How to Choose the Best Landscape Firm for You

The landscape around your house can transform the entire property and increase property values. One recent study of real estate professionals found that property values can drop up to 30% because of poor landscaping.

Whether you want to sell your home soon or not, landscaping has a huge impact on people’s perceptions of your property.

If that inspires you to make some changes to your property, you’ll want to hire a landscape firm for help. They can help you with the design and take care of the work for you.

There are plenty of landscaping companies in your area to choose from. The one that you decide to work with makes the difference between a stunning landscape design and an unimpressive one.

Don’t make a mistake choosing a landscape firm. Read on to learn what to look for when picking a landscaping company.

1. Get a List of Names to Start With

The first thing you want to do is get a list of companies to start with. Ask your friends, neighbors, Facebook friends, and colleagues for recommendations.

Do a local search for landscapers near you. A simple search like, “landscaping Boise,” or “landscaping companies Allentown” are search terms to use. Just replace the city name with your own location.

Start off with a list of 10-12 names. You’re going to narrow this list down as you go through the next steps. Eventually, you’ll whittle the list down to 3-5 companies for quotes, then choose one landscape firm for the project.

2. Know the Scope of the Project

You need to know what you’re looking for to find a good landscaping company. If you’re not sure, check out magazines and do online searches for inspiration.

Check out Pinterest and look up landscaping projects. You’ll quickly find ideas that you like and elements of landscape design that you don’t like.

Note what those things are and start to make a plan for your landscape. You should also define your style to match the architecture of the house.

For instance, if you have a quaint cottage, an English landscape design would be a great fit. Doing something that reflects modern design would present contrasting styles and the project would miss the mark.

You don’t want to be completely set on your initial ideas. They could fall outside of your budget and you’ll be disappointed.

Plus, the landscape firm could have better ideas if you’re willing to listen to them. It’s a tough balance between having a vision and staying open to ideas.

What you can do is keep a list of things that you absolutely must have. You can compromise on lower-priority items.

Get the budget together before you look further for landscaping companies. Look at your finances and know how much you can spend on the landscaping project.

3. Experience and Services

The landscaping company has to have experience doing projects like yours. You don’t want to hire a company and they miss an important step like getting permits because they lack experience.

Check to see if the company has a landscaping contractor license. You can then look them up to see if there are negative reports against them.

See if the company belongs to landscaping associations. This shows they’re invested in their field.

Not every landscaping company offers what you need. Some only do landscaping maintenance, while others offer complete design and landscaping transformation services.

4. Project Portfolio

Every reputable and experienced Landscaping Services providing company has a project portfolio on their website. It’s a showcase of their best work.

Take a look at their projects. You’ll be able to tell if the company’s style and work fit with what you have in mind for your yard.

5. Ratings and Reviews

Do additional online research to see what others had to say about working with the landscaping company. Check review sites and the Better Business Bureau for complaints and negative reviews.

If a company has one negative review, don’t rule it out completely. Read the review and see how the company responded to the review.

A company that politely responds to criticism is a sign that they care about their customers.

6. Clear Estimates

Contact landscaping companies and have them give you a quote for services. Explain what you want and tell them that you’re open to ideas.

You should receive a quote from each company. Some might give you a few options to accommodate your needs and your budget.

They should indicate how much labor and materials will cost. Understand the project deadlines and the quality of materials used.

7. Reliable and Easy to Work With

Did each landscape contractor send their proposal on time? Are you still waiting for one or two to arrive?

Late proposals are a sign of how things work with that landscaping company. If they can’t send a proposal on time, think about how they would handle the project if you went with them.

Ultimately, you want a landscaping company that’s easy to work with. Make sure you understand who is doing the work and find out if it’s easy to communicate with them or not.

They should listen and understand your needs, have some ideas of their own, and be willing to work with your decision.

Hire the Right Landscape Firm for Your Project

Creating a new landscape on your property is a major project. Don’t take a chance on a landscaping company you’re not familiar with.

Do your homework and follow the steps to hire the right landscape firm for your project. You’ll end up with a landscape that you love.

Now that you know how to pick a landscaping contractor, you’ll want to know how to finance your project. Check out the Finance section of this site for helpful tips.