Curbside appeal matters if you’re looking to sell your home. According to Research Gate, good landscaping can increase the perceived value of your home by 5% to 11%. 

If there was ever a reason to hire a landscape contractor, being able to increase the asking price of your home is one of them. Not to mention that finding the right landscaper can completely transform your outdoor space. 

But how do you find the right landscaping contractor? 

Here are our top tips for finding and hiring a landscape contractor. 

Research 

Make sure to do your research before picking up the phone. You can conduct this research by reading online reviews or asking your neighbors. 

Your neighbors will be able to point you in the right direction and whittle down the list of contractors with residential landscaping experience. 

Another factor when conducting research is to check if they are a licensed landscape contractor. 

Landscapers need to be licensed by their home state to conduct their business, which will also mean they have taken out liability insurance for their crew in case of an accident. 

You can check for contractors’ licenses online via Better Business Bureau (BBB) or call your local administrative office. 

Set Your Budget

Once you’ve created your list of options for landscape contractors, it’s time to plan your budget. Determining your landscaping project budget doesn’t need to be a headache. 

Pricing can vary from whether you need routine maintenance around the yard done or whether you’re looking at installing landscape lighting. This variation in the scale of the project can fluctuate the price from $100 to thousands of dollars. 

The determining factor is how much you’re comfortable spending. 

Get Estimates and More

Now that you have a budget and list of contractors, it’s time to call them to your property to estimate. Always get estimates in writing; otherwise, pricing can vary. 

Make sure to compare estimates between landscape contractors and if there are questions about details, make sure to ask. 

While getting estimates, you will also want to ask them a few questions. 

These include:

• Are you insured and licensed?
• What other services do you offer?
• What’s your experience with projects of this size?
• Does your company have any specialists?
• Who will be completing the work?
• Is there a guarantee on the job?
• Who are your references?

There will be red flags when interviewing landscaping contractors, which include:

• No contractual agreement
• Doesn’t possess a license or insurance
• Very low asking rate
• Needs large upfront payment
• Deadlines are missed frequently
• Lack of communication
• No online presence

Now that you’ve selected your contractor, there’s one more step. 

Keep a Paper Trail

You should always keep records of all transactions and contracts with any contractual agreement.

It’s also for your good to keep track of all your payments. It allows you to gauge whether the project is staying within its budget. Sometimes, when getting involved in the middle of a project, you lose track of the budget. 

Now You Know What to Do When Hiring a Landscape Contractor

If you stick to these tips you should have no problem hiring a landscape contractor. All you have to do is to start your journey to find the best landscape contractor for your home.  

For more articles like this, check out the rest of the blog.