5 things to remember before hiring a landscaper

Hiring the right landscaper is a critical step that requires you to look into several things such as insurance, licenses, how long the project takes, and a landscaper's experience. When you take time to hire the right professional, you’ll relax as you wait for them to deliver quality landscaping services to your yard and within the agreed period. 

In addition to the above list, you can also consider other things such as: 

• Getting landscaper quotes
• Knowing where the landscaper sources plants, flowers and trees
• Knowing the supervisor/ foreman who will be attending to their site
• Other services offered by a landscaper and probably how much they cost 

Hiring the right landscaper for the task is sometimes not easy, especially for first-time homeowners. However, we’ve got you covered with valuable tips on this article to make the process easier. 

5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Landscaper

Several results come along with hiring the wrong landscaper for a project. They include wasted money, shoddy landscaping work, and delayed service. To avoid these issues, consider the following things while hiring a landscaper. 

1. Is the landscaper insured and licensed? 

The requirements for one to be a certified landscaper vary from one state to another. However, specific criteria in most states require residential landscapers to be licensed either by respective agencies or have appropriate membership from relevant bodies.

You can also go further to verify the validity of their licence in case you’re not satisfied. Additionally, professional landscapers ought to have a valid insurance policy that covers their business operations. It’s the second thing you must check after verifying they’re licensed. It gives you confidence in case the landscaper delivers faulty work, your landscape is covered. 

Among the basic yet essential types of insurance a landscaper should have are public liability insurance and worker compensation insurance. The above two requirements are significant in ensuring you hire qualified landscapers who have undergone background checks.

2. Ask About Their Previous Experience

Experience is a critical aspect you must consider anytime you’re about to hire a landscaper. You need a professional with the knowledge and skills of what you need in your landscaping project. Inexperienced landscapers or companies might not deliver what you exactly want. You also consider specialisation if that’s what your landscaping work requires. 

One way to acquire experienced landscapers within your budget range is by getting referrals from friends or family members who have recently paid for similar services. 

Also, ask a landscaper to provide you with a portfolio of their work or similar projects and request the owners’ contact. Additionally, you can ask their previous customers about their overall experience with the landscaper, delivery of the project within a set timeline, landscaper quote, communication etc. 

Checking online reviews of previous customers is also essential in determining the kind of landscaper you’ll be dealing with. 

3. Deposit Needed 

Most landscapers will ask for a deposit or down payment after agreeing on the cost of the landscaping project and getting into a contract. It happens especially for big projects that require a substantial cost. 

In most instances, 10% of the total cost is the ideal deposit for a landscaping project. It’s good you avoid giving out a substantial amount of deposit to a landscaper. 

Also, plan and agree with the landscaper on the payment plan/schedule for the project. 

Here’s how much a landscaper costs. 

4. Project’s Timeline 

A project’s timeframe is essential. When does the project start, and how long does it take? It’s something you must consider and discuss while hiring a landscaper. However, estimating the exact period a project takes is among the challenging tasks landscapers and customers face.

A competent and experienced landscaper gives realistic timelines for the entire project or each phase of the project. Additionally, they take into account the possible delays likely to occur before committing themselves to a contract. Other factors, such as a project’s size, weather, material availability and types of drainage must come into consideration. 

A reasonable timeline will also give you an idea of when you need to make payments as scheduled in the contract. 

5. Cleaning After the Work

A landscaping project involves a lot of activities, from building new pathways, digging, mowing, trimming, and pruning trees and flowers to the installation of other things in the yard. As a result, there is a lot of waste when winding up the project. Some landscapers will take the responsibility to clean the site while others won’t. 

Therefore, it’s good for customers to get things clear from the start of the project. If your selected landscaper offers cleaning as part of the project, ensure it's part of the contract. On the contrary, if it’s a property owner’s responsibility to clean, plan how regularly it will happen and get the right person for the job. 

These tips will make it much easier to decide on the best landscaper for your job, helping to enhance your property’s potential.

Further Reading

• 7 Great Landscaping Ideas
• 6 Easy Ways to Transform the Front of Your Home
• How to Choose the Best Outdoor Lights