What to Expect from Your Landscape Maintenance Contractor
Hiring a landscape maintenance contractor is an important step in protecting your investment in your outdoor spaces, but what should you be looking for in hiring them to be sure they are the best choice for you? Here are 5 questions clients should be asking landscape contractors near me in Healdsburg to choose the right company for you.
How Often Should My Landscaper Check My Irrigation?
A landscape maintenance contractor should check irrigation at least once per month by turning on all stations from the irrigation controller and inspecting the zone to check for leaks or sprinklers and emitters that might be malfunctioning. During this inspection, the controller programming should also be adjusted for the appropriate settings for that time of year.
In addition, your system should have a thorough audit that occurs each year before the beginning of the irrigation season, usually in February or March. This includes inspecting all valve boxes for debris, flooding, or erosion, checking all wiring connections, cleaning drip filters and valve diaphragms, and resetting the controller programming.
Should My Maintenance Landscaper Replace Dead Plants in the Landscape?
Your landscaper should identify any dead plants on each visit and communicate with you about replacing them. Often your landscaper will bill you for the plant materials, but then install the replacements during their visit. It’s very important to establish this understanding early on in your relationship with them or you risk having them ignore dead plants resulting in a slowly deteriorating landscape. Be sure they also investigate WHY the plants died in the first place, otherwise, you might be paying for replacements that don’t last very long.
Should My Maintenance Landscaper Keep a Regular Schedule?
Keeping a regular schedule for maintenance visits is a sign of professionalism within a company that indicates they are reliable and trustworthy. If they are unwilling to commit to a consistent time and day of the week you are risking missed visits and unexpected inconveniences. When hiring a maintenance contractor, make sure they commit to a regularly scheduled visit for an agreed-upon duration of time.
Should My Maintenance Landscaper Provide a Contract for Services?
Providing a contract for what specific services will be provided and at what cost helps avoid any confusion about their scope of work and what you will pay. Loose handshake agreements often lead to disappointing results and unexpected costs.
Ask your landscaper to provide a specific list of services including when and how pruning will be done, if they will be fertilizing, how often they will be checking irrigation, and any other services you would like them to provide. This list, in the form of a contract, makes a clear and indisputable record of what your expectations are, and why they are promising to deliver.
Should My Maintenance Landscaper Spray Pesticides and Herbicides?
Applying chemical sprays to your landscape can pose risks to both your health and that of your family, neighbors, pets, and the sustainability of the local ecosystem, so you must be certain they are well-trained and understand how to properly apply any pesticides and herbicides they might need to use.
Having an agreement beforehand about what products you are comfortable with them using, and in what situations, is critical to be sure they aren’t applying chemicals that could make you unsafe or do damage to your property.
Expert Landscapers in Healdsburg – Inspired Landscapes
Looking for the best landscaper in Healdsburg? Contact Inspired Landscapes and learn why our customers keep coming back.
Give us a call today for a free consultation at (707) 395-7474.
