Landscape contractors are people, too. Due to this not so surprising observation, it is vital that we consider that all people are different when we decide to choose a landscaper to help us achieve our landscaping goals.
Some people are annoying, a few are lazy, others are flakey, some people take too long selecting an orange which causes us to be late for our family dinner, and some people are hilarious.
The point is, landscapers, like all people, offer us a variety of personality spectrums, and some of those spectrum ranges may grind our gears. Just because landscaping takes place outside doesn’t mean that your landscaper’s personality matters less than your personal chef (OK, most of us don’t have a personal chef, but you get the idea).
Additionally, a lackadaisical landscaper may frequently lose focus and cost you time, money, and result in an incomplete garden bed that overlooks your patio.
Getting Started
There are a few quick and easy steps to follow to ensure that you find the right company for the job.
Landscape Contractor Personalities – Look for Passion
When homeowners tell me that I place too much emphasis on the personality of a landscaper, I ask them if they feel the same way about hiring a babysitter, or even when deciding on a hairdresser. Naturally, no one wants a careless person to watch their children and almost as few want an apathetic hairdresser to butcher their style.
When hiring a landscape contractor, you want to look for a landscaper that cares as much about your property as you care about it. Remember, you are paying this person to create something that you will see and experience every day, don’t take that task lightly.
A quality landscaper will take the time to understand your property. They will assess aspects of your property that you likely never considered. They will work with you to focus on accentuating the landscape’s strengths while making the best possible use out of its weaknesses.
While you probably already have some inspiration regarding how you’d like to see your property evolve optically, your potential landscape contractor should also bring some new ideas to the table without seeming myopic or self-absorbed.
Landscaping work requires multiple visits, which means numerous interactions between you and the landscaper. If your landscaper’s personality is drastically incompatible with yours, you might end up stuck with that person for months.
Landscaper Reviews – Vetting Matters
In today’s world, not vetting a landscaper is almost inexcusable. The vetting process should always start with your neighbors. If you have neighbors whose landscaping you appreciate, maybe give them a call or text them and ask them which landscaping contractor they recommend. You might avoid walking over and ringing their doorbell, however, it isn’t the 80’s anymore, and you might frighten them!
Online landscaping contractor reviews are readily available both nationally and for local Minnesotans. Landscaping testimonials are the core foundation of a quality landscaping experience.
If you find bad reviews on a landscape contractor, pay attention to how the landscaper responds to the complaint. Do they give further details into the complaint? Do they attempt to remedy the concerns? Or do they call the complainer a liar? You can learn a lot from bad landscaper reviews.
When you review landscapers, make sure the reviews appear to be real and not contrived by the landscaper’s friends. Landscapers typically ask their previous job hires to review them because they know how powerful online reviews are to their lifeblood. That said, landscapers acknowledge incentive derived from good reviews and that motivates them to do great work. If a landscaper doesn’t seem to care about reviews, you might consider that a red flag.
Minnesota Landscape Contractors Understand Seasons
The landscape contractor’s intimate knowledge of local landscapes will influence the landscaper’s success. Minnesota, no different than Arizona, has uniqueness in sediment, terrain, and rocks.
Additionally, a local Minnesota landscape contractor is more likely to understand the local influences that give our property that beautiful Minnesota look and feel. A landscaper who is new to the region may need more experience to develop a more refined regional grasp.
Conclusion
Landscaping is an art and art requires passion. A landscape contractor who doesn’t share your love for the job is not the right landscape contractor for you. While every landscape contractor will have a few bad reviews, the bad reviews should not be an overwhelming presence.
Hiring a landscaper requires more than just thumbing through an old phone book. Modern technology and word of mouth can really benefit your journey.