Guide

Winning commercial accounts: property managers, HOAs, schools, churches and towns

Homeowner calls keep a tree company busy. Commercial accounts can keep it steady. This guide covers who buys commercial tree work, how to find the person who decides, what they ask about insurance, how to write a bid that wins, and how to turn one job into work every year.

By Umair Nawaz, founder of Lirevon Updated October 25, 2026 How we check facts

Why commercial work is worth it

Commercial work is not easy money, but it can mean fewer empty days. Here is the honest picture.

Repeat work instead of one-off calls

A homeowner may call you once every few years. A property manager with many sites, or an HOA with common areas, has trees that need work every year. One good relationship can fill slow weeks again and again.

Planned work you can schedule

Much commercial work is pruning, clearance and inspections that can be booked weeks ahead. That helps you plan crews in the quiet months, not only in storm season.

A first call when storms hit

When a storm drops trees across a parking lot or a school drive, the manager calls the company already on file. Being that company matters more than any ad.

The trade-off

Commercial buyers are slower, ask for more paperwork, and some pay on 30-day or longer terms. Price for that, and plan your cash flow before you take on a large account.

If longer payment terms worry you, map out the months first with the seasonal cash flow guide.

The five buyer types, compared

Each buyer type decides in its own way. This table is a general guide; every buyer is a little different.

Question	Property managers	HOAs	Schools	Churches	Towns and cities
Who decides	The property or facilities manager, sometimes with an owner sign-off	The board, often guided by a management company	Facilities or maintenance director; the district for larger jobs	Pastor, a trustee or a building committee	Public works, parks or a purchasing office
How they buy	Quotes, then a vendor list	Two or three quotes, voted at a board meeting	Quotes for small jobs, formal bids for large ones	Quotes and trust; often a member suggests a vendor	Formal bids, sealed or online, with set rules
Common asks	Certificate of insurance, W-9, fast response	Clear scope per area, photos, budget fit	Work outside school hours, background checks may apply	Fair price, respect for the grounds and events	Bonds, licenses, specific forms, sometimes wage rules
Speed to a yes	Can be fast once you are on the list	Slow; tied to the meeting calendar	Tied to the school calendar and budget year	Varies; can be quick	Slow; tied to the budget year and bid dates

Scroll sideways inside the table on a phone.

Finding the person who decides

The person you first reach is often not the one who picks the vendor. Ask: "Who handles tree and grounds vendors here?"

Property managers

Look at apartment complexes, office parks and retail centers in your area. The manager is usually named on the leasing office sign or the company website. Ask for "the person who handles grounds and landscaping vendors."

HOAs

Many HOAs are run by a management company. Find which one manages the neighborhood, then ask for the community manager. Board meeting dates are often posted for residents.

Schools

Public school districts usually list a facilities or operations department on their website. Private schools often have one facilities person. Ask how they add vendors and when their budget year starts.

Churches

Call the church office and ask who looks after the building and grounds. A respectful offer to walk the property goes a long way.

Towns, cities and counties

Check the purchasing or procurement page for open bids and vendor sign-ups. Register as a vendor so bid notices reach you. Read the past bid results to see what the work looks like.

What to say first

Offer a free walk-through and a written list of trees that need attention, with photos. Lead with what they need, such as safety or storm help, not price. To draft the opening lines, try the property manager pitch builder.

Use phone calls, email, a visit or a mailed letter. Do not send cold text messages to people who have not asked to hear from you. US texting rules are strict; read the texting rules guide for a short explanation, not legal advice.

Get ready before you pitch

If a manager asks for your insurance and you take a week, the job goes elsewhere. Build this kit once and keep it in one folder.

