Hiring A Landscape Contractor - Don"t Believe These Myths
If you start looking for a landscape contractor, you're bound to run into numerous well-intentioned people who will tell you to watch out for this warning sign or avoid this red flag.
While these people are just trying to help you make your decision, their advice isn't always consistent with reality.
Not only could it prevent you from hiring the company best suited for the job in question, but it could steer you towards someone completely wrong, simply because you are so intent on looking for two or three supposed warning signs.
Here are some common myths in the industry and the truth about them.
Deposits are Unprofessional This is one that has gotten some traction recently, and it couldn't be further from the truth.
While the competition in your area may force the landscape contractors to do work with no deposit required, there is nothing unethical or unprofessional about a company asking for one before embarking on a project.
Even the most successful companies have only so much cash flow on hand.
In an economy where contractors are trying to stay afloat while offering their clients the best deals possible, they can't always afford to do work with the hope that they'll get paid someday.
By hiring someone with all of the proper licensing, you'll have government backing if there is a dispute down the line.
Pay the deposit without hesitation.
Referrals are Gold You'll hear time and again that the best way to hire a landscape professional (and, really, a service in any area) is to find out who your neighbor used.
Word of mouth is powerful advertising, because people tend to believe their friends over an ad on TV.
This seems sound at first, but take a step back.
Are you comparing apples to apples here? If a company did a great job on your neighbor's pool, what confidence does that give you that they are the right guys to create your water garden? Experience is important and that extends not just to overall longevity, but specific work.
That's not to say that referrals are a bad thing, but only that it isn't the final step in your search.
Appearances are Everything One landscape company drives around in slickly painted trucks, each of which has the creative logo emblazoned on the side.
Contractor #2 is driving around in a truck that has seen better days with a phone number badly centered on the tailgate.
Choose Company #1, right? Not necessarily.
Appearances can be deceiving.
While a professional appearance would be a good priority for any contractor to have, a lack of marketing sense doesn't mean they aren't great landscape artists.
Some of the best restaurants in the world look like dives from the outside.
Take a chance and you might find a diamond in the rough.
While these people are just trying to help you make your decision, their advice isn't always consistent with reality.
Not only could it prevent you from hiring the company best suited for the job in question, but it could steer you towards someone completely wrong, simply because you are so intent on looking for two or three supposed warning signs.
Here are some common myths in the industry and the truth about them.
Deposits are Unprofessional This is one that has gotten some traction recently, and it couldn't be further from the truth.
While the competition in your area may force the landscape contractors to do work with no deposit required, there is nothing unethical or unprofessional about a company asking for one before embarking on a project.
Even the most successful companies have only so much cash flow on hand.
In an economy where contractors are trying to stay afloat while offering their clients the best deals possible, they can't always afford to do work with the hope that they'll get paid someday.
By hiring someone with all of the proper licensing, you'll have government backing if there is a dispute down the line.
Pay the deposit without hesitation.
Referrals are Gold You'll hear time and again that the best way to hire a landscape professional (and, really, a service in any area) is to find out who your neighbor used.
Word of mouth is powerful advertising, because people tend to believe their friends over an ad on TV.
This seems sound at first, but take a step back.
Are you comparing apples to apples here? If a company did a great job on your neighbor's pool, what confidence does that give you that they are the right guys to create your water garden? Experience is important and that extends not just to overall longevity, but specific work.
That's not to say that referrals are a bad thing, but only that it isn't the final step in your search.
Appearances are Everything One landscape company drives around in slickly painted trucks, each of which has the creative logo emblazoned on the side.
Contractor #2 is driving around in a truck that has seen better days with a phone number badly centered on the tailgate.
Choose Company #1, right? Not necessarily.
Appearances can be deceiving.
While a professional appearance would be a good priority for any contractor to have, a lack of marketing sense doesn't mean they aren't great landscape artists.
Some of the best restaurants in the world look like dives from the outside.
Take a chance and you might find a diamond in the rough.