Questions to ask before signing a garden maintenance contract in Dubai
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What to ask before you sign a garden maintenance contract in Dubai: minimum term, visit frequency and length, inclusions, materials, plant replacement and NOCs.
Before signing, ask for the minimum term, how many visits you get each month and how long each lasts, exactly what a visit includes, who pays for materials, and whether plant replacement is in the written agreement. Get all of it in writing.
Key takeaways
- Ask for the minimum term. Green Beetle's maintenance contracts have a 6-month minimum.
- Visit frequency and visit length matter as much as the monthly price.
- A task that isn't listed in the agreement isn't included.
- Plant replacement applies only if the written agreement says so.
- Changes to the garden, like new structures or tree work, may need a developer NOC.
How long is the minimum contract?
Ask this first, along with how to end the contract and how much notice is needed. Longer commitments need a clear exit. At Green Beetle the minimum is 6 months for all maintenance plans.
How many visits do you get, and how long is each one?
A monthly price only means something next to the visit pattern. Ask how many visits a month and how long each visit lasts, then divide. Our twice-weekly plan is 8 visits a month, and the visit length depends on garden size.
| Garden size | Grass area | Plants | Visit length | Twice a week (monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 0 to 50 sqm | 0 to 20 | 30 min | AED 500 |
| Small | 0 to 50 sqm | 20 to 40 | 30 min | AED 600 |
| Medium | 50 to 100 sqm | 0 to 20 | 45 min | AED 700 |
| Medium | 50 to 100 sqm | 20 to 40 | 45 min | AED 800 |
| Large | 100 to 150 sqm | 0 to 20 | 60 min | AED 900 |
| Large | 100 to 150 sqm | 20 to 40 | 60 min | AED 1,000 |
| X-Large | 150 to 250 sqm | 0 to 20 | 75 min | AED 1,100 |
| X-Large | 150 to 250 sqm | 20 to 50 | 75 min | AED 1,200 |
These are monthly prices for twice-weekly maintenance on a 6-month minimum contract, starting from AED 500 a month. Gardens over 250 sqm or with more plants are quoted after a site visit, and so are weekly, fortnightly and corporate plans. For more on what a garden's size and plant count mean for the price, see the garden maintenance cost guide.
What is included in each visit?
Ask for a written list of tasks. Typical garden maintenance tasks include mowing, trimming, weeding, watering checks and clearing garden waste, but what you get depends on the company and the plan. Ask about each of these specifically:
- Mowing and edging.
- Pruning and trimming of hedges and shrubs.
- Weeding.
- Fertilising.
- Irrigation checks.
- Removal of green waste.
- Pest and disease checks.
If a task is charged separately, the contract should say so.
Who pays for materials?
Fertiliser, soil, mulch, irrigation parts and new plants can be priced separately from the visits. Ask what is covered by the monthly price and what is charged on top, and how you will be told before a charge is made.
Are plants replaced if they die?
Only if the agreement says so. Don't rely on a verbal promise, and be wary of anyone who promises that plants will survive. Plant replacement for Green Beetle maintenance clients applies only if the written agreement includes it. If replacement matters to you, ask for the exact wording: which plants, how many times, and under what conditions.
What if you want to change the garden?
New pergolas, hardscape changes, pools, tree work and changes to a front garden or grass can need a developer NOC. The client applies for the NOC and we supply what is needed. Ask who handles it, and whether changes to the garden are quoted separately from maintenance. Tree trimming and removal are quoted after a site visit.
What happens in the summer?
Dubai's summer is hard on gardens, so ask how visits, watering and plant care change in the hottest months, and whether anything in the agreement changes. Our summer garden preparation guide covers what to expect.
How do you get a quote?
Book a free site visit. We'll look at the garden and quote the plan that fits. See our garden maintenance service.
Reviewed by Hamza, site supervisor at Green Beetle.