Finding a Good Landscaping Company

A home is most people’s largest asset and to keep it looking great, it’s a wise idea to hire a landscaping company. An attractive front and backyard costs quite a bit to install initially, in terms of time and money; shouldn’t it be properly maintained to protect the investment? Your home’s curb appeal will be enhanced with a good landscaping company. Here’s how to find one.

A home is most people’s largest asset and to keep it looking great, it’s a wise idea to hire a landscaping company. An attractive front and backyard costs quite a bit to install initially, in terms of time and money; shouldn’t it be properly maintained to protect the investment? Trees, bushes, flowers, grass, gravel and rock can make a huge difference in attractiveness, curb appeal and value. The average homeowner usually doesn’t have the energy after a full day’s work to haul out the lawnmower, clippers and weed-whacker. Who wants to use up the weekend doing outside chores, either? It makes good sense to hire a crew of landscapers who can breeze through your property in no time and keep the place spic and span. If a house is located in a neighborhood with a homeowners’ association, chances are the HOA will be happy to stop sending out “pull your weeds” reminder notes, too.
When you’re ready to find a good landscaping company, here are some tips:

Are they a local business with the owner/operator running the crews? Small businesses with an owner manning the ship will truly care about their customers. They will want to make sure that each yard is immaculate and pristine since their reputation will depend on it.

Ask your friends, co-workers, family and neighbors about their yard maintenance service. If they have thick healthy grass, neatly trimmed shrubbery and no weed growth, chances are that they are hiring professionals. Even if it’s a neighbor that you don’t know well, go over to their house and inquire. Most people will be happy to share the telephone number and name of the company. After all, every well-groomed house in the neighborhood brings up property values.

Make an appointment for an estimate and see if they show up on time. Most companies want to come to your home to take a look in order to give an accurate price quote. If they don’t show up or are hours late, you know how reliable they will be.

Ask for some names and numbers of other customers that the potential service works for, as well as addresses, if possible. Drive by the other homes to take a look and call each reference. Ask their customers about punctuality, quality of work and how long they’ve used the service.

Make certain that the landscaping company has a license to operate a business in your locale. Make sure that their employees are covered by workers’ compensation, liability insurance and have payroll taxes deducted from their checks. You don’t want to be liable if a worker is injured and you don’t want to get into trouble with the IRS.

Ask about their fee structure. Do they charge by the hour or by the visit? Do they supply fertilizer and repair broken sprinkler systems at an extra charge? Find out exactly what is included in their fees.

If you find a landscaping company that seems to be a perfect fit, try them out once to be sure. Don’t sign contracts or service agreements until you’ve had a trial run.

Article Tags: Good Landscaping, Landscaping Company

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