How Much of a Mess Will My Landscaper Make?
What to expect from your Outdoor Living Installer during the first few days.
You have planned out the dream for your four-season landscaping, and everyone is on board. It’s an exciting time getting ready to break ground on your new backyard patio design, natural flagstone walkway, or simple landscape land design. Whether you are near Sparta, Blairstown, Branchville, Green, or Hampton, NJ, or are reading this from a far off land outside of Sussex County, NJ one thing holds true for every location. You might want to sit down though because it’s possible you are not ready to hear this.
Your landscape project is going to make a mess!
Ok, maybe it’s not that dramatic. With the right knowledge and know-how a great Landscape Design-Build Company can get in and out without catastrophic results and will leave your property in much better shape than when they arrived. Here are some things to ask and look for when selecting a Backyard Expert.
- What will happen to my lawn?
- What will you do to protect my driveway?
- Will there be large trucks on my property?
- Who will handle locating the utilities?
- What about my neighbors?
- What will be done to protect the lake?
- Does this need any permits?
- What if there is damage, and how will you take care to avoid it?
- What will be done to keep the area safe for my family?
- Will any trees need to be removed?
- How much of a mess is this going to make?
- What are we going to do about the dogs?
An established company experienced in these projects should be ready and able to address these questions. Even better they will present these answers to you without you even having to ask. In over 20 years in the industry we certainly have seen our share of doozies. Here is what you should expect to see when hiring a reputable landscape installer for your Outdoor Living Project.
Defined Scope of Work
- Your installer should provide you with a detailed scope of work prior to moving forward. This should outline key items and roles such as who will be responsible for material disposal and tree removal. Do not forget to make sure it is clear as to who and how the disturbed area will be returned to pre-existing or better condition.
Pre-Job Walkthrough
- Before things get crazy and the excavators break ground there should be a thorough pre-job walkthrough. This could be the last chance to make sure you are on the same page before it is too late. A great pre job walkthrough will include walking the site with all involved parties, ensuring the utilities are marked, noted, and accounted for, the plan is laid out on the ground with marking paint or similar, and the size, shape, elevation, and location of features is confirmed and approved. This might even involve letting the neighbors know of the upcoming project to make sure no one is inconvenienced.
Jobsite Protection
- As noted before there are steps that can be taken to ensure the project goes off smoothly with minimal problems. Security fences, erosion control mats and screens, ground protection mats, access road and cleaning stations are some of the great tools a contractor can use to make sure that not only the project goes on efficiently, but also minimizes liability for the involved parties and creates the least disturbance to the surrounding area during the duration of the project.
Game Time
- There is no easy way to talk about this. It is going to get messy. How messy will depend on the steps taken above, the contractor’s knowledge of project planning, and in some cases site and environmental conditions. The trailer gates have dropped, the equipment is idling at the curb, and it’s time to get real. Rest assured this has been done many times before and in a short period of time life will return to the new normal and you will be enjoying your new features in a clean, safe, and relaxing manner.
Oh Boy!
- Everything looks good. The ground has been painted, the jobsite protected and the crews have arrived. You are confident you made the right decision and you head off to work for a few hours. You return home and some things have changed. It looks like a natural disaster has happened, and the center is where your backyard used to be. Piles of dirt, uprooted tree stumps, piping, irrigation, random piles of materials and you are immediately questioning your decision. Anxiety starts to set in and you reach out to the project manager to check in. “Is everything going OK?” you say. “Oh yeah, we are moving along”, you hear in response. You are not sure whether to be glad or cry. Keep Reading…
See the Light
- It seems like a lot but within a few short days things will start to drastically improve, I promise. The debris gets sorted and sent to the appropriate locations. The soils have been stored and consolidated for reuse. The miscellaneous utilities have been sorted out, relocated, and planned out. The drainage has been installed. Gravels and new materials start to arrive as the foundations of the design start to take place. Many are surprised in the amount of work that goes into these above phases. I’m sure you have heard the expression a house is only as good as its’ foundation.
- Everything that has taken place up till this point will be what determines the success or failure of your project through the duration of construction and for many years to come. How well the above is implemented may not be realized for several years after the dust settles so be sure to check into existing projects your contractor has done which have had time to weather.
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I know this might seem like a lot. By no means is this meant to scare you. Instead I hope it secures your gut feeling of the importance of selecting the right contractor for your project. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek clarity. A great contractor will want to ensure you are completely comfortable before moving forward. Taking these steps now will ensure a much more pleasurable experience for all down the road and ultimately a better result overall.
Read More: 5 Things Your Contractor Wants You To Know
If you have any questions regarding what is involved or what you should expect to see in your hired contractor feel free to reach out. Thanks for taking the time to read this article!