Not legal advice. These are general templates; laws and enforceability vary by state. Consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Contractor contract templates for service businesses
Contractor contract templates are ready-to-edit agreements that an outdoor or home-service business signs with its own customers, such as a homeowner, an HOA or a property manager. Pick the one that matches the work you sell, answer a short form, read the whole contract for free, and download a PDF and a Word file when it is right.
Not legal advice. These templates have not been reviewed by an attorney.Last updated:
The six contracts at a glance
There are six contracts here, one for each kind of work, and the right one depends on whether you sell a repeating service or a one-time job and how you charge for it.
| Contract | Who it is for | How you charge | Key clauses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snow removal contract | Plow and shovel operators with seasonal customers | Seasonal flat fee, per push, per visit or per inch | Trigger depth, season dates, snowfall cap, de-icing, ice and slip-and-fall, damage |
| Lawn care contract | Mowing and lawn maintenance crews | Per visit or flat monthly or seasonal fee | Visit schedule, weather skips, product consent and notice, gates and pets |
| Landscaping contract | Installers of patios, beds, walls and plantings | Fixed project price with a deposit and progress payments | Change orders, utility locate, permits, plant warranty, cleanup |
| Pressure washing contract | Exterior cleaning of driveways, decks and siding | Flat price per job or per surface | Surfaces, water access, runoff, pre-existing damage, weather |
| Junk removal contract | Haul-away and cleanout services | By truck volume, per item, flat or hourly | Items list, prohibited items, ownership transfer, disposal, access |
| Tree service contract | Trimming, removal and stump grinding crews | Fixed price per job with an optional deposit | Property lines, permits, debris and wood, equipment damage, hazards |
How to choose the right contract
Choose by the shape of the job: a recurring service that renews every week or storm needs a service agreement with a schedule, and a single project with a start and a finish needs a contract with a price, a deposit and a completion step.
- Repeating work with a season (snow, lawn care): pick the snow removal or lawn care contract, which carry a season, a schedule and cancellation notice.
- One-time projects with materials (landscaping, tree work): pick the landscaping or tree service contract, which carry deposits, change orders and cleanup.
- Short single visits (pressure washing, junk removal): pick the contract that fits, which carries access, preparation and payment when the work is done.
- Not sure? Landscaping and lawn care are different: lawn care repeats, landscaping is a project. See the lawn care contract and the landscaping contract side by side.
What every service contract needs
Every contract with a customer should name both parties, describe the work and the property, state the price and when it is due, say how either side can cancel, and carry signature and date lines.
- Both parties and the property address or service area.
- A plain description of what is included and what is not.
- The price, the payment dates and what happens if payment is late.
- Customer duties, such as access, marking obstacles and moving vehicles.
- What happens in bad weather or when equipment breaks down.
- How damage is reported and a short reporting window.
- A limit on responsibility written "to the extent permitted by law" that never covers gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
- A statement of your insurance, if you carry any.
- Cancellation notice, governing law and signatures.
Each template on this site includes all of these. Laws vary by state, so have a licensed attorney in your state review the finished document before you use it.
Hiring a helper for your crew?
If you hire a person or another company to work for you instead of working for a customer, use the independent contractor agreement. It covers scope, pay, ownership of work and independent status, and it is a different document from the ones above.
Key terms
- Service provider
- The business that does the work and signs the contract. On this site the provider is you.
- Customer
- The homeowner, HOA or property manager who pays for the work.
- Scope of work
- The list of what you will do, and where, under the contract.
- Change order
- A written, signed change to the work, price or schedule made after the contract is signed.
- Limitation of liability
- A clause that caps or limits what one side can claim from the other, to the extent the law allows.
- Force majeure
- Events outside a party's reasonable control, such as severe weather, that excuse delay.
Open a contract
- Snow removal contract
- Lawn care contract
- Landscaping contract
- Pressure washing contract
- Junk removal contract
- Tree service contract
Hiring a helper for your crew? Use the independent contractor agreement.
Which states is this for?
These are general US templates, written to be used in any US state. They do not contain state-specific provisions. The state you choose only fills in the governing-law clause.
Enforceability and required wording often vary by state. Some states may limit liability waivers, and some may require specific notices in contractor contracts. Check the rules for your state, or ask a local attorney, before you rely on a document.
Questions and answers
What is a contractor contract?
A contractor contract is a written agreement between a service contractor and a customer that sets the work, the price, the schedule, who is responsible for what, and how either side can end the arrangement. The templates here are for contractors who sell services to homeowners, HOAs and small commercial customers.
Which contract do I need for snow plowing?
Use the snow removal contract. It covers trigger depth, the season, de-icing, damage and ice conditions, and it works for seasonal, per-push, per-visit and per-inch pricing.
Is a lawn care contract the same as a landscaping contract?
No. A lawn care contract covers a recurring service such as weekly mowing, and a landscaping contract covers a one-time project such as installing a patio or planting beds, with a deposit, change orders and a plant warranty.
Can I hire a helper with the same documents?
No. When you hire someone to work for you, use the independent contractor agreement, not a customer contract.
Do these templates work in every state?
The templates are general documents and the state you choose only fills the governing-law clause. Whether a clause is enforced varies by state and by the facts, so ask a licensed attorney in your state to review the document.
How much do the contracts cost?
The live preview is free: you can answer every question, read every clause and edit the wording without paying. Your first clean PDF and Word download is free and leaving an email gets 2 more; after that this contract costs 1 credit, from $5.27 per document in a pack.
Does a contract replace insurance?
No. A contract sets out what you and the customer agree, and insurance is a separate policy that can respond to covered claims. Many contractors use both.
Is this legal advice, and has an attorney reviewed it?
No. These templates have not been reviewed by an attorney. They are general US templates and not legal advice, and this site is not a law firm. Rules vary by state, so check your state or ask a local attorney.
Does this work in my state?
The templates are general US templates written for use in any state. They have no state-specific provisions, and the state field only fills the governing-law clause. Enforceability and required wording vary by state, so check your state's rules or ask a local attorney.