Questions to ask before you hire a landscaper near you
So, you want to find the best landscaper in the area to transform your garden. You have some ideas. But if you’re like me, when it comes to fielding for a competitive quote, perhaps you are unsure which questions to ask your local landscape contractor… yet. When I decided to ‘fix’ my garden and create a functional and practical space, I first thought it was about aesthetics. It’s a big part but…
It’s not all about a great-looking garden
Sure, you have to choose the right landscaper. But, how on earth do you do that? Do you invite a stream of self-appointed landscapers to give you their ideas? Do you check their reviews? Do you ask around for recommendations? Or maybe you look at other people’s gardens and ask how they created their results. There is no one right way to do it. Sometimes it boils down to preferring one personality over another. I mean, who else has met so-called trustworthy professionals who claim to have knowledge and experience in the garden but are just taking advantage of a market that is not regulated. A nice guy (or gal) who says the right things may not be able to back up their words with good results.
If you want to transform your outdoor area into a beautiful, functional, and sustainable haven, then take a look at my top five qualities you should look for when selecting a landscaping professional.
Think about the use of the space
Before you bring people around to give you a quote, you’ll want an idea of the “why”. Do you need to control, manage or direct water flow away from your house or foundations, or from running into your neighbour’s homes? Do you want to maximise your outdoor spaces to create more leisure areas? Is your project more about planting a vegetable garden, flower beds, a native garden or perhaps areas of flat mowable lawn with hard edging? Or perhaps you want some features to accentuate the resultant design but are not sure what that would entail?
1. Professionalism of your local landscaper
That’s a word used a lot but it’s worth considering. To be a professional landscaper means the person and company embodies values that are evident in every aspect of their work. And by that I mean, not just by how they speak to you, or how they look, but how they behave and probably most importantly, how they communicate with you.
I teach my children, that “when people show you who they are, believe them” (thanks Maya Angelou). If someone you speak to says all the right things, but they never call you back, or take days longer than is reasonable, expected or even promised, to get you your quote, then you might want to look elsewhere. When they made the appointment, did they arrive on time, dress appropriately, and communicate clearly? Did they have good quality ideas that make sense? Did they challenge your thinking about how the space could be in a respectful way?
And when it comes to paperwork, they should provide clear contracts, transparent pricing, and ensure there are no hidden surprises. You want to have trust in both directions. Reliable and consistent service is key to a successful project.
Free quotes or paid quotes
You know, there are two schools of thought on this. Most people expect that a landscaper or other ‘tradie’ should provide a free quote. It seems odd to pay for a quote. Some companies do expect some payment for a quote and will deduct that from the price of contracted work. Why? Because sometimes hundreds of dollars and even more can go into putting a quote together especially when there is significant thought, planning, design, engineering and council consultation involved before anyone has even signed on the dotted line. You could be looking at landscaping services, water features, landscape construction by way of retaining walls, and raised garden beds. That’s quite apart from the standard fare of garden maintenance services, lawn care, prune and mulch work that you’re looking for.
So, don’t be turned off if that is part of the quote process, particularly if you like, respect and trust your landscape contractor. In 95% of cases, you will probably go ahead with work detailed on a paid quote because to have paid in the first place means both parties have “skin in the game” and want the relationship to work.
2. Strong Communication Skills
Pay attention to how effectively your landscaping expert communicates in describing their variety of services and how they delivery a successful landscaping project.
First and foremost you do want the lines of communication to be open in both directions. You are the home or business owner with your own outcomes, and they are the professional who has to filter those wants, needs and desires and work a solution that shows they have listened to your ideas and have understood your vision.
Look, it is possible that you have no idea what is possible for your landscaping job. Perhaps you will come to the table without ideas, Then you want your expert to be your landscape designer with viable concepts and ideas to improve your outdoor living space, offer a variety of reasonable ideas, and demonstrate they can get the job done right.
Creativity
If you knew exactly what you wanted or could do it yourself then arguably, you wouldn’t need anyone to put together a landscape design. You want someone with flair, with great creative ideas that maybe you hadn’t thought of, or ones that optimise the ideas you have. A good local landscaper will come up with creating ideas to pave, deck, and turf, or create hardscape infrastructure that you may not have thought of. They should be able to find the best ways to effortlessly design function and ease of maintenance so that the jobs falls within budget, is quality work, looks great and increases the value of your property.
Changes to existing plans
Any changes for any reason need to be discussed (whether or not you’ve signed anything). Your landscape gardeners should keep you informed with regular updates and be able to explain the process and plans clearly. You always want to be on the same page, to avoid any misunderstandings.
The bottom line when it comes to communication skills, you need both sides to be responsive and approachable so you can build and maintain a good client-contractor relationship.
3. Attention to Detail
Landscaping involves a lot of intricate details, from the design phase to the final touches. A detail-oriented landscaper will provide you with detailed and accurate quotes, and ensure that you understand the costs involved. They will meticulously plan and execute the project. Your outdoor areas have to have a cohesive look and feel. All the elements of the landscape have to complement each other perfectly. On top of that, there has to be high-quality workmanship to achieve a flawless finish.
Permits and Inspections
Garden projects often require various permits and inspections, which can influence the project timeline. If you talk with a contractor who doesn’t seem to understand which permits and inspections are needed for your specific project, then you may need to look for someone different. You want to hire a company experienced in navigating these requirements otherwise you could find your project saddled with unnecessary delays.
Without proper knowledge of the whole council process, you might face significant waiting periods for approvals… which can be very frustrating. Just make sure you find the right person or company… the one you consider to be best landscaper for your landscaping needs. who are experienced in efficiently handling permits and inspections.
4. Positive Recommendations and Reputation
Reviews both written and verbal are still possibly the best way to find landscapers and determine the reliability of your potential or chosen landscaping company. Home improvement is a fickle thing and you want to make sure you engage the right landscaping company. You want to look at their reputation by talking to others, or reading about others’ experiences… to see who would highly recommend the best landscapers near you!
Look for testimonials and reviews from past clients. Look at before and after photographs (sometimes you can see a tab on a website labelled Portfolio or Gallery). Get an idea of the quality of their work. Check ratings on review sites like Yelp and even just on a business’ Google Business Profile (you know, where you see opening hours, contact info, reviews etc on the Google search page results). You might like to verify if they are members of professional organizations. If you want excellent results, then it’s best to choose top landscapers who have been rated highly based on the quality of work for other customers.
5. Sustainability Practices of Top Landscapers
This last quality is not on everybody’s list of criteria to choose a landscaping specialist, but it’s becoming more important, perhaps more than ever. It seems more important too, to choose a landscaper who uses eco-friendly materials and methods. If these things are important to you, take a look at the language on the landscape business’ website. And listen to the language they use when they talk to you. Do they use organic fertilizers and sustainable irrigation designs? Are they knowledgeable about drought-tolerant plants and would you consider them to use environmentally responsible landscaping techniques. Do their values align with yours when it comes to helping you create a beautiful and sustainable outdoor space? Do they understand the nuances and ramifications of the local climate and are they able to make sustainable plant choices that will contribute to the longterm success, beauty and longevity of your landscape.
By focusing on these top qualities, you can find a landscaper who will transform your gardens into a stunning, functional, and sustainable space. My advice to you is to take the time to choose the right professional so you can make sure your landscaping project is the success you wish it to be. We’d love to talk with you about your outdoor space. so contact us at Greener Landscaping. I hope this article has given you the peace of mind and helps you choose the right company. Give us a call on 07 4120 7807.
