The type of project you have will determine the type of person you need to do the job. You may only need the services of a gardener or occasional worker. In this case, they cannot fall under the category of “landscape contractor.” However, regardless of licensing laws, you can still fall into a trap by making one of the top 5 mistakes when it comes to hiring workers for your home or landscaping project.
1) Not checking references
It’s easiest to simply ask them for references over the phone or the first time you see them in person. Do not feel that you meet in a negative way, that you do not trust them. The truth is, you shouldn’t trust them until they calm you down! RED FLAG: Not providing you with any verifiable references. If this is the case, move on to someone else.
Consult with previous clients. Were they satisfied with the work? Was the job completed in a reasonable time? Did the contractor return phone calls? If the person had problems with the contractor, ask how the contractor responded to the complaints. Look at examples of landscape contractor work.
A word of mouth referral is probably the best source for names of a reputable landscaping contractor. The person giving you the reference has some skin in the game. His reputation is at stake. If they give you the name of someone who does shoddy work, how will that reflect on them? Also consider the source of the reference. Did they hire the contractor to work for them, or was it actually their boss’s sister who hired the contractor?
2) Failure to verify the license of the landscape contractor.
In many states, a license is required for any construction company that advertises, offers, bids, arranges, or performs any construction, alteration, home improvement, remodeling, or repair work that exceeds a certain appraisal. If you think your project is more like a handyman, then a contractor’s license will not be required, but you should verify them through references or previous clients.
If the type of work you need to do requires a licensed landscape contractor, do they have a license? This is a BIG red flag. Many “contractors” refuse to obtain a license because they do not want to operate a legitimate business, which requires hiring legal employees, paying workers’ compensation and other insurance, collecting and paying sales taxes, or reporting such income to the IRS. They operate under the table and can often make a deal with you if you pay them in cash. This kind of attitude and mindset is a reflection of their follow through with their work. Would you trust them to support their work? How can you make a complaint if something goes wrong? (You can not).
If your project contractor mandates licensed landscape contracting, contact the state agency that holds the license on file. Check if the license is in good standing. Do you have any complaints? If so, have they been resolved? Check to verify that the person who issued you your license is the same person listed on state records.
There are unlicensed “contractors” who use other people’s license numbers and hope you don’t bother checking things. It is also illegal for a licensed contractor to allow someone else to “use” their license.
3) Automatically accept the lowest offer.
The old saying “you get what you pay for” generally applies here. A higher offer may be worth the price in better materials, workmanship, and reliability. Taking the lowest bid is not always the best strategy. A private residence is not the same screening process as a government agency. When a government awards a contract to the “lowest bid” it is because those bidders have gone through an exhaustive evaluation in order to submit bids. Also, they are bidding on the exact same project, same design, same materials, etc., which brings the whole decision down to the lowest bid. You should not use this approach, because your project is not a government contract.
4) No written contract or poorly written contract
Any contractor who does not prepare a written contract or gives you a verbal statement of the cost of doing certain work should be avoided. They are not professionals and you have no idea what is going to be done. This is a recipe for disputes over what the contractor promised and what you expected.
Even if a contract is prepared, make sure it has essential contract language such as start date, expected completion, total cost of work, installment payments, scope of work that lists in as much detail as possible, materials, quantities, square footage, quantities, etc. and the products to be supplied. Avoid descriptions like “installing a brick patio in the backyard.”
If your project seems silly to write a contract, at least withhold payment until the job is done to your satisfaction, otherwise you will have no recourse.
5) Not understanding who you should hire.
What is your landscape project? Is it to prepare a design in addition to construction? Is the contractor you are considering an expert in design? If not, you may need to hire a separate landscaper so you get what you want and not what the contractor thinks you should have.
Knowing what you want in terms of your wants and needs and, to some extent, a sense of what you want to achieve goes a long way in deciding who to hire. If your project is single-focus, like building a brick patio, you may want to hire a contractor who specializes in “masonry work” rather than someone who normally does garden maintenance but he says he can also make brick patios. If your project is all-encompassing, such as a new home without landscaping, you should consider hiring a company that can design and build the entire project.
Keep this in mind: Most landscape contractors didn’t start out as landscape designers. But there are some landscapers who got contractor licenses because they wanted more control over their designs. Find out their background, education, and professional history and you’ll be in a good position to assess whether you’re hiring the right person.