Commercial-ready checklist

A certificate of insurance you can send the same day, with the right limits for the buyer. See the insurance section below.
A W-9 form ready as a PDF.
Your business license and any state or local tree-work license your area requires.
A one-page company sheet: services, service area, crew size, equipment, and how to reach you after hours.
A written safety program, even a short one, and proof of training for your crew.
Clean, labeled job photos of your own work: before and after, with the address removed.
A simple estimate template with your scope, exclusions, clean-up terms and payment terms.
A phone line that gets answered or texted back fast. A manager who calls once and gets nothing will not call twice.

For a ready-made layout, start with the free estimate template.

What they ask about insurance

Tree work is high risk, and commercial buyers know it. Their own insurers often tell them what to ask vendors for. Expect these requests. This is a short explanation, not legal or insurance advice; your licensed agent is the right person to ask.

Certificate of insurance (COI)

A one-page form from your insurance agent that shows your coverage. Many commercial buyers ask for one before work starts. Ask your agent how fast they can issue one, because some buyers want it within a day.

Additional insured

Many buyers ask to be named as "additional insured" on your general liability policy. This gives them some protection under your policy for your work. Your agent adds it, sometimes for a fee.

Coverage limits

The buyer sets the minimum limits, often in the bid or vendor packet. Read them before you bid. If your limits are lower, talk to your agent about the cost to raise them and add that to your price.

Workers’ compensation

Expect to show proof of workers’ comp. State rules differ, and some owners without employees have options. This is a short explanation, not legal or insurance advice; ask a licensed agent.

Waiver of subrogation

A clause some contracts ask for. It limits your insurer from going after the buyer to recover money. Ask your agent what it means for you before you agree.

Check what you need with the insurance certificate checklist, and read the insurance guide for tree services for the bigger picture.

Writing a bid that wins

The lowest price does not always win. A clear bid often beats a cheap, vague one, because the buyer has to explain the choice to an owner, a board or a council. Make your bid easy to read and easy to defend.

1. Walk the site, with the manager if you can

Take photos and note access, power lines, targets like cars and buildings, and where the truck and chipper can go.

2. Split the scope into lines

Number each tree or area. Write what you will do to each one: remove, prune for clearance, raise the canopy, grind the stump. Clear lines make it easy for a board or committee to approve part of the work.

3. Say what is not included

List the exclusions plainly. For example: stump grinding, root work, hauling of logs, permits, or work near energized lines that needs the utility. This prevents fights later.

4. State the clean-up

Say what the site will look like when you leave: chips hauled or left, lawn raked, parking lot blown clean. Commercial buyers care about how the property looks to tenants and parents.

5. Give a schedule and work hours

Say when you can start, how many days it takes, and the hours you will work. Schools, churches and offices often need work done when people are not around.

6. Add terms

Payment terms, how change orders work, and what happens if weather delays the job. Price in any wait for payment.

7. Follow the format they asked for

Public bids in particular can be thrown out for a missing form, a missing signature or a late arrival. Use their forms, answer every line, and send it before the deadline.

Pricing it

Build each line from your own costs, then add the cost of extra insurance, paperwork and waiting for payment. Read pricing tree work and estimating tree jobs, and check your margin with the profit margin calculator.

After you send it

Follow up. Ask when they plan to decide, then check in a few days before that date. If you lose, ask politely what made the difference. That answer is free training for the next bid. The follow-up guide covers timing.

Turning one job into a recurring contract

The first job is a test. Do it well, then offer one of these.

Annual maintenance plan

A yearly walk-through, then a written plan for pruning, removals and clearance by priority. Spread the work across the year to fit their budget and your quiet months.

Storm response agreement

An agreement that puts them on your priority list after storms, with agreed rates or a rate sheet. Be honest about how fast you can really respond when every customer is calling.

Inspection visits

A set visit, such as once or twice a year, to look for hazards and report back with photos. Unless you hold an arborist certification, call it a visual check, not a formal risk assessment.

On-call rate sheet

For buyers who will not sign a yearly plan, a rate sheet for common tasks makes it easy for them to call you for small jobs without a new quote each time.

