5 Questions to Ask a Landscaping Company Before You Hire Them
Turning your landscape into a design of your dream can feel like a daunting task. Especially if you have little to no experience with a project of this size. There can be many unknowns that need to be cleared up before you hire a company.
To assure you’re hiring the correct landscaping company to fit your needs, you should have a few questions on hand. Today we’ll go over 5 questions you should present to a landscaping company when browsing your options. Depending on their answer you can decide to hire them, or go to the next one.
How Much is the Upfront Cost?
The majority of companies that you will deal with, will have an upfront cost. The contractor state licensing board states a contractor can charge no more than 10% down or $1,000 whichever is less. MC Landscaping employs this policy and we recommend you keep it in mind when comparing companies. As it can be a red flag when companies ask for the full amount or a large sum of the total cost to get started.
Is there a Cash Discount?
Asking if there is a discount for paying is cash can bring to light the integrity of the landscaping company in question. Typically a cash deal forgoes the use of a contract which can leave you in a weak position if a dispute arises. Without a contract, resolving said disputes becomes difficult. Although a cash discount may seem alluring at first, you run the risk of losing both precious time and money.
What Experience Do They Have?
When looking for landscaping companies, the old adage is true. A picture is worth a thousand words. Be sure to ask them to supply a portfolio with past projects that can be verified. Some companies may try to show you images from other companies, do your due diligence as these lies tend to fall apart after even the slightest research. You should never take a company at their word, after all this is your home and your project.
What is Their contractor’s license number
A contractor’s license number is for your protection and can be spotted on worker’s uniforms, vehicles and the company website. MC Landscaping’s license is always displayed on the top left of our website. After you’ve gotten a company’s license number you can search for them at cslb.ca.gov where you can use it to review a variety of information including customer complaints, worker’s comp coverage and liability insurance information.
What is the Typical Work Schedule?
This may be difficult for some companies to answer right away, as they may not know the full scope of the project. However a good landscaping company should be able to give you a general work schedule their employees follow. Oftentimes homeowners have a variety of projects being worked on at the same time. Being able to properly schedule material deliveries and area completions can make the project run smoothly.
Do they Provide Other Services?
The majority of companies focus on a single trade, being specialized means you’ll have the best workers of that trade. Landscaping involves plants, lawns, irrigation, hardscape, maintenance and water features. It is a trade that requires multiple skills to do properly. If a landscaping company also claims to do other trades that aren’t involved in landscaping, you run the risk of your projects not being completed safely and efficiently.
How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?
Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.
Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.
