Landscaping has the capacity to transform a plain lot into a beautiful sanctuary. Spaces big and small can benefit from the hands of a skillful landscape architect. This type of project creates enhanced curb appeal, increased property value, greater homeowner satisfaction, and several other benefits. The trick here is to find a contractor that can meet all expectations while sticking to a reasonable budget. If you are looking for a landscape contractor St Louis will pleasantly surprise you with a good number of choices. Here are a few tips on how to vet them in order to discover the best one:
Learn All that You Can about the Company
Doing preliminary research is a must. This should not be too hard given the wealth of local information online. Just search for contractors in St Louis and see what you come up with. Browse the website of each of them to learn all that you can about these landscaping firms. See how long they have been in business. Experience is a big factor when choosing a contractor. You don’t get to stay in this unforgiving business for years if you aren’t legitimately great at it so longevity is a good sign. Read about the company’s evolution and its aims as a business.
Browse Through Their Portfolio
Check out the gallery if they included one. Landscaping has its technical side but projects will mostly be judged based on aesthetics. Study their portfolio to see the types of landscaping they have done in the past and what came about from it. As a prospective client, you should know the kinds of results you can expect from a contractor. See if their vision of a garden matches your own. Of course, you can always make specific requests but seeing what they have done in the past is a good indicator of what they can do in the future for you. Works that attract you the most have a definite edge.
Pay a Visit to the Office
After seeing what’s out there, you are likely to have picked a few favorites. It’s nice to have at least three in the short list. Call them up and make an appointment. Visit their offices to get to know the people behind the company up-close and personal. Their office is likely to contain more samples of their work both actual and photographic. Check out their gardens or have them point out the addresses of their past clients that you can visit for reference. Ask all of the nagging questions in your head. It’s your chance to clarify things with regard to their rates, their schedules, material sources, service inclusions, and other pertinent subjects.
Go with Your Gut Feel
If you are having trouble deciding between candidates, then simply go with your gut feel. Sometimes it is the intangibles that matter such as rapport and customer service. A company may look superior on paper but fail to provide support during your inquiries. In this case, the more accommodating firm may just have the edge.
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