How to Hire a Landscaper

How to Hire a Landscaper:

• Step 1:  Define your landscape needs

Why are you landscaping ?  The first step is to clearly identify what purposes the landscape must serve.

• Step 2:  Consider your budget

What is the amount of money available to meet your needs?

• Step 3:  Consider who will design your landscape

Your choices include:  A landscape architect; (licensed) by the state of California who can develop plans; (C-27 licensed) landscape contractor; a retail nursery are legally allowed to charge for a design. Landscape designers (unlicensed) are not legally allowed to charge for landscape designs.

• Step 4:  Hire the right professional

There are no guarantees when it comes to hiring a professional but here are a few steps to take to ensure your landscaping experience fulfills your desires:  Get referrals from friends and neighbors who have landscaping you admire; contact the California Landscape Contractors Association at (916) 448-2522 for a list of landscape professionals in your area; visit the landscape contractor search engine at CLCA.org for the brochure “How To Hire A Landscape Contractor”.

Hiring a Licensed Contractor:

State law requires anyone who contracts to do landscape work to be licensed by the Contractors State License Board, if the total price of the job is $500 or more. Unlicensed persons, typically, are not bonded and may not have liability or workers’ compensation insurance.  If you hire an unlicensed person, you may be financially responsible if injuries, fire, or other property damage result.

Planning and Preparing:

Producing a finished job that looks good and will endure requires skill and knowledge of landscape and irrigation materials, and proper installation methods.  Ask any contractor you consider hiring for advice on types of irrigation controllers, plant sizes, and grounds preparation that will enhance your property for years to come.

Choosing Your Contractor:

Regardless of recommendations, before hiring a contractor, you should:  Ask for the contractor’s state license number and call the Contractors State License Board to verify that it is issued for landscaping is current, and is in good standing;  request a list of similar jobs the contractor has recently completed in your area; look at the work and talk to the owners, if possible; obtain at least three written bids to compare pricing and work offered; make sure each bid lists all the preparatory and finish work that the contractor has suggested as well as the amounts and types of soil amendments, and brand of sprinkler equipment.

Your Contract:

The law requires that home improvements over $500 must be in writing.  However, even if your job is less than this amount, you should insist on a written contract for your own protection. The contract should contain:  The name, address, license number and telephone number of the contractor; a complete description of the work to be done and materials to be used;  a “Notice to Owner” explaining the state’s mechanics’ lien laws and the ways to protect you and your property.

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