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3 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Florida Landscape Contractor

by Emily Durgan | Fri, Jul 26, 2013

Hardscaping Projects and Ideas

Hiring a professional landscape contractor should lighten the load of things to worry about in your landscape. That much is obvious.

But in our years of landscape design, installation and maintenance experience, we've seen a lot more instances of unprofessional conduct and sloppy work than you'd think. This is work that we've sometimes been brought in to correct after a homeowner or property manager has already spent that money once.

To ensure that your site isn't plagued with work like this and that you aren't saddled with costs you shouldn't have to front more than once, there are a few important questions you should ask every landscape company you're considering hiring, whether it's GreenEarth Landscape Services or another local business.

If a company hesitates to answer your questions (or doesn't answer them sufficiently to your liking), think twice before hiring them. Being licensed and owning a business doesn't mean they'll do the best work for you.

Here are three questions you should ask before hiring a landscape contractor.

Question #1: How do you prepare estimates for your clients?

Every landscape contractor, whether he or she is designing from scratch or simply maintaining your property, should begin the process by doing a walkthrough of your property with you in person.

An on-site evaluation will help your landscape contractor assess your property thoroughly, look at the light and moisture requirements and get a handle on your terrain. This will help them take the best possible care of your property.

From there they should prepare a detailed, line-by-line estimate that explains exactly what they'll do and what it may cost. 

Question #2: What qualifications and training have your employees received?

Find out whether the company in question has won any awards and whether any of the designers or other staff members have special degrees (such as architecture or horticulture). Ask what they're particularly proud of as an institution.

In addition to those degrees and points of pride, you should also ask what type of training employees receive. Every employee should have a solid working knowledge of how to use and maintain the equipment they're working with, as well as the chemicals and other supplies needed to maintain your landscape.

Question #3: What assurances do I have that you'll stick to our terms and conditions?

Trust is a big part of hiring anyone to care for your home or business property. But because of most clients' limited knowledge of the green industry, it's hard to be sure you're getting what you've paid for, and many contractors cut corners.

When you sign a contract, make sure it's ironclad. Read every word!

At GreenEarth Landscape Services, communication and honesty are among our highest priorities, from our first property walkthrough to the day our last truck leaves your property.

If you're considering hiring GreenEarth for any type of work in your landscape, you should definitely ask your point person these questions. We're prepared to not only answer them, but also to show you how we'll exceed your expectations.

What does it mean to exceed expectations?

First, we take a proactive approach: We're with you from every moment of the process to ensure we're meeting your every need; sometimes before you know it's a need.

Next: We are thorough. We follow comprehensive checklists and schedules, and with a point person who's always accessible to you, you can find out where you are within the process and your budget to follow everything closely.

And finally, we look at the big picture. We don't nickel-and-dime our clients for items and tasks that should be taken care of anyway even if it wasn't on the original contract. We prefer to go above and beyond in the name of client care.

It's not just in your interests that we create a solid estimate, strong contract and take care of our customers. All of these things help our business run smoother and give us a better chance at delighted customers who recommend us to all of their friends and family in the end.

Call our Panama City Beach office at (850) 236-1959 or our Santa Rosa Beach office at (850) 267-0010. Or fill out our simple web form to have a GreenEarth landscape professional call you.

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