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How to Hire a Landscape Service |
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Written by Leslie Allen
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Tuesday, 01 May 2007 |
At the end of a stressful day, coming home to a beautiful outdoor environment can reduce your anxiety and calm you. The time, money, and effort you put into creating and maintaining a lovely landscape is an investment in your property, as well as your family’s well being. Whether you are starting with bare dirt, redesigning an outdated yard, or simply wish to properly maintain your current landscape, hiring a professional landscape company to help is a major investment and one for which you should be prepared.
Before you receive bids from prospective contractors, you should prepare to do some interviewing. Develop a written outline that includes your vision, goals, expectations, types of projects, budget, and a list of local pertinent regulations.
Defining your family’s needs and budget will help you identify your landscape priorities and projects. Talk with your family about how you will use your space. Do you need a play area for children? Do you have a dog that likes to dig or run along the fence? Do you want to create an outdoor dining area, a secluded outdoor sanctuary, or a work area for crafts and potting plants?
After you have identified your needs, you need to determine your budget. The American Nursery and Landscape Association estimates that landscaping can add 7 to 15 percent to the value of your home, and can bring a recovery value of 100 to 200 percent at selling time. Dream big, but be realistic. If you get overwhelmed, remember that you can complete the project in stages over time. Neither Rome nor your dream landscape can be built in a day.
Once you have a list of your projects and your budget, make a list of potential contractors. Word of mouth and personal testimonies are excellent resources. The Nevada Landscape Association (NLA, www.nevadanla.com), can inform you about reputable companies and what they specialize in: design, installation, and/or maintenance. Once you have your list, contact the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau and the Nevada State Contractors Board (www.nscb.state.nv.us) to make sure the companies are licensed contractors and in good standing.
Armed with your list of acceptable companies, it is time to make the short list by reviewing qualifications. Many companies will have Web sites where you can check resumes and portfolios. You should contact the companies and ask for references. As you talk to references, you may develop questions for the interview.
Now that you have your short list, it is time to set up interviews. Try to view this with excitement, as it will be your first opportunity to share your vision for your landscape. Pay attention to how well the company representative respects your ideas and can provide good suggestions for alternatives that will work best for your yard. Remember, established companies may have better knowledge than you about local environmental conditions and the plants that do best here.
It is important to remember that your landscape is a small part of the entire Northern Nevada environment. A sustainable and low-impact landscape will help keep the Truckee River and Pyramid Lake clean and healthy. Ask potential contractors how they manage soil health, erosion control, water conservation, pest and weed control, wildfire threat, and wildlife habitat.
If you are hiring a company for maintenance only, be sure to ask for details. Ask what type of service program will be necessary to maintain your landscape. Will your landscape require weekly, monthly, or seasonal maintenance? What will be your role in regular maintenance? Be sure to ask about fertilizer management. The company should suggest fertilizing based on plant needs and what is dictated by the health of your landscape, rather than fertilizing based on an arbitrary time schedule.
After you have conducted the interviews, it is time to request bids. It may be tempting to go with the lowest bidder, but compare each company based on the interview and bid price—sometimes it is worth paying more. This is also a good time to request proof of liability insurance, Workers’ Compensation insurance, and a business license. Once you have made your selection, ask for a written contract and make sure it includes total costs, payment schedules, and a detailed scope of work.
Once the work starts, take pictures of the progress and be involved. This is an opportunity for you to learn about your outdoor environment. After the chaos of construction is over, go outside and relax. It is time to reap the rewards of money well spent.
For more information on hiring a landscape service, contact University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, (775) 784-4848 or
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Beyond Mow and Blow
Living in Northern Nevada presents a unique set of challenges for homeowners. Here are important considerations for Nevada residents to discuss with their landscapers.
• Soil Health Most plants prefer soil that is light, drains well, and is rich in organic matter, conditions rarely found here. Ask landscapers if they plan to do a soil test and how those results will be used to improve your soil’s health. Ask if they plan to use organic amendments and compost to improve your soil.
• Erosion Control An erosion control program will reduce the movement of soil, fertilizer, organic matter, and other nutrients off your property and into storm drains. Once in storm drains, these pollutants flow, untreated, directly into our streams and the Truckee River.
• Water Conservation Water conservation is probably the most important consideration when landscaping in Nevada. Installing a new irrigation system does not guarantee optimum efficiency. Most irrigation auditors agree that a newly installed irrigation system will only be 70 percent efficient. Ask landscapers about hydro-zoning, irrigation scheduling, irrigation system maintenance, and Evapotranspiration (ET) controllers.
• Plant Selection Plants that are water-wise, adapted, or native will generally require less water and less maintenance. Also, ask your landscapers about limiting turf.
• Integrated Pest Management Pest and weed control are vital to enjoying a serene and relaxing backyard retreat. Ask landscapers if they use Integrated Pest Management (IPM.) IPM is a pest and weed management technique that promotes using physical, biological, and chemical controls to keep pests and weeds at manageable levels. Ask landscapers if members of their staff are licensed pesticide applicators or have completed Univeretisty of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s (UNCE) Weed Warrior training.
• The Wildfire Threat Ask landscapers if they are aware of defensible space practices and if they will evaluate your landscape for wildfire risk. Ask if they have received training in firescaping or from UNCE’s Living With Fire program.
• Wildlife Habitat Ask if the plants selected will provide wildlife habitat or are host plants for native pollinators.
• Certifications Ask if your landscaper has staff with any industry certifications; some common certifications are:
CLT: A Certified Landscape Technician is a person who has passed a rigorous exam. This national certification is regulated by the Professional Landcare Network.
CA: A Certified Arborist is a person who has at least three years experience in tree care and has passed a written test administered by the International Society for Arboriculture.
CNNW: A Certified Nevada Nursery Worker is a person who has completed an extensive training course through University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
BMPs: If you live in Tahoe, you are required to install best management practices (BMPs). BMPs are techniques designed to reduce erosion and limit the amount of nutrients and sediment that enter Lake Tahoe. If you live in Tahoe, make sure that your landscaper has attended the BMP Contractors’ Workshop and is registered with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency as a certified BMP Contractor.
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Leslie Allen is commercial horticulture program coordinator for the western area of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. |
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