Hiring any contractor can be a nerve-racking experience. Most times, you have the job estimated by several landscaping companies and then you make your decision. But there’s more to choosing the right landscaping company than just cost and a gut feeling. Here’s how to ensure that the landscaper you hire will give you the results you desire.

1. Consider Your Space. Before you even start calling landscaping companies for estimates, you really need to think about your outdoor environment. What are you looking to do? Beautify your front or back yard with lighting, trees and plants? Add a brick or stone paver patio? Install an inground swimming pool? Add a custom deck or paver walkway? Or create an outdoor kitchen? To give a landscaper a good idea of what you are looking for, share pictures from magazines or the Internet. Showing potential companies exactly what you want will enable them to give you a crystal clear picture of how much your project will cost. Also, some niche landscaping companies might be better at certain types of projects than others, which will also help you narrow down your list.
2. Consider Your Budget. How much you have to spend will help you determine how elaborate your outdoor living space will be. For example, will it just be a patio? Or will it be a patio made out of precious stone with steps, planters, walls, and lighting? Every added bell and whistle that adds to the price.
3. Word of Mouth. Ask your neighbors and friends for recommendations. Chances are if people you know had a stellar experience with a landscaping company, then you will too. You can also ask your local nursery or home and garden store for recommendations.
4. Use the Internet & Ask to See their Work. These days, most companies have websites, which should share their philosophy as well as photographs of their work. You may not have a trained eye or be a landscaping expert, but a picture can give you a great idea of a landscaping company’s capabilities. You can also ask the landscaper to show you what they have done for the same price as your estimate. They should be able to tell you where they were able to save money on the previous job, and where they were able to splurge.
5. Does the Landscaper Look Professional? Make sure you’re not hiring some guy in a truck. Has the landscaper been around for at least five years? When the company shows up, does the truck look like it’s in good shape? Is it professionally labeled with a logo? Does the contractor have business cards? When you leave a message for him, does he promptly call you back? A landscaper who seems professional from the start will most likely be professional all the way through.
6. Ask for References. If the landscaper you are looking to hire wasn’t referred to you by a friend or neighbor, ask to speak to some references. Ask references if the landscaper and crew showed up on time? Did they tidy up at the end of every day? Did they go over budget? Were they receptive to customer changes throughout the job? Did they finish on time? Were there problems after the job was completed?
7. Ask to Speak with a Landscaper’s Suppliers. In this economy, you need to know that your landscaper is financially stable, and that the firm will be around to complete your job (See Related Article: “Thinning the Herd: Make Sure the Landscaper You Hire will be Around to Finish the Job.”) Asking suppliers if the company pays its bills is perfectly reasonable, because if the brick or stone paver supplier doesn’t get paid, they could place a lien on your house.  
8. Make Sure the Landscaper is Licensed & In Good Standing. In order to become a licensed contractor, landscaping companies are required to have background checks, complete a certain number of hours of training, and obtain proper insurance. Double check your landscaper’s certification with your local board. In Maryland, that board is the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. And in Virginia it’s The Board for Contractors. You can also verifiy that the contractor you would like to hire is in good standing at The Better Business Bureau and/or the Consumer Protection Agency.
9. Ask to See Certificates of Insurance. If an uninsured landscaping worker is hurt on your property, you will be liable for the injury. One simple question “Can I see proof of insurance?” could end up saving you thousands in the long run.
10. Cheapest Isn’t Always Best. You pay for what you get. If an estimate seems too good to be true, chances are it probably is. Good landscapers know how to estimate their jobs accordingly so that material and labor costs are covered. Have competing landscaping companies break down the estimate for you so you can understand the various costs—and go with your gut. 

As more landscaping companies close their doors due to the slowing economy, you can take simple steps to make sure that the company you hire today will be around to finish the project tomorrow.

