Marin – Landscape Maintenance

Once you have determined your basic landscaping maintenance strategy, it is time to begin calling Marin County landscaping maintenance companies in the cities and towns of Novato, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, Sausalito, Ross and Belevedere, Almonte, Black Point, Ignacio, San Quentin and Terra Linda. You'll want to be prepared to question each company using the same criteria so that you can evaluate their responses and make the most informed decision of who to hire as possible.

Use the questions below to create a personalized interview before you call Marin County landscape maintenance companies. It is a good idea to have the list in front of you while you are on the phone so that you can record their answers for later comparison and evaluation.

1. Has your company earned and maintained a Diamond Certified rating?
2. How long has your company been in business?
3. Do you hold the right city and county licenses for the type of landscaping maintenance that you focus on?
4. Do you belong to any professional organizations or hold any professional affiliations?
5. Are you and your employees properly insured?
6. Is your company bonded?
7. Can you provide me with several references for outdoor spaces that you are currently maintaining?
8. Do you have a certified arborist and landscape irrigation auditor either on staff or call?
9. Are you aware of the local water ordinances and what is your plan for following them?
10. Have you had the opportunity to work in a variety of landscape settings? If yes, what are they?
11. Are you in good standing with the Better Business Bureau?
12. What is your bidding process? Do you charge for estimates?
13. Is it your policy to work within a contract? What is your time-frame for contract renewal?
14. Do you specialize in any particular area of landscape maintenance? If yes, what is that area of specialization?

It is hard to have complete confidence in your choice of a Marin County landscaping maintenance company without checking the references of past clients. But do you have time to do all that research? Do you trust that the references you've been given are reliable? In both cases, probably not.

Which is why it's wise to choose a Diamond Certified landscaping maintenance company-because all certified companies have passed an in-depth ratings process that most other companies can't pass. If you want quality from a landscape maintenance company in Marin County, you can have confidence choosing a Diamond Certified company. Diamond Certified reports are available online for all certified companies. And you'll never be fooled by fake reviews. That's because all research is performed in live telephone interviews of actual customers.

If you can't find a Diamond Certified landscaping maintenance company in your area (most likely if you are in the smaller towns of Bolinas, Dogtown, Marshall, San Geronimo and Woodacre), you'll have to do some research on your own. If you do, it's wise to call some references provided by your landscaper. Keep in mind, though, that references provided to you by the landscaping maintenance company are not equal in value to the large random sample of customers surveyed during the Diamond Certified ratings process. That's because references given to customers from companies are cherry-picked instead of randomly selected from all their customers. So the contractors will likely give you a few customers to call that they know are satisfied.

If you do call references on your own, specifically ask for a list of the company's 10 most recent customers. This will help stop them from giving you the names of only customers they know were satisfied.

1. Is your outdoor space currently being maintained by this company? If no, why not?
2. Did this company provide open and timely communication throughout your maintenance plan?
3. Did this company make sure to leave your outdoor space safe for your family and pets during and after landscaping service?
4. Were grass clippings, leaves and other debris collected as scheduled?
5. Have you received any specialized services from this company? If yes, what were they and were you happy with the outcome?
6. Were there any charges added that startled you? Were you happy with the estimate to actual cost difference?
7. Did this company keep current with all local water ordinances?
8. Does this company understand irrigation systems (if you have one) and were they willing to educate you on how to keep your yard properly watered between their service calls?
9. Are you happy with response time to calls about specific and timely landscaping maintenance issues and requests?
10. Are you satisfied with their service? Would you/have you recommended this contractor?
11. Would you hire this landscaping maintenance company again?

You may think that you've narrowed your selections down enough to make an informed decision during the interviewing process, but the truth is, you can't completely narrow your decision to one landscaping maintenance company until you've had a least three bid on your landscaping maintenance specifications. Think of the interview process as round one and the bidding process as the final round in hiring a responsible and effective Marin County landscaping maintenance professional.

Once you've established a detailed landscaping maintenance plan, it is time to begin the bidding process. Utilizing the answers to the questions above from each company, determine at least three that you would like to work with further. Remember, professionals recommend that you have your bids for the following year of service to landscaping maintenance companies no later than October 31 of the previous year. Landscaping maintenance business picks up in early spring, and you'll want to make sure you've secured a good landscaping maintenance professional well in advance. Once you have decided on three to five companies to send your bids to, send them identical specifications and an expected date of return for their bids.

During the bidding process, keep the following thoughts in mind:

• Did one company provide suggestions based on your specifications that you could not have known about when you put your plan together? Did they include these in your bid?
• Did any of the companies make suggestions on how to tailor your landscape to decrease the amount of maintenance you need?
• Did any of the companies offer to present their bid to you at the property to be maintained so that they could see the outdoor space and answer any specific follow-up questions at the time of the presentation?

The landscaping maintenance plan you present to the different companies is a guide they should use to develop a more comprehensive plan and bid. The landscaping maintenance company you should ultimately decide to hire should take your specifications and then use their knowledge and expertise to craft a more streamlined and detailed plan for your landscape maintenance needs. It will be clear which company you should hire because they will be the ones offering you suggestions on how to create a landscaping maintenance plan that more fully fits your needs and enhances their ability to serve you.

