Installing a New Landscape and Dealing with Landscaping Contractors

A beautiful landscape adds considerable value to a home. Choosing the right landscaping contractor can determine the success or failure of this investment. It also allows you to create a landscape that is more eco friendly and one that requires less maintenance. Use the following guidelines when evaluating choices for your landscape installation.

First, decide how the landscape contractor can help you and the scope of your project. If you wish to work on some of the project yourself, find out if the landscaping contractor is amenable to this arrangement. Installing plant material, building decks and patios, installing retaining walls and irrigation systems, and installing night lighting are just a few of the services that landscape contractors can provide.

Second, decide who will provide the ongoing maintenance of your landscape – you or the landscaping contractor. Ask friends, neighbours, relatives and coworkers if they would recommend anyone based on their past experience.

Request the landscaping contractor inspect the site prior to writing an estimate. Ask if there is a fee for providing a written estimate. Your estimate should include price of the design and installation of the landscape, all labour, materials, local taxes and permit fees.

Remember, a low bid is not necessarily going to save you time and money in the long run. Just like in life, you often get what you pay for with landscaping contractors. Decide if price or quality is more important.

Questions to Ask the Landscaping Contractor

Here are a few questions you should ask your landscaping contractor:

1. How long has the landscaping contractor been in business?
2. Does the landscaping contractor intend to use subcontractors? If so, are they qualified and do they have the appropriate certifications/licenses?
3. What is the educational background and work experience of the employees who will work on your project, and what kind of continuing education do they receive?
4. What professional affiliations does the landscaping contractor hold?
5. What certifications do the workers hold?
6. Can the landscaping company provide customer references? Take the time to visit previous jobs the contractor has completed.
7. What is the payment schedule?
8. Is your landscaping contractor insured?
9. Does your landscaping contractor offer a written contract?
10. What kind of warranty is offered by the landscaping company?

Don’t hesitate to ask these questions and to make sure you understand the landscape construction or maintenance service you are getting. For more information regarding efficient landscape practices, contact Josh Remai, owner of Remai Landscape & Design - an Ottawa based landscaping company.

Lessons from an Ottawa Landscaper

To select the right landscaping company it is best to talk to friends and neighbors in your area, i.e. the Ottawa area. If they would recommend the landscaping company to you, tell you the landscaping company did a good job, they were always on time and reasonably priced, this will be your best guarantee. In the future, if the landscaping company did a good job for you, tell your friends and neighbours about it. This will help keep a good landscaping company in business and keep the bad ones at bay.

If you don't know anyone who can refer a good landscaping company to you, complete an internet search. In Ottawa, search for "landscaping Ottawa", "Ottawa landscaping", "landscaping companies Ottawa", "landscaping contractors Ottawa". Check out a few companies that show up on the first two pages in the search results on Google.

You may get several recommendations for good landscaping companies. If this is too many, select two landscaping companies with the best recommendations. If they offer free estimates in the Ottawa area - that is a plus.

When talking to a landscape company, check to see if they arrive on time. When meeting with the landscaping company, note if they dress professionally, take notes while you are talking, listen attentively, have a business card, offer you free landscaping tips, and show flexibility on schedule and price. You  want to look for the landscaper who will return your calls, discuss the estimate in details, follows up with you to touch base if you needed a few days to think about the estimate.

If a landscaper does not show up to the estimate and never calls back to let you know there was a problem, go to a different company. Keep in mind a landscaper may have a small business and has to juggle family and children too, therefore, in some cases not showing up for the estimate may be acceptable. If they call you shortly to explain they had a family emergency or their child was sick, I would give them another chance.

Use a landscaping company that has a contract for the work that is being done, this will protect both parties from any misunderstandings on the landscaping work.