Hire the Right Professional Landscape Contractor

I generally recommend getting a couple of quotes but no more than three. A landscape master plan, designed by yourself or by a landscape architect, can help you to compare “apples to apples” pricing from multiple contractors. To obtain accurate bids, arrange a time for each professional landscape contractor to visit your home to discuss your project. Green Impressions Landscaping in Sheffield Village, Ohio makes this process simple by filling out this form.

Before you meet the contractors it would be good to familiarize yourself with the best installation practices. Watching the Unilock video can be really helpful for this. Be sure to watch parts I & II.

During the interview process, be sure to get the contractor’s advice and suggestions on how they would do the work. At this meeting you might even get a rough estimate of the job, depending on its size and complexity. You should also see how creative the contractor is and if they offer up design suggestions that make sense for your tastes and budget. I would ask for supporting design literature of the products that they are recommending.

Don’t get pressured into signing a contract right away, which is a sure sign that this contractor is not capable or is just after your pocketbook. Competent, honest contractors with integrity will never pressure you. In this initial meeting you should find out as much as you can about the contractor. Here are some questions you should ask:

• How long have they been in the landscape business?
• Do they have liability insurance and are they covered by Workers’ Compensation?
• Do they have the appropriate licensing for their work?
• What landscape jobs have they done that are similar to what you need done?
• Do they have a list of references?
• What is their landscape training and background? How are their employees trained?
  Do they attend manufacturer training sessions?
• What warranty on their work do they offer?
• Do the products they recommend have a warranty?
• Do the plants they recommend installing have a warranty?
• Have they provided you with any manufacturer’s literature? Does the literature provide you with design ideas? What is the manufacturer’s reputation? Warranty?
• Do they do the entire job with their own staff or subcontract parts out? Who are their subcontractors?
• Are there any permits required for this job? Whose responsibility is it to get these permits?
• Base preparation is a key factor in every paver patio and wall installation. Ask them about how they handle the base preparation. This is very important to the life of your projects quality.
• Soil preparation for lawns and landscape planting areas is also vitally important. Skimping here may reduce your costs but also reduces the likelihood of proper growth and future health to your plants.
• Drainage is also a key factor in every landscape job. Ask them how they plan to handle
  the drainage.
• Retaining walls over 3 1/2’ high or with unusual loading conditions, such as a driveway, should be engineered (consult local building codes) or request supporting documentation.
• What is their timeline for your project?
• What is their clean-up routine?
• Do they provide a written contract?
• What are their payment terms?
• Do they offer third-party financing?
• Do they have a website?

You won’t offend reputable firms with lots of questions. If a contractor doesn’t seem to know the answer to many of your questions or seems to avoid answering them, you may have the wrong contractor.

References are very important. A satisfied customer is the best reference you can get. Get three or four references for installations they have done which are similar to yours. Phone these references and see if their experience was a positive one. It doesn’t hurt to ask if you can come out and see the work.

Finally, I recommend that you read the “How to Choose a Landscape Contractor” guide for more helpful tips on selecting the best contractor for your landscape project. By spending some extra time up front, it can help avoid problems later.

INTRODUCTION:

Your “how to” blog post should teach the reader how to do something by breaking it down into a series of steps.

Begin your blog post by explaining what problem you are going to solve through your explanation and be sure to include any relevant keywords. Add in a personal story to establish your credibility on this topic. And make sure to end your blog post with a summary of what your reader will gain by following your lead.

BODY:

Now deliver what you promised in the first section. This is the longest part of the post, so make it easy to read. Use short paragraphs, bullet lists, and bold headings to set different sections apart. 

Some common section headers include:

Step 1: Getting Started

Step 2: Do Your Background Research on…

Step 3: First Steps for…

Step 4: Analyze and Repeat

Step 5: Wrapping Up

• Include visuals
• Include short explanatory phrases in your headers
• At the end, transition into your conclusion

CONCLUSION:

Now it’s time to say goodbye and wrap up your post. Remind your readers of your key takeaway, reiterate what your readers need to do to get the desired result, and ask a question about how they see the topic to encourage comments and conversation. 

Need some inspiration? Check out these "How-To" examples from the Green Impressions blog:

• How to Write a Blog Post: A Simple Formula to Follow
• How to Do Keyword Research: A Beginner's Guide
• How to Write an Effective Meta Description (Yes, They Still Matter)