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Landscape contractor interview questions...
What do You Need to Ask Your Landscape Contractor during that all important First Meeting?
Below is A List of Questions to Ask Your Landscape Contractor during your First Meeting (For your records a place is provided to keep track of your brief responses)
The First Step... Ask these questions Only After You Have
Walked Through Your Garden with the Landscape Contractor and discussed
the scope of work to be done (Based on Your approve Garden design Plans).
If The Landscape Contractor does not seem attentive... If you aren't
impressed by their responses to Your approved Garden Design Plans or
don't feel comfortable with the Landscape Contractor at that point,
Thank them for their time and tell them you'll let them know if you
decide to hire them
The Next Step... Sit Down, Share a Beverage, Relax,
and allow the landscape contractor to show you some samples of their
completed work. It may be in the form of: A photo portfolio; A
PowerPoint or Video computer presentation; Or various other visual aids
of the landscape contractors choosing
What you are looking for here... The Landscape Contractors
Presentation of their work presented in a professional organized
manner - An indication of how organized they will be?; How well do they
deliver and explain the presentation... Is it easy for you to follow -
Is it confusing to you - An indication of their communicative skills?;
Do You have a positive response to the work they are presenting to you -
Does it excite you?; How do you feel they will be to work with... Do You Feel Comfortable with them - Do They Seem comfortable with you?
Again, if you aren't impressed by their presentation or don't feel comfortable with the Landscape Contractor at that point; thank them for their time and tell them you'll let them know if you decide to hire them. (This way You Don't Waste Your Time or Theirs when there is No chance You are going to work with them)
Don't worry if you can't answer all of the questions... This is merely a short guide (Eight Questions Total) to Familiarize You with The Landscape Contractor's education, background, and professional experience. To get you thinking: How experienced are they?; Can You work with them?; Do You feel confident that they can Design The Garden of Your Dreams to Your Satisfaction?
Keep the First Meeting Lite and Friendly... Have Fun asking
these questions! This should be A Pleasurable Experience for
You and the Landscape Contractor you are interviewing. You'll have plenty of time to
review and analyze their responses later after the first meeting has
ended
Please Note: I suggest you
review these questions thoroughly prior to your first meeting so that you are familiar with them... That way you can concentrate more on the Landscape Contractor's Responses than focusing on these questions. It might help to
think about which responses would be more favorable to you... What
responses would make selecting this landscape contractor as your final choice easier
for you - And which responses would have a negative impact on selecting
this particular landscape contractor ? [This
BRAIN TEASER will be of great help when it comes to narrowing down your
selection to Your Three Favorite Landscape Contractors, and in
making your final choice]
Ready... Let's get started!
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How long have you been a Landscape Contractor ? (The more experienced they are the easier your gardens design installation experience will be) |
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What's your Landscape Construction background ? (Where they learned their craft: Trade School; On-the-job Training; or Apprenticed under another Landscape Contractor...
The better trained they are the more experienced they will be at
installing your garden according to the approved design plans) |
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Have you Done Any Projects in our area ? (This is important if
you live in an area governed by local restrictions. The Landscape
Contractors past experiences in working with your Home Owners
Association or local governing agencies can limit the amount of time the
approved permit process will take). Follow-up question... Can You Give Us A list of a few projects we can drive by; Or can you arrange for us to visit the sites with you ? (This is a good follow-up if you like them but their portfolio isn't quite up to your expectations) |
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What installation services do You provide ? [Most Landscape
Contractors will install: all hardscape elements (paving, walls, water
features, cook-centers, outdoor fireplaces, etc.); Carpentry (garden
structures, fences, decks, etc.); Automatic Irrigation systems; All
plantings; And garden lighting] SPECIAL NOTE... If you are installing a pool you will need to solicit the services of a Pool Contractor (You can still use the "Being Prepared" and this "Interview Questions" forms to find/interview and select a Pool Contractor). Follow-up questions:
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Once you start Our garden Installation How Long do You think the
installation will take... Based on your approved garden design plans ? (Most garden design installations will take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to install
depending on the complexity of the garden design plans) Follow-up questions: Once you start Our garden
Installation will your workmen be on the job full time or do you juggle
your crews/subs between several jobs at once... More plainly put, how
many jobs are you capable of handling at once ? (This is
