Purchase with separate care
The owner buys the agreed plants, containers and installation. A separate contract can cover routine care. Confirm replacement exclusions, warranty terms, repairs and asset removal. In-house care still has staff, training, equipment and relief-cover costs. Ownership does not by itself establish added property value or a tax treatment.
Managed service and lease
Plant-as-a-Service and full-service lease offers may retain supplier ownership, but the contract defines the arrangement. Ask about initial design and installation charges, recurring billing, replacement conditions, finish changes, escalation, termination, removal and any purchase option. Do not infer that every replacement or seasonal rotation is included.
Put each offer on the same basis
- Issue one plant/container schedule with quantities, locations, light conditions and access requirements.
- Record initial charges, recurring charges and their billing units, replacement exclusions and owner responsibilities.
- Choose the same comparison horizon and show escalation, removal costs and optional scope separately.
- Request comparable installation references and confirm service coverage for the address.
Building floor area can describe the project but does not establish a price for each planter or visit. Use quoted quantities and scope rather than an unsupported per-floor-area rate.
Illustrative comparison method
Undiscounted cost over an agreed horizon = initial charges + recurring charges over that horizon + separately priced replacements and owner costs + exit charges. Count included work once. Unknown values remain unpriced rather than zero. A lower complete total is not evidence of equivalent plant quality or service.
Open the living-wall bid-comparison guide and editable workbook. Record included, separately priced, excluded and unknown scope before comparing complete totals. An unknown owner cost is not zero and must prevent a complete ranking.