How to Find and Hire a Landscape Professional

According to the National Association of Landscape Professionals, quality landscaping can boost your home’s value by 15 percent. Whether you’re sprucing up your home in order to sell or upgrading your backyard for your own benefit, you’ll want the help of a qualified expert to ensure that your landscape is in good hands.

Even for homeowners who prefer the DIY method, the scale or complexity of certain home improvement projects necessitates professional expertise. Read on for some helpful tips for finding and hiring the right landscape professional for your project.

Know What You Want

Before you start reaching out to landscaping companies, make sure you have a solid idea of the project in mind with a clear budget and timeframe. Do you envision a fun entertainment space and ambient water works, or are you more focused on practical lighting or drainage solutions?

You’ll also want to have a good understanding of your existing landscape: how much sun does your yard get? Where does water flow to and from? How are the soil conditions?

Of course, if you’re not quite sure what type of project is right for you, the right landscaping company should be able to offer on-site consultations to help narrow down your options based on your individual needs, budget, and timeframe.

Take some time to prioritize your values, too. Are you okay with spending a bit more for high-quality results, or are you willing to sacrifice quality for something more affordable? Do you want collaborative customer service, or do you prefer a more hands-off approach? Different companies have different values, so you’ll want to make sure you and the company you hire are in alignment.

Do Your Research

Once you have a good idea of your budget, timeline, project, and priorities, it’s time to start looking at local landscaping companies. While it’s usually a good idea to start by asking trusted family, friends, or colleagues for referrals, this doesn’t mean you have to rule out companies found via an online search.

From initial design to ongoing maintenance, many landscaping professionals offer a wide variety of services and specialties. When looking into a company, first check that they offer the type of project you’re looking for. If you don’t see a particular service listed on their website, it doesn’t hurt to reach out and discuss their offerings in more detail.

Look for portfolios and examples of past work to see if their style and aesthetic aligns with your vision. Read reviews and testimonials; you can even reach out to the company to ask for references from clients with similar projects.

If you’ve found a landscaping professional whose work appeals to you, it’s time to look at the more technical side of things. Check their website for licenses, certifications, memberships and affiliations, and insurance. It’s critical that the landscapers you hire are skilled, knowledgeable, professional, and, of course, operating legally.

Compare and Contrast

There’s no need to settle for the first landscapers that you come across. Once you’ve narrowed your selection down to 2-3 companies, get a few quotes to compare prices and policies. Don’t forget to read the fine print—you want to make sure you’re happy with all aspects of the potential contract.

Take some time to meet and discuss your project. This could be an on-site consultation, or even a site visit to another in-progress project. The professionals you hire are going to be spending a significant amount of time on your property; in addition to being on the same page project-wise, you also want to be sure you get along. Look for professionals with strong communication skills, creativity, patience, an understanding of your needs, and a willingness to work with your ideas.

Hiring

After you’ve done plenty of shopping around and have decided on a landscaping professional to entrust with your project, it’s time to make it official. Obtain a written contract detailing the project and its correlating responsibilities, costs, timelines, payment terms, and guarantees. You should also know whether any ongoing maintenance services will be included once the project is completed.

You and your landscaper should be in complete agreement about your goals—if they are unable to complete the project with the given budget or timeframe, they should let you know early on so you can proceed with clear expectations.

Our creative landscape professionals provide dependable expertise from concept to completion. Learn more at https://garrettchurchill.com/.