6 Things to Ask Your Local Landscape Company Before You Sign a Contract
1. Is your company insured?
Insurance is of most importance for anyone you hire to do work on your property. Landscape labor is considered high risk to injury due to equipment use, weight of material, and weather elements. Be sure you, your property, and your landscaper are protected.
2. Who calls Miss Utility?
The landscape contractor you hire is legally responsible for contacting Miss Utility to mark all public utilities (municipal water, cable, phone, electric, natural gas) to your house. Miss Utility is not a one and be done. Any private utilities (satellite, private propane tank, septic tank/drain field, well line, private electrical, generator) are the responsibility of property owner to notify and inform your landscaper to best of your knowledge. Miss utility only marks public main sewer and water lines to the access point. In some cases, a private survey company may need to be hired to mark your utilities. Be sure to discuss utilities with your landscape contractor to prevent damages.
3. How much is this landscape project going to cost?
Just as an excavator can run into bedrock when digging a home’s foundation driving expense up, landscapers can often run into unexpected things during a landscape installation. It’s important to understand what is and isn’t included in your contract and quote.
What if a utility is damaged? What if I want to add a few plants? Is labor included? Is there anything that could drive price up during installation of project?
Landscapers have different styles of pricing and presentation. It’s more important to understand the range and guarantees as to the cost of your landscape project.
4. Is your landscape company fully capable of installing all aspects of the landscaping plan with quality and craftsmanship in mind?
Excellence in landscape design and installation is about quality and detail. Confidence in whether the landscape company being hired is capable of fulfilling the contract eases the mind and stress level of property owner. Be sure to ask for referrals or to see other work completed by the landscape company. Ask to see plants and other materials that will be used for the project to see if they measure up to the quality you expect. If something seems off, you may feel to the need to consider another company.
5. Will your landscape designer be on site for the installation?
Trust is the ultimate x-factor in any home improvement project with a contractor — same goes for working with a landscape contractor. Know when and how much to expect your landscape designer (or salesperson, whoever is responsible) on site from the beginning to end of your landscape installation. I can guarantee you the more your designer is on site, the more details and craftsmanship you’ll see from the landscape company you hire. Ultimately, you trust who you’re sitting next to when you sign your John Hancock — make sure you can count on them for when the work is to be completed.
6. When will project be completed and how long will it take?
Spring is in the air and everyone is grateful winter is over. Excitement and urgency builds quickly to transform or even spruce up your landscape. Landscapers can only so much work so fast. It’s helpful to both you and your landscape company to have a clear understanding of when the project is expected to be competed and how long it will take. Bear in mind, landscapers work with Mother Nature and extended winters or excessive rain can easily slow down those that work in the elements.
Article Written By: Trent Shreckhise, Owner/Designer
