Revamping your yard? Choosing the right landscaper is essential. Here’s a quick guide to help you make an informed decision:
- Check Qualifications: Look for certifications, years of experience, and a portfolio of past projects.
- Review Services: Ensure they offer what you need – design, softscaping, hardscaping, lighting, or maintenance.
- Get Clear Costs: Request a detailed, written estimate with labor, materials, and payment terms.
- Discuss Timeline: Confirm work hours, milestones, and how delays (like bad weather) are handled.
- Select Materials: Choose the right plants and materials for durability, style, and your local climate.
- Verify Licenses & Insurance: Ensure they have proper licenses and insurance to protect your project.
- Plan for Changes: Ask how design changes and unexpected issues will be managed.
- Check References: Talk to past clients to ensure quality and reliability.
1. Qualifications and Past Work
Industry Experience and Training
Start by inquiring about the landscaper’s background, including any formal training, certifications, and how long they’ve been in the field. Ask about their areas of expertise to understand where their strengths lie.
- Certifications or formal training
- Years of experience
- Areas of specialization
Past Projects and Client References
Ask for the following to get a clearer picture of their capabilities:
- A portfolio showcasing completed projects
- Details of project locations (if possible, visit a site to see their work firsthand)
- References from previous clients
Use this information to compare landscapers and assess their qualifications and experience. Once you’ve done this, take a look at the services they provide to see if they align with your needs.
The questions to ask before hiring a landscaping company
2. Available Services
Once you’ve reviewed their background, make sure the landscaper offers the specific services your project needs.
Service Types
After checking their qualifications and previous work, take a close look at the services they provide. Knowing the full range of what a landscaper offers helps ensure they can handle your project from start to finish.
Some common services include:
- Design
- Softscaping (plants, trees, soil)
- Hardscaping (patios, walkways, retaining walls)
- Outdoor living features (fire pits, kitchens)
- Lighting
- Maintenance
"Your landscape contractor should take time to talk with you about what your dream yard looks like. They should also talk to you about your budget and how much yard maintenance you’re prepared to take on." – Julia Mann
Also, check how they tailor these services to fit your yard’s layout and your personal goals.
Design Flexibility
Make sure their designs work with your yard’s layout and match your preferred style. During your consultation, consider the following:
- Share your vision and budget.
- Request a professional rendering of the design.
- Provide examples of styles you like.
- Discuss options for cost-effective materials or plant substitutions.
3. Project Costs and Estimates
Get a clear cost breakdown upfront to avoid unexpected expenses.
Cost Breakdown
Ask for a written estimate that includes:
- Labor: Crew size and estimated hours
- Materials: Quantities and pricing (e.g., river rock: $15–$35 per bag; beach pebbles: $25–$60 per bag; plants; hardscaping materials)
- Equipment Fees: Charges for machinery or tools needed for the project
Once you have the estimate, set up a payment schedule that matches your cash flow and project milestones.
Payment Terms
After reviewing the itemized costs, make sure the payment terms are clear:
- Details on the down payment, progress-based payments, and final payment
- Any adjustments for changes in material costs or project scope
- Accepted payment methods (e.g., check, credit card)
Finally, confirm the project timeline and key dates to keep everything on track.
4. Project Schedule
Set clear expectations by discussing your landscaper’s timeline. This helps you organize your schedule and avoid unexpected delays.
Project Dates
When planning with your landscaper, cover these key points:
- Work hours and crew schedule: Confirm when the crew will arrive and leave each day.
- Project phases: Request a timeline that highlights key milestones.
- Progress updates: Agree on regular check-ins to stay informed about the project’s status.
Weather and Delays
"Just like any other home improvement project, unforeseen problems and bad weather are always a possibility. Completion dates for landscaping projects can be hard to pin down." – Julia Mann, Best Pick Reports
Outdoor projects are often at the mercy of weather and other unexpected factors. Be sure to ask about:
- Contingency plans: Find out how rain, material shortages, or other issues might affect the schedule.
Once you’ve nailed down the schedule and potential delays, you can move on to selecting materials that fit your needs and climate.
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5. Material Selection
Once your project schedule is in place, it’s time to choose materials that combine durability with style, keeping your local weather conditions in mind.
Material Quality
Here are some important questions to ask your landscaper about the materials being used:
- What grade and warranty are included with the pavers or stones?