1. Is the landscaping company established? Most companies these days have websites that will tell you exactly how long they have been around. Or you can simply ask. Chances are, if the company has been around for 10-20 years, it has experience in getting through slow economic times.
2. Does the company have a proven track record? Ask to see the company’s portfolio. Pages and pages of glossy pictures displaying beautiful landscaping projects are worth a 1,000 words. Also, many landscaping companies will provide references upon request. Word-of-mouth is probably the greatest example of a company’s past performance.
3. Is the company professional? We know your mother told you not to judge a book by its cover. But when the landscaping contractor shows up to give you your estimate, take a look at the truck. Is it in good shape? Is it professionally labeled with a logo? Some other things to consider: does the landscaping company have an office? Does a person, such as a receptionist, answer the phone when you call? Does the contractor have business cards?
4. Is the landscaping company licensed? To make sure the company you’re about to hire isn’t just some guy-in-a-truck, double check its certification, as well as its standing with the official board in your state. In order to become a licensed contractor, landscaping companies are required to have background checks, complete a certain number of hours of on-the-job training, and obtain proper insurance.  In Maryland, that board is the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. And in Virginia it’s The Board for Contractors.
5. Insurance is your best policy. If you have gone ahead and checked with your state contractor’s association to verify your chosen landscaper’s certification, you won’t need to worry about their insurance coverage (since the state already requires it.) But, if you haven’t checked with your state board, you should definitely ask to see the certificate of insurance (because even the guy-in-the-truck can obtain insurance without a contractor’s license). In addition, for large jobs, you can also ask the landscaper to provide a “payment and performance” bond, which will provide a source of funds for completing the job in the event that your contractor leaves it unfinished. The bond will protect you against mechanics liens on your property that could come from subcontractors and material suppliers if the landscaping contractor fails to pay them. The bond should be for the full amount of your job and it will add three to ten percent to the total contract price. (But if your project is a large one—say over $150,000—it can be well worth the expense).
6.  Go official. Various agencies are in place to protect you from hiring a bad contractor. Use the Better Business Bureau  or the Consumer Protection Agency to verify that the contractor you would like to hire is in good standing and doesn’t have any complaints against his or her company.
7. Cheapest isn’t always best. Good landscapers know how to estimate their jobs accordingly so that material and labor costs are covered. If an estimate seems too good to be true, chances are it probably is. Have competing landscaping companies break down the estimate for you so you can understand the various costs—and go with your gut.

 As the economy continues to slow, everyone is feeling the pinch—including landscapers. In order to drum up business, landscapers are slashing their bottom lines and delivering the savings straight to the customer. If you have been waiting to have that custom outdoor kitchen, or brand new patio or deck installed, why wait? You’ll never get a better deal than you will right at this very moment. 

The Competitive Landscape of Landscaping. Due to the slowdown, landscapers are hungry and competition is on the rise. To see just how competitive the market is right now, open the phone book, and call any five landscaping companies. You’ll probably have all five companies calling you back that very same day. Gone are the days when landscape companies were at their busiest and may have taken days, if not weeks to call you back.  “Landscapers know that they are going to be bidding against several companies,” says Craig Smith, owner and principal of BR Design/Build. “Each firm is going to strive to give the potential client the best price possible,” adds Smith. 

Bottom Lines Have Hit Rock Bottom. How exactly can landscapers provide clients with the best prices, especially when both material and labor costs are fixed? Overhead is where landscape design and build firms find their wiggle room. Some landscapers are downsizing in terms of office space, while others are trading in their gas guzzling trucks for more eco-friendly vehicles that are easier on fuel and on the wallet. Some companies are even trimming profit margins in hopes to increase volume. “Right now, landscape companies are taking a hard look at the way they do business and trying to find ways to run their firms more efficiently,” says Craig Smith (BR Design/Build).  “If a firm can streamline operations, it can also cut costs significantly, and pass that savings onto their clients,” adds Smith.  

But it’s Almost Winter.  Typically winter is a slower time for landscaping. However, don’t let the lower temperatures impede on your plans for your outdoor living space. The concrete for an inground swimming pool can be poured as long as the daytime temperature stays above 36 degrees. In Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, winter temperatures average between 40 – 45 degrees. And in 2007, winter temperatures were up +8.19 degrees (SOURCE: Forecast Earth). It’s a cold hard fact: winter might be the best time to have your inground swimming pool installed, so you’re ready for spring. And if you’re not doing a pool, it’s never too early to get the plans rolling. Starting early means you’ll have all the right approvals in place from your town or city once the weather heats up.  

The Cheapest Landscaper isn’t the Best. As with any contractor, be sure you go with a reputable one. Landscapers are not protected from the slowing economy, which means more and more are going out of business. Make sure that whomever you choose has an established, proven track record.