By: Frank Oddo II
Arriscape Inc.,

Avoid common pitfalls in your landscape design project by working with a licensed landscape general contractor; Saves money and frustration in the long run.

We have all heard horror stories about working with contractors. Just do a search on Google and you'll literally get 100,000 returns. So much negative publicity can cause homeowners to dread or even put off embarking on such projects. Whether you need a complete landscape installation or a redesign, how can you avoid the common pitfalls found in the horror stories of others?

In looking for a common thread between the horror stories, there is a common denominator that pops out. Many of these individuals decided to act as their own general contractor to oversee the landscape design and construction. Though well intentioned, taking on this mammoth task has many drawbacks. Unless you are able to work full time overseeing multiple contractors, understand the intricacies of where the role of one contractor ends and another begins, and have an in-depth knowledge of contract law, you are entering into a world of gray areas and entanglements that have led many homeowners before you down a frustrating road to increased project costs and unnecessary stress.

The world of gray areas is filled with multiple contracts and contractor double talk aimed to protect each contractor without big picture oversight ensuring that each piece of the project, including irrigation, lighting, walls, patios, water features, and/or foliage installation fits together seamlessly. The horror stories reveal cases where the architect draws grandiose plans without a concept of what will actually fit within the pre-determined budget; the pool contractor doesn't hook up the electrical and main water supply and drainage because that's considered the electrician's job and landscaper's job, respectively; or the cost for trash removal isn't included in the original estimates but rather a side note in the small print of the contract that results in significant additional charges that blows your budget. Working with multiple, specialized contractors often leads to an “it's not my job” mentality that can be frustrating and costly for you to manage.

To control overall project costs and minimize stress while maximizing your landscape project's return on investment (ROI) make sure you work with a licensed general contractor company well-versed in all aspects of the landscape design and construction process, from initial renderings to the final build. Finding such a contractor may seem like a lofty task as nowadays anyone with a truck and a shovel can call themselves a landscaper. Your first question to any potential landscaper should be “what is your license number” and secondly, “specifically, what tasks are you able to manage for my project (initial drawings and renderings, detailed materials list, number of hours available for project management, what happens if there's a dispute with a subcontractor etc…)?”

Working with a licensed landscape company that can create professional designs (scaled plot plans, 3-D renderings) and convert them it to reality with acute focus to your budget will alleviate much of the unnecessary stress and cost of dealing with individual sub-contractors. Some additional legwork up front to find the right contractor will lead to a much smoother process from design through build and ultimately, the perfect landscape for your needs without a horror story to tell.