What Do You Pay A Landscaper and When?

On almost all my projects, I ask for 50% of the overall price first, 25% at the halfway mark, and the remaining 25% on a satisfactory completion.  Many projects, however, are not that long or large and the 50% up front stays that way until the end.  This would be anything taking less than, say two weeks. Some projects are heavily front-loaded with materials prices.  And, in truth, landscaping itself is just that: heavily front-loaded in the contractor’s costs. 

    Take your typical $15,000 project consisting of a waterfall, a sod lawn with concrete edging, plants, boulders and a small creek bed to act as a draingae aid.  The costs amount to a bit less than 40% of the project, yet almost everything comes early.  $800 for a truckload of boulders, $600 irrigation supplies, up to $1,500 for parts for the water feature, $600 for any machine rentals, perhaps $2,000 for plants, $600 for sod, the cement edging $400.  As you can see, it mounts up, especially when labor is factored in.  Landscaping requires the single most materials-driven advances of any trade I know of. 

    Larger and more complex problems present another scale and formula.  On projects which will last more than a month, anything, say, from $60,000 and up, I will still ask for the 50% up front.  I may also ask for something prorated later, say, 3 payments of $10,000.  Other projects even larger and usually commercial are not as tidy.  One usually goes on an estimate of percentage of progress.

Something delicate A Small Perennial garden

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    This small item was actually designed by someone else.  She was looking for the effect we achieved, a circular path and garden, into which we planted some perennials, including quite a few herbs.  Inasmuch as it is just outside the kitchen, the homeowners were delighted with the fresh herbs, directly from the outside garden. They used them alot in their cooking.  The smells were pungent and pleasant, wafting up into their house in Summer.  It was a cute project.

Pre-Emergent Herbicides: Taking Care of Weeds Before They Grow

Pre-emergent herbicides represent a huge step towards weed control.  Quick and easily-applied, pre-emergents act on seeds and seedlings.  They basicly contain enough noxious chemicals to kill the fledgling weeds and plants without hurting exisiting ones. Pre-emergent herbicides are becoming hugely popular and have been developed more and more user and plant friendly.  The original pre-emergents were fairly loaded and somewhat toxic to existing plants. However, more research in this field has resulted in pleasing results to the end of chemical weed control.  Inasmuch as most are also hosed into the ground, thereby forming a gasous vapor for such small plantlings, pre-emergents disappear into the ground are are non toxic to animals. 

    I use them at the completion of almost every project.  After completing these fairly impeccable scenes, the last thing one needs is an invasion of noxious weeds and plants.   We spray at the completion, then offer the service in ensuing years as well.  Most herbicides are good for 6 months, preventing any weed growth in places not desired.  I usually spray in Spring and midsummer. Preen, Surflan, Ronstar are among the names many are familiar with.  New products are always coming online as well. 

Back To The Future: Pavers Pt 2

Here is another perfect example of newer products and designs. As manufacturers and designers put their heads together, they yield astounding results. As gorgeous as these are, one is also reminded of the incredible mosaics produced from ancient times, which very nearly match these in beauty and simple eye-catching effects. The public park designed by Antonio Gaudi, in Barcelona, Spain, deserves a “Google” by one and all, for the effects which inspired artists like Salvador Dali, among many others.