- How do the available material options compare in terms of maintenance and longevity?
- What certifications do your plant suppliers provide for quality assurance?
- For hardscaping, what are the differences between standard and premium choices?
- How often will these materials need to be replaced or refinished?
Climate Suitability
Your materials should be able to withstand the challenges posed by your region’s climate. Consider asking:
- How do these materials perform during freeze-thaw cycles?
- What drainage solutions work best for our soil type?
- Which plants thrive in our USDA hardiness zone?
- How resistant are these materials to UV exposure and temperature changes?
- What erosion control strategies are included for steep slopes?
"Just like any other home improvement project, unforeseen problems and bad weather are always a possibility. Completion dates for landscaping projects can be hard to pin down." – Julia Mann, Best Pick Reports
Once you’ve made your material decisions, double-check that everything aligns with local regulations and insurance requirements, which are covered in Section 6.
6. Legal Requirements
Make sure your contractor has the proper licenses and insurance to handle your project.
License and Insurance Details
Different states have specific licensing rules for landscaping work. For example:
- California: Requires a license for jobs over $500.
- North Carolina: Requires a license for jobs over $30,000.
- Oregon: Requires a license for jobs totaling over $1,000 in labor and materials.
When speaking with potential landscapers, ask:
- Can you share current copies of your state and local licenses?
- Do you have a pesticide application license or other specialized certifications?
- What is the limit on your general liability insurance?
- Do you provide workers’ compensation insurance for your team?
Permits and Responsibilities
Clarify which permits are needed for your project and who handles them:
- What permits are required for this work (e.g., irrigation systems, retaining walls, outdoor lighting)?
- Will you take care of obtaining and paying for these permits?
Ensure these details are clearly outlined before signing any contract.
7. Problem Management
Once you’ve addressed all legal requirements, it’s time to talk about how changes and unexpected issues will be handled during the project.
Project Changes
When discussing how changes will be managed, ask these questions:
- How are design changes documented and approved?
- Ensure they use written change orders for clarity.
- How are cost adjustments calculated?
- Request a detailed breakdown of any additional costs.
- How much notice is needed for changes?
- Confirm how changes might affect the timeline and require signed approval before moving forward.
Problem Resolution
To understand how they handle unexpected challenges, ask:
- How will you inform me about new issues that arise?
- How fast do you address urgent problems?
- Do you have contingency plans for material shortages?
- What’s your approach to fixing drainage issues found during installation?
- How do you adjust schedules, protect the site, and keep clients informed when weather or site conditions cause delays?
Prioritize contractors who provide:
- Regular updates (daily or weekly)
- A 24-hour response time for urgent concerns
- Written documentation of how problems are resolved
- Clear steps for escalating serious issues
"Just like any other home improvement project, unforeseen problems and bad weather are always a possibility. Completion dates for landscaping projects can be hard to pin down." – Julia Mann, Best Pick Reports
8. References and Contact Info
Once you’ve reviewed change-order and issue-resolution procedures, take a moment to check the landscaper’s history.
Ask for contact information of past clients who had similar projects. When you reach out, consider these questions:
- Were you satisfied? Would you hire them again or recommend them to others?
- Was the work up to par? Did the final outcome meet your expectations?
- Did they stick to the timeline? Was the project completed within the agreed timeframe?
This final step wraps up your evaluation, covering the landscaper’s qualifications, services, pricing, schedules, materials, legal considerations, and how they handle challenges.
Conclusion
You’ve now explored qualifications, services, costs, schedules, materials, legal considerations, problem-solving, and references – everything you need to make an informed decision.
Finding the right landscaper comes down to asking the right questions. These eight key points help you ensure your project looks great now and stands the test of time. Here’s what to do next:
- Compare at least three bids based on the questions in this guide.
- Look through portfolios and get feedback from previous clients.
- Work closely with your chosen landscaper to set clear expectations and define maintenance roles.
Kick off your search with Builder Connect‘s directory of trusted landscapers.
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About the Author:
Mike Veail is a recognized digital marketing expert with over 6 years of experience in helping tradespeople and small businesses thrive online. A former quantity surveyor, Mike combines deep industry knowledge with hands-on expertise in SEO and Google Ads. His marketing strategies are tailored to the specific needs of the trades sector, helping businesses increase visibility and generate more leads through proven, ethical methods.
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