What Makes A Good Landscaper?
Find out how to tell a good landscaper from an enthusiastic amateur.
When you are investing in a new garden, it’s important to hire a good landscaper who will offer great value for money. When it comes to landscaping, “value for money” and “cheap” are not necessarily the same thing. Cheap implies that the company tenders the lowest price quote. Yet value for money is all about building a garden that is structurally sound, finished to a high standard and capable of lasting for decades.
Minimum requirements for a good landscaper
- Healthy reviews and testimonials
- Public liability insurance
- A varied portfolio which demonstrates competency with a wide variety of materials and terrains
- Answers technical questions honestly and without hesitation
- Strong understanding of Building Regs, Planning Requirements and CDM Regulations
- Provides clear terms & conditions and written contracts
- Membership of a trade organisation such as APL or Trustmark
Why A Good Landscaper Needs More Than Basic DIY Skills
Would you ask your cousin’s-friend’s-workmate to build you a house extension without first checking their credentials? No, of course not. You want your construction project to run smoothly and result in a safe, legally compliant and useable building.
Now think of your garden as an outdoor room. It needs to be carefully constructed so as not to endanger your (or anyone else’s!) property. It must be properly drained, be free from trip-hazards, last for a very long time and be finished to a high standard.
As with any room, the structure is the main element to consider. Decorative elements such as plants and furniture may come and go but the surfaces, the electrics and the plumbing are permanent and need to be installed to a high standard.
There’s a lot to think about when landscaping a garden and it takes a good landscaper to know which materials will suit the conditions in your garden, how to install them appropriately and how to ensure that they will remain safely in position for decades to come.
Good landscaping isn’t learned from a book or an online video, it’s a set of skills developed through practice, experience, from listening to industry colleagues and from attending courses and workshops.
Basic DIY skills are all well and good, but only an experienced landscaper will know how to deal with changes in levels, how to project manage efficiently, where to buy the best sand and cement or how to take the sharp corners off your garden steps.
The Business Side Of Landscaping Your Garden
Finding someone with the skills to build your garden is only part of the picture when you are improving your outdoor spaces. As well as having superior landscaping skills, a good landscaper will take a professional approach to all other aspects of your project and the business as a whole.
They will consider the health, safety and welfare of everybody on site. And all paperwork will be rigorously completed and filed. Paperwork seems like such a faff - until something unexpected happens or communications break down. We’re talking terms and conditions, contracts, health and safety files, variation orders, insurance documents and so much more.
From the customer point of view, it’s always good to know that a landscaping company is solvent. There can be nothing worse than the contractor leaving your garden part-finished because their business has failed.
How To Find A Good Landscaper
A quick internet search will likely result in contact details for a good few landscapers in your area. But which one should you pick? Can you spot a good landscaper just from their Facebook page or their website?
Reviews and recommendations are incredibly useful. What are other people saying about the organisation? Formal reviews and social media comments are all worth taking note of. How well does this company interact with online comments? Are there any compliments from other businesses in the same industry?
One of the most important considerations when finding a good landscaper is to make sure that they are trustworthy. A garden makeover can take several weeks and your landscaper or their team will be on your property for quite some time. Would you be happy to go out and leave them on the premises?
The Government’s TrustMark Scheme website not only gives you some useful tips on getting quotes and working with tradespeople, it also has a searchable database of trustworthy companies.
Likewise, The Association Of Professional Landscapers regularly inspects their members to ensure that they are following good business practice and working to high standards. The website has an easy to use directory listing garden designers, landscapers and professional gardeners.
You may find that when you find a good landscaper that you’d like to work with, they are unable to start your project immediately. Don’t be disheartened, if a company is in demand, they’re probably worth waiting for.
Final reminder: Just because somebody can do the work cheaply or immediately, it doesn’t mean that they’ll do it well.
This rhyme from Alan Sargent who works as an Expert Witness in the landscaping industry sums up the value of a good landscaper. Every year, Alan visits hundreds of poorly constructed gardens in the course of his work and knows the heartache they create.
Click here to search the APL Directory and find a good landscaper near you.
https://www.landscaper.org.uk/
Further Reading
Landscaper Vs Builder, Who Builds The Best Value Gardens? https://www.landscaper.org.uk/landscaping-guidance/landscaper-v-builder
Everything You Need To Know About The Landscaping Process. https://www.landscaper.org.uk/landscaping-guidance/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-landscaping-process