7 Questions to Ask Your Landscape Contractor 

Spring and summer are the best times of year to start focusing on your outdoor living spaces. After all, the way you take care of your property says a lot about the type of homeowner you are.

A well-landscaped yard shows that you care about your home and your neighbors. Just as importantly, it gives you an outdoor space to enjoy BBQs, games, nights by the fire, and more.

However, not everyone has the time, know-how, or physical ability for landscaping. In this case, we recommend looking for a credible landscape contractor. But how do you find the best landscaping company?

We can help you answer that question. Keep reading for seven questions to ask landscaping contractors before you hire them.

1. Do You Have a List of Referrals and Customer Reviews?

First, find out if the landscaping company can provide you with a list of referrals from other homeowners. You need to know what their other clients think of their customer service skills and landscaping results.

Alternatively, visit the website of the landscape contractors you’re thinking about hiring, and look for online customer reviews. If you can’t find customer reviews and testimonials on their website, you’ll probably be able to find them on their social media profiles.

Conversely, you can always turn to Google and search for reviews using the company’s name. Seeing what other homeowners have to say about the landscapers is essential to making the right decision.

Are most homeowners happy with the work done by the landscape contractors? Do you see any common complaints or issues with the landscapers?

2. How Much Experience Do You Have in the Industry?

Next, let’s ask ourselves, how do we define landscape experts? In most cases, expertise comes from years of experience in the industry.

Therefore, ask the landscaping company how long they’ve been in business. How long have they been providing landscaping services to people in the community?

The more experience a company has, the better the services it’ll be able to provide. They’ll also be faster and more efficient, which is important if you’re being charged by the hour.

Lastly, knowledgeable landscape contractors will have spent years determining the best tools and methods for each job. This means better results for your property.

3. What Are Your Credentials?

Before hiring a landscaping company, ask about their qualifications. General landscapers that don’t use big machinery only need a business license. However, if they’re operating heavy equipment, they need to be certified to do so.

You should also make sure your landscape contractors are properly insured. For example, they should carry contractor liability insurance to cover accidental damages to your property. If they accidentally damage your home, one of your vehicles, or anything else, this policy will cover the costs.

If you hire a company, rather than independent contractors, find out if they cover their employees with worker’s compensation insurance. If one of their employees is injured on the job, this coverage will cover their immediate medical bills and ongoing recovery expenses.

4. What Types of Services Do You Offer?

Now, think about your landscape design and landscape ideas. If you’re looking for something unique, complex, or amazing, you need to make sure the landscape contractors you hire can accomplish your vision.

Therefore, before you hire a company, find out what services they offer. Talk to them about what you’re envisioning for your yard and make sure it’s something they can bring to life.

If the company doesn’t have heavy machinery at its disposal, it may not be able to accommodate big projects, large landscaping rocks, multi-tiered gardens, etc. Conversely, if you’re simply looking for a lawn mower and someone to keep your hedges trimmed, you don’t need a large-scale company with big machinery.

5. What is Your Availability?

Availability is one of the most valuable qualities of any service provider. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for someone to set up your cable or implement your landscaping ideas.

Therefore, ask the landscape contractors how soon they’ll be able to come out to your home and get to work on your landscape design. If you’re planning on hosting an important event at your home, like a wedding or birthday party, you may not have a lot of time to wait around.

Additionally, if you’re looking for recurring landscaping services, find out how often they’ll be able to come to your house and take care of your property. In most cases, a properly maintained lawn needs to be cut once a week.

If their schedule meshes well with yours, ask what time they will be at your house on the specified days. You may prefer to be home when they are working to give further directions or make specific requests.

6. Do You Guarantee Your Work?

Credible landscape contractors know the value of a happy customer. As such, they should promise to deliver quality services to each and every one of their clients. Their services should come with a customer satisfaction guarantee.

If something gets missed or done poorly, they should be willing to come back and make it right. This customer satisfaction guarantee should be covered in the literature of their contract. This includes the steps they will take to make sure you’re happy with their services.

7. Will You Give Me a Free Quote?

Finally, talk to each landscaping company you’re interested in to get a free quote for their services. If you’re looking for a one-time overhaul of your property, they’ll probably need to come out and inspect the place in person to get a better idea of what needs to be done. Then, they’ll be able to provide you with an accurate estimate.

If you’re looking for basic, recurring services, you might need to answer questions about the size of your property. However, don’t be surprised if the landscape contractors come out to inspect your property in person. Then, you can compare and contrast the quotes of each company with their other qualifying factors.

Looking for a Professional Landscape Contractor?

If it’s time to whip your yard into shape, start looking for landscape contractors today. They can help you transform your best landscaping ideas into a reality. Just make sure you ask the questions listed above to find the best professional for the job.

And if you’re looking for more homeownership advice or consumer tips, stick around. Check out some of our other articles to help you make good decisions. Our blog is full of content created for people like you.