Guide, garden maintenance
How to Choose a Garden Maintenance Company in Dubai
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Short answer
Choose a garden maintenance company that holds a trade licence, gives you a written itemised scope, tells you how often it visits and what a visit covers, and states the contract length and exit terms. Get two or three written quotes and ask each the same eight questions below. Our own garden maintenance is from AED 525 a month, incl. VAT.
A garden in Dubai deals with heat, humidity, dust and salty water, so who looks after it matters. These are the eight checks we would make, with what we do ourselves under each one.
1. A valid trade licence
Ask for the licence number and check that the licensed activity covers garden or plant work. Trade licences in Dubai are issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism, so you can confirm the details on its website.
At Green Beetle: We hold a UAE trade licence and send a copy if you ask.
2. A written, itemised scope
A task that is not written down is not included. Ask for a list: mowing, trimming, weeding, feeding, watering checks and clearing garden waste, and which of them are in the monthly price.
At Green Beetle: Our garden maintenance page sets out what visits cover, and we confirm the details in your written quote.
3. How often they visit, and for how long
A monthly price only means something next to the visit pattern. Ask how many visits a month, how long each lasts, and what happens in the hottest months, when a garden needs the most attention.
At Green Beetle: Our garden maintenance visits are 2 to 3 times a week.
4. What happens when someone is on leave
An individual gardener who is away leaves your garden unattended unless they arrange cover. Ask who steps in and how you will be told.
At Green Beetle: Ask any company this question and get the answer in writing. We are happy to answer it for your garden at the site visit.
5. Who pays for materials
Fertiliser, soil, mulch, new plants and disposal of garden waste can sit inside the price or on top of it. Ask what is covered, and how you will be told before an extra charge is made.
At Green Beetle: Plant replacement is not included in our plans. Replacements are quoted separately, and we agree any extra work in writing first.
6. Contract length and how to end it
Ask for the minimum term, the notice period and what a change in the garden does to the price. Longer commitments need a clear exit.
At Green Beetle: Our maintenance plans have a 6-month minimum contract.
7. How quickly they reply
You will need to reach someone when a plant looks wrong. Ask how you contact them and how fast they usually reply.
At Green Beetle: Reach us Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, on WhatsApp or by phone.
8. References and reviews
Look at a company's Google profile and ask for names you can contact. Photos of finished work help, but reviews show how a company deals with problems.
At Green Beetle: You can read about us on our Google profile.
Red flags to watch for
- A price over the phone with no site visit.
- No written scope, or a scope that says only "garden maintenance".
- A promise that every plant will survive. Heat, salt water and dust affect plants whatever the contractor does.
- No trade licence number, or a licence for a different activity.
- Pressure to sign a long contract on the first visit.
Garden maintenance cost in Dubai
Published prices disagree widely, so compare written quotes rather than headline numbers. Green Beetle garden maintenance is from AED 525 a month, incl. VAT, and the final price is confirmed in writing after a free site visit. See what a first visit looks like in our site visit guide, and how the two options compare in company vs individual gardener. Also read contract vs pay per visit.
More: garden maintenance in Dubai, garden cleaning and plants maintenance.
Key takeaways
- Choose a company that holds a trade licence and gives you a written, itemised scope.
- Ask how often it visits and what a visit covers.
- Check the contract length and the exit terms before you sign.
- Get two or three written quotes and ask each the same questions.
