Why should I hire a licensed & insured landscape contractor?

 

Hiring a licensed, bonded and insured landscape contractor helps to protect you and your property. Hiring an unlicensed contractor can bring your project far more risks than savings. You can be held liable for on-the-job injuries, taxes or insurance. You can be held responsible for complying with city and county codes or correcting problems with workmanship and warranties. You can even be held liable for an unlicensed contractor’s illegal acts. 

 

It is always a good idea to ask for a written certificate of insurance from any contractor you choose to hire to verify that they have workers’ compensation, general liability & business auto insurance coverage currently in force; this is usually available upon request at no additional charge. Workers’ compensation insurance protects you from liability in case a worker employed by the landscape contractor is injured on your property. General liability insurance protects against calamities such as floods or landslides caused by construction. Business automobile insurance provides additional protection when a contractor’s vehicle is involved in an accident on your property.

 

 

Why should I hire a Landscape Architect?

 

 A professional Landscape Architect spends their life thinking about the subject.  They come to your garden filled with knowledge, creative ideas and imagination to develop a custom design that is uniquely suited to your home, lifestyle and personal preferences.

 

 Landscape design is challenging from an artistic, environmental, architectural, engineering and horticultural viewpoint. Unlike other art forms, a garden is not a static creation, but a dynamic, evolving ecosystem that requires continued inputs and energy over time. Its creation requires careful thought on different levels: botanically (which plants to choose), spatially (where to put what), seasonally (how it will look year-round) and temporally (what it will look like in years to come). A landscape designer factors in all these things and then adds an element of style that provides the spirit of the garden.

 

By spending time with a Landscape Architect to work through the design details during the planning phase, you will save money and time, as it is less costly to consider the alternatives and change your mind on paper than it is during installation or after completion. Landscape design consists of a process that culminates in the creation of a set of documents that become your blueprint and information source for the project. These documents will assist you in obtaining comparable bids from landscape contractors to fully develop your site either in a single project or in phases over time.

 

A Landscape Architect will work with you to create this master plan, selecting the most appropriate materials & plants for your site and budget, developing solutions for specific problems on your property (i.e. privacy, noise, etc.), and finding the best people in the landscape industry to help bring the vision for your garden to reality.

 

Additional benefits of working with a Landscape Architect include assistance with quality control/site observation during installation, the opportunity to purchase plants at considerable savings from retail prices, and formation of a relationship with someone who can provide ongoing consultation as the garden changes and matures.

 

 

 

What is the consultation or estimate process? 

 

After filling out the contact form we will set up an appointment to discuss the scope of your project.  One of our landscape professionals will spend the appropriate time on site to prepare a complete proposal and design in a timely manner.  Depending on the size of your project, the process can be as simple as a price or a complete design build proposal with a rendering of the final product.

 

 

What is your warranty on Hardscape Installation? 

 

We offer a 5 year workmanship warranty on all of our hardscape installations. If we install Unlick products exclusively on your project, there will be a lifetime warranty on those products from Unilock. Unilock also offers a 2 year warranty from the date of installation on any major structural failures due to workmanship.

 

*Unilock® only guarantees projects that are 100% Unilock product. Minor settling

  or aesthetic imperfections are excluded from the Unilock Authorized Contractor

  Workmanship Guarantee. Issues which arise due to unknown soil or groundwater

  conditions beneath the prepared base, are excluded from this warranty.

 

 

What is your warranty on plant material? 

 

A one year replacement warranty comes with all new plantings given proper irrigation is present.

 

 

What options are available for improving my lawns appearance? 

 

If a thinning lawn, dead spots, or patches of burned out grass are turning your backyard into an eyesore, then our overseeding service could be the answer for you. There are a couple of ways to overseed. One way is the core aeration method and the other is by slice seeding. Sometimes both methods can be used depending upon the soil conditions and other factors.

 

 

When is the Best time to Seed a Lawn?

 

Fall is the best time with spring being a close second. Fall is the better time to seed since seedlings won’t have to compete with weed seedlings germinating and compete for space in the spring. Also, root establishment is key to survival. Fall seeding gives seedlings more time to establish a mature root system and survive summer drought conditions.

 

 

What if I already have a design?

 

We will gladly review your design and discuss it with you.  At the initial consultation, we’ll discuss the best way to proceed to achieve the finished landscape you want.