Landscaping & Gardening Information | home | site map | contact us |
Working with Landscape Contractors
Having a beautiful and functional landscape is every homeowners dream. Hi, My name is John C Wilkes III and I have worked in the landscaping industry for over a decade. I achieved my degree in Landscape Architecture and went straight into the design and build sector. I have worked around all kinds of contractors and have worked as a contractor myself. Now I'm ready to share my knowledge. My intention is to help all those interested in improving their landscape so they might avoid some serious pitfalls while fulfilling their landscaping dreams. We have all read articles similar to this one before and they all say the same thing. They encourage you to get three estimates, check references, and consult the BBB for each contractor you are considering. That's all fine and dandy, but I'm here to explain how to deal with any contractor and get the results you want. First, you want to choose the contractor that's right for you. One popular theory says that there are three aspects to consider. Those are timely service, quality work, and pricing. This theory states that you can't get all three aspects with the same company. That is you can't get great quality work, fast, at a competitive price. There is some truth to this theory. That being the case you should decide what's most important to you. Do you need the job done fast or is it ok if the contractor takes a few weeks to complete? Are you only interested in top quality work or it it ok if it's a little rough in places? And are you willing to pay top dollar or are you looking to get more for less? You should consider these aspects thoroughly and then follow your instinct. Once you have chosen the contractor you want to work with you should handle your payments to him very carefully. After all that's really all that's motivating the contractor to come to your house and do the work. Most contractors will demand a deposit of 1/3 or 1/2 of the total job cost to put you on his schedule. You can go ahead and put down this deposit, but you need the agreement in writing which includes all specifications of work to be done and the time frame in which he will start and finish. Even if the contractor mentioned some work he could do during consultations you had with him, if it's not in the contract then don't expect it to get done. Even something as small as pruning some shrubs or clearing an area should be specified. Also make sure the contract has real time frames. If he says he can start in a week and complete within two weeks then get it in writing. Ask for a penalty clause that says for every day that goes by outside of the time frame set he will deduct $100 from total job cost. Contractors are familiar with this clause and should agree to it. Once a job is halfway completed, some contractors will ask for another payment. If the payment schedule was broken into thirds and the work is going well then go ahead and pay the contractor so he can complete the work. If things have gone very badly to this point then don't pay and excuse the contractor from the job. When the job is almost completed the contractor will ask for the final payment. This is where you have to be strong. Make a list of all the details that have not been finished and tell the contractor he must finish the list before you will pay him the final payment. If you are comfortable you can pay him the majority of the final payment, but withhold 10% or so until the finishing list is completed. Do not pay the contractor the total final payment if he is not totally finished. Remember he is working for the money no matter how well you are getting along. Once he is paid he will go looking for the next paycheck from the next client. For more information about working with contractors and more landscaping information make sure you go to www.landscaperesolve.com. There you will find more valuable information you should consider before working to achieve your landscaping dreams. My name is John C Wilkes III and I have worked in the landscaping industry for over a decade. I achieved my degree in Landscape Architecture and went straight into the design and build sector.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Orchid Myths -The Truth Here are some of the popular orchid myths#1 Orchids are CarnivorousThey are not, in fact, they pollinate by luring insects to them but they do not eat the insects. This helps the orchid gardeningOrchid Myths#2 Orchids come from the TropicsSome orchid flowers do come from the tropical climates but they grow in any climate and in any country, even Alaska. How to Grow Bamboo Bamboo is a mysterious and elusive plant that baffles taxonomists who try to contain it within a botanical class and gardeners who try to contain it within a limited garden space as they learn how to grow bamboo. For many years, bamboo was thought to be a primitive grass but recent DNA testing has shown it to be one of the most highly evolved forest grasses. Backyard Ponds Backyard ponds are a great source of fun and enjoyment. With them come all kinds of different nature. Gardenscape On A Shoestring Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn't necessarily true. Spurce Up Your Garden With Decorative Birdhouses Decorative Birdhouses are active garden ornamentation --the presence and movement of birds creates a fluid focal point for your garden. As such, placement is critical for you to earn maximum benefit from your birdhouses. Professional Lawn Watering Techniques - Wireless Sensors for Lawns in Drought Areas The technnology secrets will help home owners maintain lawns in drought areas using a fraction of the normal water use. Professional Landscapers know that by burying wirless sensors on a rod in several places on a golf course to measure the exact amount of water getting to the roots. Gardeners: Contain Yourselves! Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on a large country estate, gardening in containers is a way to add colour and the beauty of nature to your surroundings. The three main elements of creating successful containers gardens are:Choosing the potsGetting the right planting mediumSelecting the plantsIn all of these elements, the key is to create a healthy growing environment for the plant roots. Teak Furniture - How to Care for it Properly Many finer homes and businesses feature beautiful indoor and outdoor furniture made from teak. Although the obvious reason is the beauty that comes from teak, there are many benefits to choosing this type of wood. Wildlife in Winter Ponds This may seem contradictory, but you want to leave a little bit of debris in the pond when preparing it for winter.Some water gardeners net out the fish, completely drain the water and scrub out the pond, refilling it with fresh water. Earthworm Friends in the Garden Earthworms are a gardener's best friend.Research has shown that earthworm excrement, also calledcastings or vermicompost, improves the aeration, porosity,structure, drainage, and moisture-holding capacity of soil. How to Create a Zen Garden When you hear the term "Zen Garden" the picture conjured up is of a dry landscape with rocks surrounded by carefully raked gravel which invites you to withdraw from the noise of the world outside and to enter into silent meditation. Some say that zen priests adopted the dry landscape style in the eleventh century as an aid to create a deeper understanding of the zen concepts, but others hold that the Japanese Zen Garden is a myth. Vegetable Growing for Beginners If you have never grown vegetables before the first thing that you need to decide is where to plant them in your garden. Most vegetables need 6-8 hours of sunlight a day although greens can manage with less. Science Cant Explain Everything! You will know that if you have spent at least some time reflecting on the world around you, some things cannot be explained in purely scientific terms. Armies of scientists and researchers swarm in labs around the world trying to take the mystery out of every bit of wonder we witness. Indoor Gardening Tips for Jerry Seinfeld "I have no plants in my house. They won't live for me. Water Pond Designs You can have different water pond designs, however ones that don't restrict water movement are the best. What I mean by that is you don't want to have a backyard pond with tight corners in it where it will be hard for water to circulate. Selling Your House? Mow Your Lawn! A property that has a well manicured lawn has one of the best chances at showing pride in ownership than any other outdoor technique.For one thing, there is a large upswing in the priority that homeowners place in their outdoor living spaces. 16 Lawn Mower Safety Tips 1. Always read the instruction manual before operating your lawnmower. Slugging It Out In The Trenches In an effort to introduce a shaft of sunlight into a particularly gloomy conversation, I recently asked a gardening acquaintance of mine to explain the difference between a slug and a snail.For the next twelve minutes and seven seconds, this horticultural monomaniac held forth on the most minute and inconsequential differences between gastropod molluscs with rudimentary or no shells and gastropod molluscs with well developed spiral or whorled shells. Landscape Design Landscaping is a wonderful pastime enjoyed by many. It provides a natural beauty and needs no ornaments or other attractive items to help achieve its magnificence. Outdoor Living Cleanses The Mind, Body, and Spirit Through the use of various mediums pertaining to the outdoors, like hot tubs and patio furniture, one can relax and enjoy nature. Don't stay confined to four walls and a roof, breathe and inhale the free, fresh air only the beautiful outdoors can provide. |
home | site map | contact us |