Houses reflect their owners, so to the outside world a home’s landscaping can reveal a lot about who lives inside it.
With thousands of dollars potentially involved, you’ll want to do a first-time job right, or make sure a makeover doesn’t reduce the value of your home. Here’s how to choose a landscaper.
First, don’t rely solely on the Yellow Pages.
“There’s a lot of people with a wheelbarrow and a truck who say they’re landscapers,” says Ginny Wawak, co-owner of Prestige Nursery Garden Center in Bartlett. “But if I needed this service, I’d look for someone with longevity, someone you can talk to and feel comfortable with.”
“I realize there are dozens of choices out there, but I’d interview the landscaper and ask about his credentials,” said Kevin Wobrock, who owns Wobrock’s Design and Landscape Inc. in Wheaton.
Landscapers can be licensed in Illinois, but it is not mandatory. Bill Brown, owner of the Bartlett Nursery, says the licensing program began two years ago and shows that the landscaper is at least connected to other professionals in his field.
Wobrock and Brown both agree that in spite of college degrees offered in landscape design and horticulture, there are still many that lack the necessary experience and overall knowledge of plants.
“I’d question any landscaper’s knowledge and see what he knows about root systems, branching structure and a plant’s being suitable for a particular location and climate,” Wobrock said. “You’re looking at a growing and changing palette, and you’re going to want to know what it’s going to look like in 5 to 10 years.”
The next step is to have a landscape architect draw up plans for your property, or at least schedule an on-site visit with your landscaper who should help you decide what to plant and where.
Wawak says you can purchase a landscape plan for around $100 and either take it with you to shop for bids or receive that amount in credit if you have the same landscaper that employs the designer do the work.
“We tell people it’s the cheapest insurance policy they can buy,” she says, “because it means that the design and plants to be used will work, if they’re planted properly and maintained.”
Wobrock says a full landscape plan that includes everything from walkways and patios to shrubbery and trees costs about $400 and says it’s a waste of time and money to undertake any project without one.
“Sometimes people can’t afford to do the entire property, and the piecemeal approach isn’t bad,” he says. “But it’s important to remember most services can’t send a truck and crew out unless there is about a $1,000 job to do.”
In the past, industry guidelines suggested spending about 10 percent of the value of your home on landscaping.
“I always felt those figures were a little high, but I’d estimate for most people it’s around 5 to 7 percent,” Wobrock said.
With homes averaging $200,000 in many suburbs, Wobrock’s $10,000 estimate doesn’t seem farfetched.
“I suppose we average about $2,000 to $3,000 for a quarter-acre job,” Wawak said.
“We probably average about $3,000 for each job,” says Ed Joyce, manager of Advanced Garden Center and Landscaping in Chicago. “But here in the city, you’re looking at yards that are only 25- to 30-feet wide. I think homeowners here use a lot more creativity and personalize their design elements.”
All landscapers agree there are few things you can add to your home that offer a better return. You won’t recover 100 percent of your investment, but your home’s value may increase as much as 15 percent if a buyer values your landscaping.
Real estate agents have long known that for existing homes landscaping can be an inducement to buy one house over another, and for new construction it’s a way of making a house look integrated and finished.
Landscapers may have pictures of previous jobs to give you some ideas.
“It’s good if there’s a portfolio for you to see,” Joyce says, “but I honestly feel the best thing your designer can do is just listen. Most of our jobs here in the city don’t involve extensive drawings from an architect. It’s just a matter of establishing a rapport with the customer and sketching out the owner’s and landscaper’s common ideas.”
Brown says to visit neighborhood areas and jot down addresses for your landscaper to visit later. He also recommends using the same architect and nursery to better coordinate the project.
“One of the problems with using a landscape architect working separately (from the nursery) is the possibility of his drawing up what he likes, not what you like, and the uncertainty about whether those choices will grow in your area,” Brown said.
Prices for landscaping should include everything from design and delivery to planting and removal of excess material. Wobrock says you can save about 20 percent if you plan to plant yourself, but questions whether it’s worth it.
“Most places will give you a 50 percent guarantee for one year on any thing you plant yourself, whereas it’s 100 percent if the landscaper does it all,” he said.
Here are some other factors to consider when you work with a landscaper and plan your design:
– Be sure all the work to be done is spelled out in a contract. Wawak says it should state exactly what you’re getting, including the plant size, if possible, and how long plants will be guaranteed.
– A two-year guarantee is available through some landscapers, but Wobrock warns it’s a waste of money. “You probably pay more for the plants in order to `pay’ for the coverage, plus once a plant makes it one year, it’s made it,” he says.
– Doubling a plant’s size doesn’t mean doubling the price, so if you’d rather have a 24-inch plant than a 12-inch, it won’t cost you twice the money.
– If you can’t afford to do the whole job, experts say to start by putting in the trees and working around them when you can afford to do more.
– Plan to have your installation done at the proper time. Wawak says the fall is a great time to talk to your landscape architect and prepare a plan for spring. If you wait until peak season, you may find yourself on a four- to six-week waiting list. And your installation date could fall during summer vacation when there’s no one to take care of the new plants.
– Every landscaper should be insured so you’re not liable for any injuries from equipment that could occur on your property.