important if you have a special event planned and are looking for a
Landscape Contractor who can complete your garden design within a specific time frame) Are you willing to include a specific completion date and a daily monetary penalty clause in your contract for each day the installation goes beyond that date ? [If your contractor agrees they may also expcect a bonus, in the same dollar amount as the penalty, for each day they finish ahead of the scheduled completion date... WARNING: Most Landscape Contractors will be opposed to including this clause, due to the unforeseen conditions and the nature of the landscape installation business (Usually such a clause is subject to: material delivery delays; weather condition/acts of God; or any other unforeseen conditions). Also be aware that if a single change order (Requiring additional time to complete) is signed by You to make changes to the original approved garden design plans... This may nullify any agreed to specific completion date covered by the penalty clause] |
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How do You Charge For Your Services ? (Various fee structure
options are: 1 - A fixed fee for garden Installation Services... Or 2 - A
Percentage Fee based on the total final construction cost of Your Garden
Installation - 15 to 20%) SPECIAL NOTE: Both of these fees will vary via Change Order if You make changes to the original approved design plans You should let the Landscape Contractor know Which Fee structure
You Prefer at this point... Most Contractors will present their proposal
/contract fee structure in the way You feel most comfortable with. The Contractor will provide a Payment Schedule which will include a deposit upon signing (In the State of California the maximum amount a contractor can ask for on signing is $1000). The
balance of the contract will be broken down into payments due, based on
the amount of work completed as the garden Installation progresses (Be
sure to review this thoroughly and make sure you are comfortable with
the amounts and payments due schedule. Payments due can come quickly
and unexpectedly and you want to make sure you can meet the agreed to
payment obligations on time to keep your gardens design installation moving along on schedule) Additional Note: Click Here
to find out if Your sate requires Landscape Contractors to be Licensed,
and what the maximum contract $$$ deposit allowed at signing is Also make sure that Labor and materials lien releases are signed
and included with each payment invoice presented as per the original
payment schedule (At the very minimum they should issue a final
materials/labor lien release before you make the final payment on your
garden installation. Be aware that in most states, even if you pay the
Landscape Contractor in full, their materials
suppliers/laborers/sub-contractors can still come after You for any
monies still owed them by the Landscape Contractor) Follow-up question: Are you Licensed and Bonded to
practice as a Landscape Contractor in this state... If so, what is your
Landscape Contractors License Number ? (This question only applies if Your state requires Landscape Contractors to be Licensed). After the interview meeting and before you even consider hiring the Landscape Contractor Click Here to find out if Your State requires Licensing. If so follow the instructions to check the Contractor's License Number Status and to see if they are bonded and insured... And if there are any complaints or pending disciplinary actions against them |
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Are there any other additional charges we should be aware of ? (There may be an additional charge for the actual approval/permit fees; Change Orders as a result of changes You make to the original approved design plans will incur extra expense; You will be charged reimbursable expense fees + an agreed to percentage fee for items purchased by the Landscape Contractor which you where required to provide but have asked them to supply instead; You may also be charged reimbursable expense fees for additional approved garden design plan sets required by any local governing agency or additional sets required by crews/subs during your gardens design installation... Unless the plan sets are already being provided by your landscape designer) |
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Does Your Proposal/Contract Include a Cancellation Clause ? [You should require they include a clause stating, "Should it become necessary for the Client and/or Landscape Contractor to cancel this contract for any reason, the Client agrees to compensate the Landscape Contractor for all satisfactory garden design installation work completed as per the approved garden design plans up to the date of written cancellation (not to exceed the total agreed to contract fee)"... This allows You or The Landscape Contractor the option to cancel at any stage of the garden design installation process (For example, if You and the Landscape Contractor reach an impasse on installation issues that can't be resolve through arbitration by your landscape designer or your States Contractors Licensing Board - That might be a good time to look for another Landscape Contractor] |
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Once You Have Completed The Landscape Contractor Interview you have two options:
1 - You can tell the Landscape Contractor You would like to take some time to decide... Or
2 - You can tell the Contractor you would like them to submit a Proposal/Contract for review... (If you feel they are going to be one of Your Three Favorite Landscape Contractors to choose from)
Call TODAY to setup Your
FREE Design Services Consultation...
626.794.6628