How to hire a landscaper

Landscaping bids are the hardest to compare, because the work is easy to describe loosely and easy to cut corners on. A low bid often just means less plant, less prep, or no warranty. We do landscape work. Here is how we would want you to vet any crew, ourselves included.

Pin down the scope

A real proposal lists the plants by type and size, the square footage of hardscape and the material, the irrigation zones, the grading and drainage work, the lighting, and the cleanup and haul-off. Vague scope is where bids drift apart and where you get nickel-and-dimed later. If a bid says new landscaping with one number, ask them to itemize before you compare anything. The crew that will not break it down is often the crew planning to deliver less than you think you bought.

Get the plant warranty in writing

Plants die, especially in a Central Valley summer, and a good landscaper stands behind what they install. A common term is a season or a year on plant material, sometimes longer on trees, usually conditioned on running the irrigation they set up. A crew that offers no warranty is telling you they are not confident the planting will live, or they do not plan to be around when it does not. Whatever they promise, get it on paper. A verbal warranty disappears the day a tree dies.

Confirm the license for the work involved

In California, a landscape contractor holds a C-27 license. If the job includes retaining walls over a certain height, electrical for lighting, or significant grading, confirm they are licensed for that work or bringing in someone who is. Check the number on the state board site, confirm insurance and workers comp. A licensed, insured crew costs a little more for a reason, and the reason shows up the day something goes wrong.

Fair payment terms

California's down payment rules apply here too: a modest deposit, then milestones at prep and grading, hardscape, planting, and final walkthrough. You should be paying for work in the ground, not floating the contractor's cash flow. A landscaper who needs most of the money before the plants arrive is running thin, and a thin contractor may not finish.

Ask about the first year

A landscape install is not finished the day the last plant goes in. The first year is when a yard takes hold or struggles. A good landscaper tells you what the plants need while they establish and offers a follow-up to check the irrigation after the first hot stretch, because a controller set in spring is rarely right by July. The crew that hands you a planted yard with a clear care plan wants the job to look good in a year, not just on install day.

Signs of a crew that finishes

• An itemized proposal with plants, materials, and labor broken out.
• A written plant warranty with clear terms.
• A realistic timeline that accounts for plant availability and weather.
• Recent local jobs you can go look at.
• A clear care plan for the first year.
• A straight answer on who handles irrigation and drainage, where shortcuts hide.