Get a lay of the landscape.
Having good landscaping can increase the resale value of your home by 14 percent. Your return on investment can be 150 percent or more.
But you can only maximize your return on investment if you hire a good landscaping service. You need to sit down and do some hard thinking before picking up the phone.
Speed up your landscaping process with this guide. Here are six factors to consider before hiring a landscaping service.
1. Your Landscaping Goals
Set in your mind what you want to accomplish with your service. You don’t have to have grand ideas. A simple project like laying flowerbeds can increase the value of your home.
Consider your features, like the types of plants you have. Decide if you want to add to preexisting features or add new ones. They each require different kinds of equipment and labor, so focus on one or the other.
2. Your Landscaping Budget
Determining your goals lets you determine your budget. You need to consider the costs of materials, labor, and consulting.
Start comparing landscaping fees by calling different companies. Ask them for a quote for the project you have in mind. Lean toward hiring the cheapest company, but don’t hire them just yet.
If you have a major project, you may need a permit. Nearly all permits require a fee, though these fees are small. Factor the cost of a permit into your budget.
3. The Services a Landscaping Service Offers
Services try to be distinct from one another. Each company offers the usual package of lawn care, trimming, and installation.
But some companies have a specialty. While you’re on the phone, ask the company about what makes them distinct. They might specialize in patios or gardens.
Pick the service that specializes in what you want.
4. Their References and Reviews
Yelp, Angie’s List, and other websites catalog customer reviews. Read through the reviews for each company you hire.
Don’t just look at the star rating. Read the comments and understand what a company is good and bad at. They may be strong on experience, but weak on customer service.
Go onto their website and look at their portfolio. Ask yourself what the company wants to promote. If they want to promote your kind of project, hire them.
5. Their Experience
You can break a company’s experience down in a couple of ways. Consider how long the company has been operating. Look at their staff and see how long they’ve been in their business.
Find out how long a company has been offering a particular service. Their specialty may be something they just introduced.
6. Their Personality
You are putting trust in your landscaping company. Put trust in people you like.
If a company isn’t good at customer service, don’t hire them. If a company seems too prickly or condescending, don’t hire them.
Personality isn’t as important as experience or costs. But that doesn’t mean you should work with people you don’t like.
If you don’t bond with a company, they won’t put as much care into their work. Find people you can associate with.
Go With the Landscapers Who Know
Different landscaping projects require different things. But there are six factors that you should think about before hiring any landscaping service.
Think about your landscaping goals, then figure out what your budget is. Go online and see the services and reviews of a particular service. Consider their experience and personality, so you can build trust with them.
Find a service that meets all six of these factors. Matthew’s Landscaping offers high-quality labor and customer service at affordable prices. Contact us today, or call us at 805-743-1527.