Once the snow melts, we are left with lawns that are in terrible shape. There is little grass, plants and flowers are gone, and there might even be leaves leftover from fall. As winter comes to an end, get your landscape design in order. Right now is the perfect time to contact local landscaping companies to schedule your spring cleanup. With so many landscaping companies to choose from, how do you pick the one that is best for your needs? Follow this selection process.
Evaluate your landscaping needs
Although most landscaping companies can do a variety of outdoor tasks, some specialize in specific areas. This simply means that they are the local expert when it comes to specific landscaping areas. A couple specialties might include retaining wall repairs and installations, garden center planning, tree removal, fall cleanup, or bush and tree installations. It can be helpful to first evaluate your landscaping needs. If there is a specific project that requires more attention, look for a specialist in that area.
It is also possible that your landscaping needs simply include weekly lawn cutting. The average homeowner spends approximately 4 hours per week caring for their lawn. Depending on where you live, that is approximately 150 hours (cooler climates) to 208 hours (warmer climates) per year. If spending much of your free time caring for your lawn is not one of your interests, local landscaping companies can complete the task for you.
Ask for referrals and recommendations
You may be overwhelmed at the amount of options available to you for landscaping companies. Asking for referrals or recommendations or friends and local neighbors is a great way to get in touch with a trusted landscaping company. This is also a great way to see a specific company?s completed job. If you have a neighbor that always has a nice looking lawn and yard, consider asking them for a referral to their landscaping company.
Amount of work needed
If your yard requires an extensive amount of lawn work, you will want to go with a larger landscaping company. Smaller landscaping companies may not have the manpower, resources, or skill to complete large scale projects. If you simply need your lawn to be maintained every week, a smaller company will suffice. However, if you require plant nursey tasks and garden work, you may need a larger company. More and more homeowners are hiring landscaping companies to also complete their gardening tasks.
Lawn and garden spending reached a reported $36.1 billion dollars in 2015, according to recently released results of the annual National Gardening Survey, bouncing back from a five year low in 2014. Gardens look nice in any yard, but they do require a lot of upkeep. If you desire a beautiful looking garden, but do not want the work that comes with it, use the services of a landscaping company.
Cost and level of improvements
Sometimes, landscaping is used to improve the value or overall look of a property one time. Rather than using the landscaping company?s services weekly, they are only used for a single project. For example, tall shade trees block light very effectively in the summer. This can reduce your summer energy bill by as much as 20%. Other projects, like installing new privacy bushes and noise cancelling trees can also increase the value of the house. If you are using professional landscaping to increase the value of your house, ensure that you work with a qualified landscaper.
If you look around your neighborhood right now, you are likely to see poorly looking yards. The weather has not yet been warm enough to complete necessary landscaping tasks. The sun has not been shining enough to cause any green growth. However, it is the perfect time to plan your landscaping design with your local landscaping company. This spring, when you are choosing your landscaping company of choice, be sure that you select a landscaping and design company that is capable of designing, has enough manpower and resources, and one that is knowledgeable of landscaping projects that will increase value.