Your garden is usually the first thing that people notice when they visit your home. Apart from making your home feel and look more appealing from the road, a well done landscape can give your home an edge, especially if you intend to sell it in future. In fact, the way your garden looks can tell a lot about your sense of style and personality. On the other hand, most homeowners are reluctant in giving their gardens a makeover because they think that landscaping is a costly affair. The truth is that you can still afford to hire professional landscapers even when on a budget. Continue reading below to learn how to go about it.
1. Ask for Leads from Family and Friends
The first place to start when you need to hire affordable professionals such as G&G Landscapes is to ask for referrals from people in your inner circles such as friends and relatives. The benefit of relying on these leads is that you will be dealing with professionals whose skills have already been put to the test. You see your family and friends can never direct you to landscapers that did not meet their expectations. The other thing is that you will know what to expect even before hiring them. In fact, they will not slap you with exaggerated rates because they know you were referred by their previous clients.
2. Google Search is your Friend
You can easily find affordable landscapers for your garden project at the touch of a button. All you have to do is make sure your mobile device is connected to the internet before tapping the “search” key. In fact, a single search will generate thousands of options. In such a case, you need not go beyond the first page of search engine results. You should then filter the results to only include companies that are based in your location, which in this case is Tennessee. This is because you want to work with professionals that will be able to inspect the project site as soon as possible. And since they are a stone throw away from your neighborhood, their charges will obviously be within your means than when you opt for those that are based far from cities and suburbs.
3. Check Local Listings
Landscapers usually market themselves just like other service providers. They actually promote themselves in local newspapers and online classifieds every day. You therefore don’t have to do a lot of legwork when in need of a landscaping expert. All you have to do is grab a copy of the local daily newspaper and you will find them listed in the classifieds section. The good thing is that the adverts include their contact details so you can call them for more details. By the rule of thumb, you should narrow down to those that don’t have the capacity to handle commercial landscaping projects as they will charge you less money than those that deal with corporate clients.
4. Consult Building Contractors
I bet you didn’t know that landscapers work in the construction industry. There are actually many professionals that work in this industry including plumbers, electricians and welders among others. Since building contractors are usually available everywhere, they can be able to refer you to reliable landscapes at the blink of an eye. Keep in mind that these contractors know the industry like the back of their hands. But despite that, just make sure you work with professionals that meet industry standards. For a start, they should have academic credentials and must be registered by the local association of landscapers. At the end of the day, you want to pick a professional that is able to guarantee their work. Such landscapers usually have been operating their business for more than a decade. But you can also opt for a newbie as long as you are satisfied by their portfolio of recent projects. The advantage of working with a newly established company is that they offer the most affordable rates as they are still building their clients’ base.
5. Check Online Reviews
The internet has made it easier for homeowners to scrutinize the performance of landscapers. Before you hire any gardening expert, you should first do your homework by checking how their quality of work is rated by other homeowners. By checking online reviews, you will be able to tell whether they offer a quick turnaround time and whether they have hidden charges. And for the sake of protecting your interests, you should make sure there is a binding agreement before they start working on your landscaping project.