Elements of the Bid and Estimate with your Marin County Landscape Maintenance Company
Truth be told, the bid you receive from a landscape maintenance company, whether you live in the bigger cities of San Rafael, Mill Valley, Larkspur, Tiburon and Fairfax or the littler towns of Almonte, Black Point, Ignacio, San Quentin and Terra Linda, should look quite similar to the estimate you get from the company you decide to hire. Unless you've overlooked a large section of landscaping maintenance in your outdoor space, the bidding process should lead smoothly to an estimate you can trust and a contract you feel comfortable signing.

Your bid and estimate should include:

• The charges for a monthly strategy that includes repairs, maintenance, fertilization, replacement of organic materials, etc.
• The amount of days per month that your landscape will be maintained
• A detailed schedule of when service calls will be made and what exactly will be included during each service session

The bid and estimate should be as detailed as possible. If you are uncomfortable or unclear with anything outlined in the bid and/or estimate, you should certainly speak at length with your representative from the landscaping maintenance company about your concerns and get them resolved before making your final hiring decision or signing a contract with your chosen company.

What to Anticipate When Working with Your Marin County Landscaping Maintenance Company

Now that you've gone through the practice of bidding and made your final selection of an excellent Marin County landscaping maintenance professional, it is time to take a sigh of relief. The hard part is over. Now you can sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your laborious search.

You may want to gain a simple understanding of what landscaping maintenance plans include, however, to make sure that your maintenance plan is going to cover all your areas of need as well as to ensure that the company is doing all they promised in their bid and estimate. Be aware that most landscape maintenance companies think of actual landscaping as a different service than dealing with your irrigation system, if you have one. The basic elements of each service are detailed below.

Typical landscaping maintenance plans should include:

• Pruning and trimming
• Proper maintenance of organic materials including fertilization and winterization
• Aerating, fertilization and proper mowing of grassy areas
• Mulch renewal
• Proper use of disease and pest control
• Installation of seasonal color in flower beds

Typical irrigation maintenance plans should include:

• Setting the system to meet specific plant needs
• Frequent checks for improperly working sprinklers, bubblers, emitters
• Adjustment of the system after evaluating runoff
• Maintaining all components of the system including filter flushes
• Development of a watering schedule that fits your landscapes needs and complies with local water ordinances
• Setting the system to the developed schedule and checking its proper functioning at least once per season
• Educating you on ways to be aware that your system is functioning properly

Your landscaping and/or irrigation maintenance program could include any or all of these elements. Remember to discuss any questions, concerns or specific projects with your landscaping maintenance representative before signing a contract.

Benefits to Receive from Working with a Trusted Marin County Landscape Maintenance Company
Just to assure you that you've made the right decision in hiring a professional for landscaping maintenance including if you live in the cities of Novato, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, Sausalito, Ross and Belevedere, you should be mindful of the benefits you'll experience from a good working relationship with a Marin County landscaping maintenance professional.

First, there are monetary benefits. Landscaping adds value to your property, not only to your outdoor space, but also to the worth of your house. If you are ever concerned about reselling your property, the benefits of having a well-maintained landscape far outweigh the costs. Improper care of a beautifully installed landscape can lead quickly to complete ruin of your investment in your outdoor space. The smartest thing you can do for your yard is to make sure it is maintained professionally.

Second, landscaping maintenance adds an incalculable visual appeal to your home. The proper maintenance of a professional landscape can add untold beauty to an outdoor space as well as the added benefit of blocking unwanted views and cutting down on noise. The reduction of stress and increase of enjoyment in your well-maintained outdoor space cannot be quantified.

You can do all that is in your power to be a well-educated and direct client in your relationship with a Marin County landscaping maintenance company. However, you'll also want to be conscious of the ways in which you can protect yourself should the company not reciprocate with professional courtesy.

Always ask for a warranty on service given. Some Marin County landscaping maintenance companies may try to say that they cannot provide a warranty because the products and spaces they work with are ever-changing and subject to outside interference. However, a good landscape maintenance professional will stand behind their work, whether it be the machines they use, the fertilizers they spread or the plants they provide. Requesting a warranty before beginning service with a Marin County landscaping maintenance company is not only a good idea, it is absolutely essential.

Another way to protect yourself is to check and double check that the company you hire has up-to-date insurance. This includes seeing all insurance paperwork and/or certificates associated with each employee who will be attending to your landscape maintenance program. While this may seem time consuming, it will save you a world of time and money later on, should one of these employees have an accident while maintaining your landscape.

Remember, no matter where you live in Marin County, whether in Novato, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, Sausalito, Ross and Belevedere or Bolinas, Dogtown, Marshall, San Geronimo and Woodacre, you have the right to guard yourself in the process of maintaining your landscape. If you don't take the time to secure a warranty or find out about a company's insurance, you'll only have yourself to blame when something goes wrong.