Sonoma – Landscape Materials

If you've taken the time to thoroughly answer the questions in the previous article, you should have determined whether or not you are willing and able to begin your own landscaping project. If the answer is yes and you have taken the time to research and create your design, than you are ready to take the next step of finding a consistently reliable landscape materials company in Sonoma County.

The following questions can help you as you begin the process of searching out the right landscape supplier for you. Interviewing a variety of landscaping materials companies over the phone before doing the legwork of visiting each in person can save you a lot of time.

1. Has your company earned and maintained a Diamond Certified rating?
2. Does your company have a code of ethics that you operate under? What is it and can I see a copy?
3. Do you deliver? If yes, what areas do you service? Do you charge for delivery?
4. Do you have staff on hand to help educate me should I need help understanding which landscape materials will work best for my project?
5. