Most homeowners agree that landscaping is a big investment for enhancing a home. You want to make sure that your money will be well spent. You’ll want to hire the best professionals you can find because not all landscaping companies are the same. For those who want to enjoy the benefits of a beautifully crafted landscape, it is essential that you find a landscaping company that will address your needs adequately for providing your landscape with regular maintenance and quality care at an affordable price.
The best place to begin your search is to define your needs for landscaping care and get an idea of what you want. This process will help narrow your search before you contact different landscape companies to compare quotes for the best deal for your property. More importantly, look for a company that will be easy to work with regularly and receptive to your ideas and goals. They should answer your questions and concerns while offering you peace of mind.
“Get someone who takes the time to get to know your space and asks you questions about how you use your space, what kinds of things you like, and what kind of feeling you’d like your space to evoke,” says Trevor Smith, vice president of the Ecological Landscaping Association.
Landscape Environment
One of the most important aspects of having a beautiful landscape is finding a landscaping company that understands the environment and selects plants that thrive. It’s critical that they understand how to combine plants that work harmoniously with your lawn setting. It’s important for you to find out if the landscaping company employs horticultural professionals that know this information since poorly placed plants can destroy a beautiful and flourishing landscape.
Property
Existing areas of your property with sun or shade, slopes, soil, drainage and moisture affect different plants. A good landscape company will recognize these conditions and plant accordingly. You should also determine whether the company is familiar with pest-resistant plants because this information greatly improves your landscape’s chances of blossoming. Since water is the blood life of successful landscaping, your landscaper should consider the watering needs of appropriate plants to get the best results.
Landscape Licenses & Diplomas
Although there are no mandatory licence requirements for landscape companies, like those that exist in other trades, such as electricians, good landscape companies will have a crew with certificates and diplomas in horticulture. Their staff may take additional courses during the winter month to learn of new trends in the landscaping business. Also, a good landscape company carries insurance if an accident occurs on your property, which relieves you of any liability. They are in good standing with all governing bodies regarding workplace safety.
Landscaper Experience
In addition to being knowledgeable with a professional understanding of landscape design and property maintenance, the best landscaping companies should also have years of experience in the industry. On average, a company with a history of more than ten years in the business is reputable. This is a very competitive industry, and those who make it past ten years are companies with solid credentials and happy and repeat customers. You can also go to their website and look at the online ratings and reviews as a good indicator of the quality of their work, experience, history and any other professional credentials they hold.
References
The landscape company that you are considering should provide you with a list of references, and you should contact them. Reviews from past or current customers are an ideal way to decide whether the landscape company will fulfill your expectations and provide you with the high-quality service you expect.
Some questions to ask an individual is how long the person has been a customer with the company and whether they have been happy or disappointed with their experience. Depending upon the answer, you can ask why they were so pleased or what occurred to log a complaint against the company. Most importantly, ask the question of whether the person would recommend the company to others.
