your maintenance mix over time.
Irrigation complexity and water rules
More zones, older controllers and aging pipe mean more labor and more repairs. Water rules matter too. On the Monterey Peninsula, Cal Am customers in the Monterey Main system can irrigate on Wednesdays and Saturdays only, which makes smart controllers and careful scheduling essential.
Slopes, trees and access
Steep banks, mature trees and hard-to-reach areas add time and sometimes specialized equipment.
Equipment and noise
California's AB 1346 stopped the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines, like leaf blowers and string trimmers, starting in 2024. That is pushing the industry toward battery-electric equipment. For HOAs, medical offices and schools, quieter crews mean fewer complaints from residents and tenants. K&D runs electric equipment and autonomous mowers on properties where they fit.
How to Compare Maintenance Bids Fairly
The lowest monthly number is not always the lowest cost. Here is what to line up side by side:
- Scope sheet. Does each bid list the same services, at the same frequency?
- Labor hours. How many crew hours per visit does each bid assume? A low price with too few hours usually means corners get cut later.
- Irrigation management. How often are systems inspected, and who catches leaks before your water bill does?
- Enhancement pricing. How are extras approved and priced? Is there a written approval step?
- Communication. Do you get a named account manager, site reports and a set response time?
- Licensing and insurance. Confirm an active California C-27 landscape contractor license and current insurance certificates.
- Crew consistency. Ask about crew turnover. The same crew learning your property every week does better work than a rotating one.
How K&D Prices Commercial Maintenance
We start with your property, not a template.
- Use the calculator to set a realistic range.
- Site walk with your property manager or board to map turf, beds, trees, irrigation and problem areas.
- Written scope that separates base services from enhancements.
- Proposal with visit frequency, crew hours and pricing laid out clearly.
- Onboarding with a named account manager and a 30-day check-in.
The people doing the work matter as much as the scope. We invest in our team because consistent, well-paid crews take better care of your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does commercial landscape maintenance cost per month?
Most Central Coast commercial and HOA properties under 5 acres spend $500 to $3,000 a month on full-service maintenance, and sites of 20 to 50 acres can run $4,500 to $10,800 or more. These ranges come from the K&D maintenance pricing calculator. Your cost depends on maintained area, layout, frequency, irrigation and site conditions.
What is included in a commercial landscape maintenance contract?
A full-service contract usually covers mowing, edging, pruning, weed control, litter pickup, leaf cleanup, fertilization and routine irrigation checks. Mulch, seasonal color, tree work, major irrigation repairs and plant replacements are often priced separately.
Is weekly or every-other-week service better for an HOA?
Weekly service keeps high-visibility areas consistently clean and is common during the growing season. Every-other-week service can work for low-traffic areas or winter months. Many HOAs use a seasonal mix.
Why do commercial landscaping bids vary so much?
Most of the difference comes from scope and labor hours. Compare what each bid includes, how many crew hours it assumes per visit, and how extras are priced.
Can a landscape company help lower our water bill?
Often, yes. Regular irrigation inspections, smart controllers, fixing leaks quickly and converting low-use turf to drought-tolerant planting can all reduce water use.
Do you use electric equipment?
Yes. K&D uses battery-electric equipment and autonomous mowers where they fit the property, which also means quieter service for residents and tenants.
Does K&D offer residential maintenance?
No. Our maintenance division serves commercial properties, HOAs and public spaces. For homeowners, we offer residential design-build.
How accurate is the K&D maintenance pricing calculator?
It gives you a realistic planning range based on your property details. It is not a final proposal. Your price is set after a site walk, when we can see layout, irrigation and site conditions in person.
Ready to See Your Number?
You should know what your property will cost before scheduling a site walk. Use the K&D commercial maintenance pricing calculator to get your estimated range, then reach out when you are ready to talk.
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