Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Landscaper in Tampa Bay

Creating a beautiful landscape that thrives year-round in Florida requires a special touch. For more residential and commercial properties in Florida, that means working with a top-tier local landscaper who has intimate knowledge of the Sunshine State’s unique climate, challenges, and characteristics.

From crafting a luscious lawn to maximizing curb appeal, choosing a landscaping company in Tampa Bay can make or break your property’s health, functionality, and allure. That’s why knowing what questions to ask a landscaper before hiring them is so important.

Questions to Ask a Landscaping Company Before You Hire Them

Choosing a landscaper to tend to your Tampa Bay property is essential. So, before diving into the questions to ask a landscaper, let’s take a look at what makes this decision one of the most impactful you can make for your home, business, HOA, or otherwise.

• Landscape design and maintenance determine the appearance, functionality, and longevity of your landscaping.
• Landscaping is an investment, and caring for that investment helps protect it and increase your return.
• Landscape maintenance directly affects safety–an important consideration for commercial and residential properties alike.
• Landscaping is time-consuming, making it difficult to care for thoroughly on your own.
• Working with a professional landscaping company establishes a (hopefully) long-term relationship. You need to be able to count on and trust them.

How long have you been landscaping in Tampa Bay?

Some questions to ask before hiring a landscaper can be immediate dealbreakers, and while this is probably not one of them for you, it can tell you a lot about a particular professional.

Asking how long a company has been in business–and servicing Tampa Bay specifically–can give you valuable insight into their experience and longevity. If a landscaper has decades of experience servicing the Tampa Bay area, it’s safe to assume that their business model is solid and they are reliable enough to maintain an acceptable reputation (at a minimum).

This doesn’t mean that younger companies should be dismissed. In fact, some newer landscapers are ambitious, technologically savvy, and eager to build a client base happy with their exceptional services and competitive prices.

In other words, asking how long a landscaping company has been servicing Tampa Bay can provide important insight, and the answer should bear a certain weight in your decision-making process.

What landscaping services do you offer?

No two landscapes are the same, even if they are both in the Tampa Bay area. Your HOA landscape may require entirely different care than a residential property nearby, and vice versa. With this in mind, one of the most potent questions to ask a landscaper is what services they offer.

If their service offerings don’t suit your needs, you can quickly reduce your list of potential companies to hire. For example, the “mow, blow, and go” business model is very common in the landscaping industry, but it is too limited for some properties to truly thrive. It’s efficient, but it’s not nuanced or personalized.

Opting for a professional landscaper in Tampa Bay that has a broad service offering that can adapt to your preferences and your property’s needs is essential. Not only does this ensure your landscape will flourish, but it also means that you don’t have to work with multiple landscapers to achieve the results you want.

If you want to go a step further in your screening process, don’t be afraid of these more detailed questions to ask before hiring a landscaper. Confirming they offer a minimum of the following services can save you from a lot of future headaches.

• Basic maintenance is a must. Look for services like mowing, blowing, and edging.
• Weed and pest control (including in flower beds) to keep your plants healthy.
• Shrub and tree pruning and trimming.
• Irrigation system maintenance and repairs (bonus points for smart irrigation installation).
• Lawn and ornamental plant fertilization.
• Quality audits to maintain a standard of excellence and pinpoint potential problems in advance.

Do they have a good reputation?

While this may not be among the questions to ask a landscaper before hiring them, questioning and examining their reputation is a worthwhile endeavor that can provide valuable insight into whether they are a good fit for your needs or not.

In our modern world, you can learn a lot about a landscaping company’s reputation by searching online and reading reviews from multiple sources. You can also ask for references and consult with previous clients who have first-hand experience working with a particular company.

If you conduct your own research and still have questions regarding their reputation or desire clarification about certain information you found, you can reach out to the company directly to request explanations and evaluate the interaction yourself.

What is their company culture?

Choosing a professional landscaper in the Tampa Bay area is a decision that hinges on more than numbers and data. You are investing in more than a temporary solution to a landscaping problem; you are choosing a professional partner to ideally work with for years to come. As such, it’s important to think long-term and relationally when selecting a landscaper.

Among the questions to ask before hiring a landscaper should be what makes up their company culture. In other words, it is important to know the goals, values, and guiding principles that dictate the structure of the company, the employee relationships, the way they treat clients, and more.

If a company has a clear answer, and its culture reflects the priorities you have when selecting a professional partner, you can feel confident that you’re making a wise decision for the immediate and long-term success of your property and relationship.

Are they licensed and certified?

The majority of landscaping tasks can be performed without a specific license or certification, so this particular prerequisite is optional. However, if you want the peace of mind of knowing that your landscaper is qualified and has put in the time, effort, and work to achieve excellence, inquiring about certifications should be among the questions to ask a landscaping company.

Going above and beyond what is required in order to secure proper licensing and certification is a testament to a company’s commitment to its craft. It also ensures that they understand the nuances of their work, the products they use, and the services they provide. From pest control to tree trimming, this professional training can be invaluable in practical applications.

If professionalism is a top priority to you, asking about a landscaper's licenses and certifications is well worth it!

If you're looking for a landscaping team in the Tampa Bay area that checks all these boxes and can make your landscape dreams come true, reach out to Landcrafters for a consultation!