Nine Questions to Ask

Set yourself at ease and use these nine areas of focus to help find a landscape company with a designer that can fulfill your perfect plan and a team that can build your outdoor dream space.

As a homeowner, there is a lot to worry about when it comes to maintaining the home, and potential renovations can add even more worry. When it comes to finding the perfect landscape designer for your next outdoor project, you may not know where to begin. There are many factors to consider — the size of the project, long-term upkeep, desired features, drainage issues to address, and finding a style that matches your #dreamyard aesthetic. By asking yourself and potential teams some simple questions, you can set aside jitters, jumpstart your search, and spearhead your plans with confidence.

Location: Does this company service your home’s area? 

While this point may seem obvious, it’s important to make sure the designer and company you are selecting services your home’s area before you start dreaming up the perfect plan.

Style and Function: What’s your style, and can their designers fit your aesthetic?

As you are vetting potential landscape designers, consider what you want in your perfect outdoor oasis. Gather style inspiration from Pinterest boards or catalogs and see if your designer has a portfolio that fits your style. While style-match is a priority, even more so is if the designer’s construction team has the technical experience to provide functional, durable landscape and hardscape features to meet your needs. Property Pros has a fantastic group of landscape designers on our team with an array of experience who are always excited about delivering spaces that go above and beyond client expectations.

Budget: Can this company work within my budget? 

It’s vital to come into any project with a basic idea of how much you want to spend. Your designer should be interested in your budget from the start and create a design plan that fits with what you plan to spend. If you find yourself wanting features that don’t fit into your ideal budget, ask what options there are for financing or how to spread out the project into phases to get everything you’re looking for while staying ahead of the costs.

Get Referrals: What do other clients have to say about this landscape company? 

Browse reviews or ask the landscape company for referrals from past clients. Knowing how the company has performed in the past and what their clients have to say about them will provide keen insight into how they will work for your project.

Experience: What are this landscape company’s experience and work history? 

Ask about your landscape designer’s background and the experience of the landscape construction team. We’re thrilled that all of our on-staff designers not only have years of landscape experience but also have formal landscaping education holding varying degrees in landscape architecture, landscape design, horticulture, or landscape management. Additionally, ask about employee experiences, such as accreditations from industry-leading organizations like the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute or National Concrete Management Association, as well as where the company sources materials such as Unilock or Techo-Bloc.

Building: Who will be getting the work done? 

For large landscape design projects with multiple components, it’s important to know that the right people will be renovating your property. But, who are the right people? Many landscape designers will stop at the design process, passing off construction to another company or reaching out to a list of subcontractors to get the work done. This can cause disorganization and confusion throughout the build process.

At Property Pros, much of the construction is completed by our in-house team, from hardscaping, landscaping, water features, firepit, pergola building, and more. The Pros subcontract to our network for some feature areas such as pool, hot tub installation, or heavy construction. Working with a landscape design and build company with tried and true contacts will ensure high-quality project execution on every level. Because we’ve been at this a while, our team of in-house professionals and proven subcontractors work seamlessly to fulfill our landscape designer’s plans and make your landscape design dreams come true.

Timeline: What is the realistic timeline of this project from start to finish? 

A landscape project can take months of work from initial consultation to final product, depending on the project scope. Finalizing a design plan that works for you, ensuring construction is in line with local ordinances and property codes, and sourcing supplies is just the beginning and will take time. Landscaping and construction often require the weather to cooperate. Working with a landscape company that is open about the project timeline, upfront about potential delays, and experienced in implementing solutions is key to success.

Communication: What will communication look like throughout the project? 

From the initial consultation, throughout the design plan, and during construction, it is important that you feel comfortable communicating on every aspect of your outdoor design project to ensure you are on board with how things are progressing. At Property Pros, you can contact your team via group text during your project. All important Pros team members, such as the designer and the project manager, will be included in the chat so everyone can stay on the same page. Additionally, Fill-in-Friday emails go out each week with important project updates. Once you get started with us, we outline exactly what the project checkpoints will be, so everyone stays on the same page.

Maintenance: What sort of maintenance will my outdoor oasis require when finished?

Once your project is complete, it will likely require some level of maintenance moving forward. Keeping up with the care of your space will be necessary to keep your yard in tip-top shape. Before locking in on a design plan, ensure that you can maintain the project’s features or that you will have a landscape team keeping up with the necessary care. Property Pros offers maintenance plans and upkeep services from simple landscaping and mowing to complex turf-care and hardscape maintenance. 

Starting an outdoor landscape renovation on your home can be a daunting task to begin. With a little planning and the right people, the stress of a project will quickly turn into excitement and you’ll be looking forward to spending time in your new personal oasis.