The 9 Most Unanswered Questions about Clearing
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It is usual for people to feel overwhelmed during their first meeting with a prospective landscape contractor. They’re practically overflowing with ideas! But don’t worry. This purpose of this meeting is just to, well, meet and talk – no need to explain your dream landscape YET.
It’s an opportunity for the contractor to check out the property and see what work may have to be done. For your part, this is your chance to size up whether or not they are the right choice for the job. You can talk about your dreams and plans after you’ve signed a contract.
To maximize the use of this meeting, be sure to ask the following:
> Have you done a similar job in the past? You don’t just want an experienced contractor. They should be experienced in the specific type of project you have and prove it by presenting work samples.
> What billing method do you use? This could be a per-hour rate or a fixed amount based on the size of the project. With some contractors, you will be billed a portion of your total costs.
> Can you give me references? But don’t stop at asking for references; talk to them. Ask whether the contractor was professional and reliable. Were they on time for meetings or when returning emails or calls? Did they handle clients’ concerns professionally?
Exploring Portfolios
Ask the contractor for photos of their previous projects and not only those you can find on their website. A portfolio in other words, and make sure you review it together with the contractor so you can immediately get answers to your questions. This is a good way to get hints on how they might approach your project.
Defining Your Budget
People sometimes hesitate to discuss costs early on in the project, but being straightforward from the get-go is actually beneficial. This enables them to work within your financial limits, instead of busting your budget which you probably never even mentioned to them anyway.
Scope fo the Job
Do you want them to be incharge of everything, from concept to clean-up, or just specific aspects of the job, like making a site plan or a planting plan? This is obviously one of the things that can affect your costs considerably, and it’s best to be clear about it with the contractor.
Personal Rapport
Lastly, use this first meeting with the contractor to see whether you have personal chemistry together. In most cases, a landscape project will run for weeks at least, so you’re going to have to spend quite some time with them. Choosing someone you don’t personally like can give you less than satisfactory results.