How to Cut Your Landscaping Costs
When cutting your landscaping costs, it’s important to hire the right landscaper for the right price for the job that needs to be done. With the weather warming up, many people need help with grass mowing, design, tree trimming or removal. However, many of these are specialty services and they can be costly. Here are tips you can use to help get the best value from your local professionals.
Not all professionals are the same. You would benefit from having several professionals come over to see what your property looks like and listen to their recommendations. Make sure they are including a price range for services.
Ask friends, family, and neighbors for referrals. You can also check on-line referral sites for specific tasks. Paid sites include Angie’s List and Consumers Checkbook.org. You may find reviews or comments on some free sites such as Yelp.com, Kudzu.com or possibly on the firm’s own Facebook fan page. The Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) will list complaints lodged against companies as well. For the simple task of mowing, raking, and weeding, an entrepreneurial teenager in your neighborhood may yield the best deal.
Once it’s determined what is needed, request price quotes from at least three companies. You may find big price differences, but the cheapest may not mean the best. Pricey firms don’t necessarily do the best job either. There is generally no correlation between price and quality in lawn care or tree services. Local garden nurseries were found to offer high quality plants for your lawn and garden.
When getting your quotes, make sure they include a complete description to the services in writing. And be sure everything you are paying for is listed in the written quotation.
If you are hiring someone to install plants, find out what their replacement policy is. If you use a professional service, make sure they have liability insurance and workers compensation insurance. When it comes to tree services, consider companies with a professional arborist on staff. If the company you choose recommends various fertilizers, spraying or treatment, ask them for evidence that the additional services will make a difference.
Avoid paying fees upfront. Your best leverage of ensuring the job is done right is to pay when the job is complete. However, some companies may require a small percentage up front. This helps ensure their materials are paid for if you decide not to pay for the rest.
A recent survey by Consumers’ Checkbook determined local lawn care firms over national weed and feed services have a higher customer satisfaction ratings.
Originally posted at: http://allamarillohomes.info/how-to-cut-your-landscaping-costs/
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