How To Choose A Landscaper
Whether the project is large or small, complex or simple. It is so important to choose the right Landscaper. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice.
How To Choose A Landscaper
Top tips to ensure that you hire the right landscaper for the job.
- Search online for landscapers in your area
- Seek word of mouth recommendation from your garden designer
- Check that the business is bone-fide before you contact them
- Look for testimonials and reviews
- Try to find pictures or videos of completed work - do you like their style?
- Invite companies to quote - do you feel comfortable with their representatives when you meet them?
- Reassure yourself that the landscapers are fully insured and have the right skill set for your project
- Price is not necessarily a good indication of value for money - don’t make it your number one criteria for choosing a landscaper
How to make a shortlist of landscapers
When you choose a landscaper to build a new garden for you, you are trusting that they will
- a) Do a good job
- b) Respect your property and
- c) Try not to upset your neighbours
- d) Be covered by the right insurances
Start by shortlisting the landscapers that you think will meet the the four criteria above. It’s hard to tell from a website or an advert so it’s well worth asking your garden designer, friends, family, colleagues for their recommendations. Be sure to listen if they warn you about poor workmanship or difficult personalities.
You may have seen landscapers’ vehicles in your area - could these people potentially build your new garden?
How about conducting an internet search?
Try to gather as much information as possible about each of the landscapers on your list and use this data to narrow the list down to no more than three companies. Check their websites and social media profiles, look for online reviews, see if they have published a portfolio of work.
Find out if the company actually does the kind of work you are planning. Some landscapers specialise in grounds maintenance rather than in building new gardens.
Does the company work in your area? Many landscapers prefer to work within a certain distance from their yard in order to keep their travelling costs and carbon footprint to a sensible level.
To save time, you could visit the APL website to search for landscapers in your area. All of the landscapers listed on the website have been carefully vetted to ensure that they are competent, fully insured, trustworthy and financially viable. Choosing a landscaper from the APL register takes the worry out of commissioning a garden makeover.
Inviting Landscaping Companies To Quote For Your Work
You should always agree a firm quote for your landscaping work before you sign any contracts. To ensure that each of the landscapers you talk to has the same idea of what needs building, the APL advises that you invest in the services of a good garden designer. When you have a well drawn plan, you can be reasonably sure that your landscaping quotes will be like for like.
Click here to find a garden designer in your area. https://www.landscaper.org.uk
Some landscapers offer a complete design and build service. If you prefer to work with one company throughout the garden makeover process, this may be a good option for you. Please be aware though that garden design is normally a chargeable service. You may be asked to pay a fee for the design before the landscaper quotes for the final build.
When a landscaper visits your home to discuss your project, you will have an opportunity to decide whether or not you would feel comfortable with them working on your property. Are they clean, tidy and well presented? Does their vehicle seem to be in good condition? Are they polite and respectful?
Here are a few questions you should ask before you choose a landscaper
- How long have you worked in the landscape industry?
- How did you train to be a landscaper?
- Are your colleagues also trained?
- What insurances does your company hold?
- Are you members of a trade organisation?
- Do you comply with CDM (2015) regulations?
- If we’re happy with your quote, when would you be able to start work?
- How long do you think the work will take?
What To Expect From A Landscaping Quote
If a landscaper offers you a firm quote on their first visit to your garden, be very wary. A number written on a slip of paper - or worse still - a verbal quote - may not be as firm as you think.
It often takes 2-3 weeks for a good landscaper to create a written quote with proper terms and conditions. Why? Because any landscaping project consists of several elements.
Materials - which need to be researched and priced.
Labour - without carefully calculating how long a job will take no landscaper can offer an accurate price.
Project overheads. Things like fuel, machinery costs, health and safety elements, travelling time and welfare provisions for the team.
Read each landscaping quote very carefully before you decide which company to work with. There may be clauses and hidden charges that could affect the overall cost of the build.
How To Choose A Landscaper
Now that you have met representatives of different landscaping companies, done your research, asked questions and gathered some quotes. You are ready to choose a landscaper.
How will you decide who you would like to build your garden?
Depending on the scope of the work you are commissioning, a team of landscapers may be working at your home for anything from 1 week to several months. They will become part of your life and whilst you probably won’t be chatting to them all day long (they’ll never get any work done if they’re gossiping!) you do need to feel comfortable in their company.
You may be influenced by the expected start date for the work - are you in a hurry for your garden to be completed or would you rather wait until your preferred landscaper is free?
How important is it that your landscaper is trained, experienced and holds all the correct insurances?
As tempting as it may be, Please don’t use price as the only deciding factor when you choose a landscaper. Remember that good landscaping is not cheap and as a rule of thumb, cheap landscaping is rarely good. So choose wisely.
Why choose an APL Landscaper?
Read our short article on the benefits of working with an APL member. HERE