In my previous blog, “Dealing With A Crooked Landscaper Part 1,” I told of an unfortunate situation my grandmother had with a “not-so-nice” landscaper and provided tips to consider when dealing with a landscaper or gardener. Please know I am not insinuating that all landscapers and gardeners are looking to rip you off. I am merely suggesting that you do research on a potential landscape company or individual gardener prior to signing on the dotted line.
The following are more ways you can protect your yard, home, and wallet from being taken by a crooked landscaper:
Read The Fine Print. Before you sign on the dotted line or hand over any money look over your service contract and take special note of any fine print. You might be shocked at what is written in ant-size lettering. This is often where you will find clauses that can raise an annual bill by 25%. For example, you may be charged extra for debris disposable and not even know it. My grandmother figured that getting rid of bush trimmings was all in a gardener’s day’s work—she was wrong.
Make Sure They Finish What They Start. It’s not unusual for a landscaper to ask for a part of his/her fee up front and the balance when the job is complete. However, you want to make sure that the person you hire doesn’t take the upfront fee and run. There’s a woman I know who paid a landscaper $1,000 up front, and promised him $1,000 at the job’s completion. After she paid him the initial grand she didn’t see him for a week and when he did show up he did very little work. Instead, he told her it was too cold to work or that it was raining and the ground was too wet to dig. She couldn’t file suit against him because it was virtually impossible to prove fraud because he started a job seeming like he intended to finish. (If money was given and no work was done that’s theft and you have a better case.) The best way to protect yourself is to get job parameters in writing and set up a clear payment plan.
A Little Research Goes A Long Way. Many homeowners are reluctant to do research on the plants and flowers that a landscaper chooses to decorate their yard with (after all, you are paying for “expert” advice, why should you have to spend time studying up on horticulture). Here’s why: to enhance the value of your home you need the right landscaping. This means you don’t want a hedge of good-looking-yet-poisonous Oleander bushes framing your home. In addition, while a landscaper may want to talk you into adding a “quaint touch of climbing ivy” to your walls, a little research will reveal that climbing ivy attracts roaches and termites and may not be the best bet.
Lock Your Doors. I’ve heard of landscapers who have taken more than just branch trimmings away from a job. There is a well-known landscaping horror story that has been circulating around my neighborhood for years. A neighbor left a group of landscapers at her home alone while she ran errands, when she returned she discovered they went down to her basement to raid her refrigerator and watch TV. Avoid this from happening to you by checking references and inquiring about a company’s track record. Also be wary of so-called “pickup truck landscapers” who drive around with magnetic signs affixed to their trucks rather than using permanent painted-on logos.