Put any recurring deal in writing: the scope, the rates, how often you visit, how either side can end it, and payment terms. Have a lawyer look over your contract template once. This is a short explanation, not legal advice.

Keeping the account

Buyers may leave a vendor who stops answering, misses dates or makes them chase paperwork.

Send a short report after each job: what you did, photos, and anything you saw that needs attention later.
Answer the manager’s calls and texts fast. Slow replies can cost you an account.
Send an updated certificate of insurance before the old one expires, without being asked.
Invoice cleanly, with their purchase order number if they gave you one.
Ask once a year for a short meeting to plan next year’s work and budget.
Ask for a referral or an introduction to another property they manage, once they are happy.

Fast replies are where small companies often fall short, because the owner is in the tree. A missed-call plan keeps commercial calls from slipping away.

A 90-day plan

Days 1 to 30: build your commercial-ready kit. Get a current certificate of insurance, a W-9, a one-page company sheet and a clean estimate template. Pick one or two buyer types to start with.
Days 31 to 60: make a list of properties in your service area. Find the decision maker for each one. Reach out by phone, email or visit with a free walk-through offer. Register as a vendor with your town and school district.
Days 61 to 90: do the walk-throughs, send clear written bids, and follow up on every one. For each job you win, deliver a short report and offer a yearly plan or a storm response agreement.

Track three numbers: bids sent, bids won and recurring accounts signed. After 90 days you will know which buyer type suits your company best.

Lirevon does not do tree work or bids for you. We help tree companies answer every call, follow up on every lead and look professional online. See our services, check pricing, or ask for a free audit. Lirevon is new and does not have tree-service clients yet, with first case studies planned for December 2026, so this guide shares general practice, not client results.

Common questions

Is commercial tree work worth it for a small company?

It can be, if you can meet the paperwork and payment terms. It brings repeat work and planned jobs for slow months. Start with one or two small accounts and grow from there, rather than bidding on a huge contract first.

Which commercial buyer is easiest to start with?

For many small companies, property managers and churches are easier than towns, because they buy on quotes and trust rather than formal bids. HOAs are good too, but decisions wait for board meetings.

What insurance do commercial clients ask for?

Usually general liability with set limits, workers’ comp proof, sometimes commercial auto, and often a request to be named additional insured. The exact limits are in their vendor packet or bid. This is a short explanation, not insurance advice; ask a licensed agent.

What is a certificate of insurance?

A one-page form from your insurance agent that proves your coverage and limits. Buyers ask for it before you start work. Keep a current one ready to send the same day.

How do I find public bids for tree work?

Check the purchasing or procurement page of your city, county, school district and state. Register as a vendor so you get bid notices. Many also post past bid results you can learn from.

Do public jobs have special wage rules?

Some do. Certain public contracts require set wage rates or extra forms. The bid documents usually say so. This is a short explanation, not legal advice; read the bid carefully and ask the buyer or a lawyer if unsure.

How should I price a commercial bid?

Price each line from your own costs: crew hours, equipment, disposal, travel and overhead, plus your margin. Add the cost of extra insurance, paperwork and waiting for payment. Our estimate template and pricing guides can help you set it up.

How do I get an HOA board to say yes?

Make it easy to approve. Split the work by area, add photos, mark what is urgent for safety and what can wait, and attend the meeting if they allow it. A board can approve part of a clear bid more easily than all of a vague one.

How do I stop losing commercial leads on the phone?

Answer fast, or reply by text within seconds when you cannot. A manager may call several vendors at once and favor the first who responds. A missed-call text-back and a lead inbox help with this.

Terms used here: certificate of insurance and additional insured. Growing past owner-led sales? See Lirevon for growing tree companies, compare our offers, or browse quick answers.

This page is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Rules for insurance, licensing, public bids and wages vary by state and city. Ask a licensed agent or a lawyer about your own situation.

Be the vendor who always answers

Commercial buyers pick the company that responds first and follows through. Get a free audit, see the services or view pricing.