Find a landscaping contractor

Are you in the process of choosing a landscaping contractor for your next garden or outdoor space renovation? Here are some tips to help you make the best decision.

Deciding on a landscaper for your garden project requires a little research, but the results are well worth it. Choosing the right contractor for your landscaping project requires a great deal of care. After all, making the wrong choice can affect more than just the look of your garden.

"The contractor will be working in your personal space for weeks or months, so you need to get along with them," says landscaper Marcus Dentry from Real Earth Developments. "And you're often spending large amounts of money, so you want to make sure you get it right first time."

Listening to word of mouth

Marcus suggests the best way to choose a landscaper is by word of mouth, such as asking friends who have had landscaping work done to recommend someone. "It takes out the element of the unknown," he says. "You know they've impressed somebody else sufficiently for them to recommend them to other people."

Investigate online

If you don't know anyone who has used landscaping contractors, then it's important to use other modes of research. Directories like yellowpages.com.au make it easy to browse experts in your area and many landscapers have websites that show off their work, or that describe the types of jobs they have completed in the past.

See their track record

For those residential landscapers who don't have websites, you should ask to see photographs of their past projects. This will give you an idea of their style. It's also a smart move to ask where they have completed projects, and go to those locations to check out the work for yourself.

Meet your landscaper

Once you've found a landscaper whose style you like, you need to ensure that they are right for your job. Marcus suggests meeting them on site to determine whether you will be able to work together. Make your own ideas clear and listen to their responses. Do they communicate well? Do they understand your priorities and requirements?

If possible, assess their levels of honesty, integrity and reliability. "You can't always go on first impressions," says Marcus, "but it's a lot easier to decide what people are like if you meet them face to face, rather than doing it over the phone. Trust your instincts."

Talk about costs and get a quote

And then of course there's the price factor. Marcus recommends having an idea right from the beginning about how much you're willing to spend, and to be upfront about this with the contractor. "It gives us a better picture of the job, and what to expect in terms of the materials we will be using," he says.

Marcus also advises that clients ask for detailed quotes so they know exactly what they're paying for. Be aware of obvious gaps in the contracts that landscapers can add to in order to inflate the final price. While most landscapers are honest, reliable and skilled, doing your research beforehand means you're landscaping project is more likely to be a success.

To begin your short list of landscaping contractors or landscape designers for your next garden project, search for professionals in your area: