So you are considering hiring a new landscaping company. In the past, you may have landscaped your garden yourself and eventually decided to spend a little extra money getting a professional to do the job. Perhaps you have decided to hire a new landscaping company to replace your current one. Perhaps because of the ongoing pandemic, you have been stuck in your home for too long and bored with the way your yard looks.
Whatever the reason you've decided to start a new landscaping service, there are a few questions you should ask before you spend any part of your hard-earned cash. You likely plan to live in your home for many years, possibly the rest of your life. Hence, hiring a landscaping company is a big decision. Here is a list of questions to ask a landscaping service before hiring them.
How many years has your landscaping company been in business?
Experience is very important when it comes to choosing the right landscaping company for the job. The last thing you want is to be the contractor's first customer. The more experience the company has, the more knowledge it will have in carrying out the project. Networking with previous or existing clients about their experiences with the landscaping company can give you a good indication of what to expect. The research could end up saving you money. You should be able to easily figure out their reputation if they have been landscaping for several years. Asking the contractor for pictures of previous completed projects will give you an idea of what to expect. Images may also give you ideas of new features to add to your landscape. If the contractor has previously performed the same function, they should have no problem doing it again on your property.
Do you have landscape insurance?
Check if the contractor has taken out landscape insurance. If one of the landscapers has an accident on your property, make sure you don't have to pay the damage.
Most landscape insurances cover the following:
- General liability to protect you in the event they try to sue you
- It entitles workers to compensation if they have an accident on your property
- Your vehicles and other machinery are insured if they are damaged on your property
Reviewing the guidelines before hiring the company to landscaping your property will be beneficial. If you do not understand the policy, you can contact an insurance broker for more information. Large landscaping companies regularly use heavy vehicles and power tools. Find out what the contractor's security record looks like. You must ensure that employees who use these tools or drive these vehicles have the experience and correct legal documentation to do the job.
How many employees will work on my property?
Some landscaping companies are a one-man show. If the task at hand is a big one, the contract can take a long time to complete. If you are planning on making major changes to your landscape, hiring a large company to get the job done on time is probably your best option. The number of employees in the landscaping company is important. However, you should also find out if there are specialists employed. For example, if you have serious problems with some of your trees, you may need an arborist. These are people who have been specially trained in tree care skills. They can diagnose tree problems and also know how to treat them. They know how to properly prune trees and how to look after them yourself. They have extensive knowledge of tree biology and can identify each type of tree. You will also be able to spot any tree hazards that could be a problem in the future.
Other landscaping specialists are:
- Agronomists
- Irrigation specialists
- Lawn care experts
- Landscape planners, architects and designers
- Include landscape professionals
These specialists are not required for all projects. However, if one is required, the landscaping company may need to hire someone outside of their company to do a specific job. This could come at a high cost. Beware of small landscaping companies that claim they can do all the work. You may have problems later.
How many projects are currently being carried out?
If the company has the workforce to do a lot of projects, you should be fine. However, others may have a backlog of incomplete jobs. Some companies bite off more than they can chew with too many jobs. Find out when exactly they will start work and when they are expected to be finished. It may be possible to include in the contract that the agreed total amount does not have to be paid if the work is not completed by a certain date. While you don't want the job to be rushed, give them a little breathing time, especially since the landscaping is done outdoors. However, the weather can cause delays. However, you don't want to wait too long for the project to complete.
Conclusion
Check that the landscaping company offers you a guarantee for the work carried out. Will they be confident of what plant material they have used, what chemicals and fertilizers they have added to your land, are they confident that the new fence they have installed will last a long time? It is common for a landscaping company to have a one year warranty on the job done. Remember that the landscape of your property is very important. Even if you don't plan to live indoors for the rest of your life, beautiful scenery will certainly add to the value of your home.
