5 Things to Know When Hiring a Landscape Architect

If you have been thinking about hiring a landscape architect, there are a few things that you should consider first.  Hire the wrong landscaper, and it can wind up costing you time and money.  So here are some tips to help you learn more whether or not a particular landscape architect is right for you.

1. Find Out Exactly What Services the Landscaper Provides

No two landscaping businesses are exactly the same.  Some landscapers may only offer basic lawn care services.  Others may specialize in creating beautiful stone features, creating ponds, installing fountains, and arranging custom flower presentations.

The more services provided by a particular landscaper, the better your needs can be met if you want a variety of features outside of your home.  When possible, have the landscape architect provide you with photo samples of work that they have done before. This way you know that they simply aren't telling you, "sure, we can do that" for a service that they've never actually performed in the past.

2. How Long Has the Landscape Architect Been in Business?

One of the biggest problems that happens when people hire a landscaper is that they wind up with someone inexperienced.  This can happen because the homeowner either didn't ask the landscaper how long they have been in business, or their prices were so low that they were more worried about saving money.

The longer a landscape architect has been in business, the better the quality of work you can probably expect.  Not to mention, a landscape architect with plenty of experience is better qualified to deal with problems or emergencies that can occur.  You might save more money hiring a less expensive landscaper, but it might cost you even more cash fixing problems over time.

3. How Much Will the Work Cost, and What's Included?

Improving the appearance of your yard not only gives you something that you can be proud of, but it can also increase the value of your home.  But you also need to make sure that you and the landscape architect both have a clear understanding of what your budget for landscaping work is.

Get an idea of what the landscaper charges for what you need, and also if you will receive a contract stating exactly what work will be performed.  You can also find out what kind of payment plans are available to you.

A professional landscape architect should also be able to offer you a warranty on the work to be done.  Obviously, flowers or other plants need to be cared for after they are planted, so if there's a warranty on them, it will often depend on whether or not they are properly watered.  But features such as walkways, statues, pools and fountains may have longer warranties that protect you in case they are damaged not long after installation.

4. When Will the Work Be Done?

If you hire a landscape architect with very few clients, they may be able to start on your landscaping work immediately.  But if you hire an experienced landscaper that will provide a better quality of work, they may have other clients that they need to take care of before they start working for you.

Try to get a good idea of when the landscaper would actually be able to work on your yard, and how long it will take before the work is completed.  Since some flowers need to be planted during certain seasons, it helps to know in advance if the landscaper can best meet your schedule.

5. Can Other Clients Vouch for Them?

This is easily one of the most important things to consider when you decide to hire a landscape architect.  The bottom line is that you can't afford to waste time and money on a landscaper that is totally inexperienced.

The best thing to do is ask the landscaper for several references.  These would be the names and contact numbers of a few clients that they have done work for in the past, or still work for.  If possible, find out out if the landscaper has photos of the work done for those references. 

By contacting those references, or even passing by their home, you can find out for yourself if your landscaper is reputable and does quality work.  When you speak to references, find out if they were happy with the work done by the landscape architect.  Ask how long it took for the work to be completed, what their staff was like, and if any problems came up during the work.  If there were problems, find out what the landscaper did to solve them.

About Mullin Landscape Associates

We're a landscape design / build firm that offers a wide range of professional services in New Orleans and surrounding areas.  If you live in the Southeast Louisiana area, and would like to learn more about our landscape architect services, please give us a call today at (504) 275-6617 or send us an email.