Although we live in a do-it-yourself culture, there are
sometimes when it pays to hire a professional. Landscaping
can be a perfect example of this. A quality landscaper
will have equipment, know how, design skills, and talents
to transform your property into a living show piece.
Landscaping can be complicated and labor intensive. It can
require specialized tools and equipment. Landscaping is
also an art, and the experts have a strong understanding of
good design, composition and aesthetics that allows them to
make the most of any piece of land. Professional
landscapers also possess voluminous knowledge about various
plants, grasses and trees that assists them in making the
best possible decisions for any given job.
Try as we might, we can't, as amateurs, produce the
breathtaking results that a professional landscaper can.
Thus, if we need serious landscaping help, it makes sense
to call in the expert. That part of the decision calculus
is relatively easy. Once we decide to hire a pro, however,
another question emerges: how can we choose the right
landscaper. Let's look at a few helpful hints that can
point those in need of professional landscaping assistance
in the right direction.
First, don't let cost make your decision. We have a
natural inclination toward bargain hunting, but the old
maxim "you get what you pay for" is often true. A cut-rate
provider may keep your wallet thick, but the grass could
turn out thin and brown. Cost is always a consideration,
but one should not compromise the integrity of their
landscaping project in order to save a few dollars.
Second, ask for reference and then take a look. Get
references from prospective landscapers and then take the
time to actually follow up on them. Take a personal look
at their handiwork and see what you think about the quality
of their efforts. Talk to former customers about the
landscaper's ability to get work done on time and other
important considerations. Your landscaper will be making
potentially permanent changes to your property. Take the
extra effort required to make sure those changes will be
positive.
Third, call appropriate agencies. Check with the Better
Business Bureau and other consumer watch dogs and find out
whether the landscaper in question has been the subject of
any complaints or valid criticisms. This is not a
foolproof way to weed out sub par options, but if you find
that a prospective contractor is a magnet for consumer
complaints, it only makes sense to think twice before
hiring them.
Fourth, talk about the project. Before making a decision,
spend time on the property discussing the project with the
landscaper. Get a feel for his or her vision of the
project and find out whether or not he or she is receptive
to your ideas and capable of meeting your specific needs.
The fact that a landscaper did a wonderful job on a modern
commercial property doesn't necessarily demonstrate an
ability to handle the yard of your restored Victorian home,
after all. Make sure you have found the right person for
the job.
Following these recommendations won't necessarily guarantee
landscaping success, but doing so will improve your odds of
hiring the right landscaper considerably. Remember not to
cut corners, to check references, to consult with consumer
agencies, and to have a meaningful discussion or two about
the project in order to assess whether a specific
landscaper is the right person for the job.
Landscaping may not always be a do-it-yourself project, but
that doesn't mean you have to rely on the first
professional you find in the Yellow Pages. Take the time
to find the right landscaper for you!
----------------------------------------------------
Free landscaping ideas & 2,183 landscaping pictures be sure
to visit http://www.landscapingideasonline.com . It's the
website landscaping contractors & homeowners use to get
landscape design ideas - by Brad Palmer
sometimes when it pays to hire a professional. Landscaping
can be a perfect example of this. A quality landscaper
will have equipment, know how, design skills, and talents
to transform your property into a living show piece.
Landscaping can be complicated and labor intensive. It can
require specialized tools and equipment. Landscaping is
also an art, and the experts have a strong understanding of
good design, composition and aesthetics that allows them to
make the most of any piece of land. Professional
landscapers also possess voluminous knowledge about various
plants, grasses and trees that assists them in making the
best possible decisions for any given job.
Try as we might, we can't, as amateurs, produce the
breathtaking results that a professional landscaper can.
Thus, if we need serious landscaping help, it makes sense
to call in the expert. That part of the decision calculus
is relatively easy. Once we decide to hire a pro, however,
another question emerges: how can we choose the right
landscaper. Let's look at a few helpful hints that can
point those in need of professional landscaping assistance
in the right direction.
First, don't let cost make your decision. We have a
natural inclination toward bargain hunting, but the old
maxim "you get what you pay for" is often true. A cut-rate
provider may keep your wallet thick, but the grass could
turn out thin and brown. Cost is always a consideration,
but one should not compromise the integrity of their
landscaping project in order to save a few dollars.
Second, ask for reference and then take a look. Get
references from prospective landscapers and then take the
time to actually follow up on them. Take a personal look
at their handiwork and see what you think about the quality
of their efforts. Talk to former customers about the
landscaper's ability to get work done on time and other
important considerations. Your landscaper will be making
potentially permanent changes to your property. Take the
extra effort required to make sure those changes will be
positive.
Third, call appropriate agencies. Check with the Better
Business Bureau and other consumer watch dogs and find out
whether the landscaper in question has been the subject of
any complaints or valid criticisms. This is not a
foolproof way to weed out sub par options, but if you find
that a prospective contractor is a magnet for consumer
complaints, it only makes sense to think twice before
hiring them.
Fourth, talk about the project. Before making a decision,
spend time on the property discussing the project with the
landscaper. Get a feel for his or her vision of the
project and find out whether or not he or she is receptive
to your ideas and capable of meeting your specific needs.
The fact that a landscaper did a wonderful job on a modern
commercial property doesn't necessarily demonstrate an
ability to handle the yard of your restored Victorian home,
after all. Make sure you have found the right person for
the job.
Following these recommendations won't necessarily guarantee
landscaping success, but doing so will improve your odds of
hiring the right landscaper considerably. Remember not to
cut corners, to check references, to consult with consumer
agencies, and to have a meaningful discussion or two about
the project in order to assess whether a specific
landscaper is the right person for the job.
Landscaping may not always be a do-it-yourself project, but
that doesn't mean you have to rely on the first
professional you find in the Yellow Pages. Take the time
to find the right landscaper for you!
----------------------------------------------------
Free landscaping ideas & 2,183 landscaping pictures be sure
to visit http://www.landscapingideasonline.com . It's the
website landscaping contractors & homeowners use to get
landscape design ideas - by Brad Palmer
