5 Essential Questions to Ask Your Landscaping Company Before You Hire Them
Landscaping is an activity with many variables, and it isn’t for the amateur to tackle without facing a few obstacles along the way. From a variety of specialized tools and equipment to the broad demand for scientific knowledge on every aspect of soil, plant life, and climate, landscaping can be a trying and expensive task if attempted by the inexperienced individual.
Landscaping can also be a time-consuming task. Implementing a flourishing lawn and garden requires inspecting the land and the condition of growing flora, considering the climatic conditions, and planning how to keep the whole ecosystem intact. That’s even before the hours devoted to planning, mowing, weeding, and pruning to keep the landscape well-manicured and homogenous.
For all these reasons, many homeowners turn to a professional landscaping company. Professional landscapers are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and work ethic to turn any landscape into a veritable Eden.
Before you dive into hiring the first landscaping company you come across, it’s worth assessing whether they’re equipped to meet your needs. We suggest asking your potential landscaping company a few questions before you determine if they’re the one to collaborate with on your property. Below, we’ve outlined the major concerns you should be prepared to address with any landscaping professional before you take them on.
1. What Does Your Landscaping Process Involve?
It’s essential for you to understand the standard procedures of the landscaping company you will be working with. Most companies in the field have a default process when it comes to landscape and maintenance projects. Usually, their procedure would include inspecting the site, analyzing your needs, executing their plan for your property, and a maintenance program if it’s a part of their service offerings.
Having a 360-degree view of each step of their process means you aren’t going into the project blind. You know exactly what to expect and whether this company is prepared to offer every step you’re looking for.
2. Do You Offer a Robust Consultation Process to Understand My Landscaping Requirements?
One of the first steps in working with a landscaping company should be a rigorous consultation process where you can talk to them about your budget, how you want your yard to look, and how much time you will or won’t have for landscaping maintenance. For this consultation, you may want to collect examples of landscape projects you have appreciated in the past, so they can understand precisely what you’re looking for.
Once the landscaping company has collected your essential requirements, they will create a custom landscaping plan. You can ask them for more details if you need to and request a drawing of their concept for a visual aid to determine whether they’ve understood your goals and requirements properly.
3. What Would Be Your Timeline to Complete My Project?
It’s always a good idea to understand your landscaping company’s schedule for your work. When you have a detailed timeline set out by the company for your project, you can adjust your schedule to match it. Not to mention, you also have a barometer (of sorts) on their work progress.
This is a great way to determine if the company is at par with its projected timeline and if your project will be finished on time. If it’s not, you have an early indicator that the project isn’t going according to plan and can do something about it.
4. Can You Take Care of the Landscaping Maintenance for My Property?
Many landscaping companies can provide a full-scale overhaul or spot improvements on your property. But it’s important to note that you may not have time to keep up with the specific maintenance this project requires once it’s completed. That means you must set expectations for yourself and your landscaping company ahead of time—perhaps the project may need to be altered to include more low-maintenance elements.
If your landscaping company doesn’t do maintenance work, this helps you decide whether you want them to work on your property. If they can take on the landscaping maintenance work for your property, you can rest assured that the value of your landscape will be reliably upkept.
Make sure to ask the landscaping company about the resources they have to cover a solid maintenance plan. It’s best to learn ahead of time about their maintenance routine, debris removal, frequency of routine, and ability to adjust their work to match your landscape’s needs. You can also find out which landscaping maintenance tasks they can take care of and which ones will be your responsibility.
5. What Do You Need from Me to Complete This Project?
Just like learning about landscaping maintenance ability and schedules in advance is a good idea, it’s also wise to learn t what your landscaping company needs from you right off the bat. Some may just need you to stay out of the way entirely, while others may require a more hands-on approach from you.
Sometimes landscaping companies may not have enough landscapers assigned to your project, and you may find yourself lending a helping hand every now and then to speed up the work or have it completed at the agreed-upon timeline. It’s also worthwhile knowing what supplies and equipment they can provide and whether you may be called upon to shore up any needs throughout the project.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re looking to sell your house or are seeking to improve your property, your best bet is to hire professional landscaping services to assist you with enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your land. A professional landscaping company has the experience, knowledge, and skills to create your dream landscape to your specifications.
However, when hiring a landscaping company, it’s better to have all the data you need to make an informed decision rather than go into the project neglecting key aspects.
If you require professional landscaping services for your property, J&S Lawn and Landscape LLC is here to help! Feel free to dial (803) 603-6495 and ask the questions mentioned above to our team of expert landscapers.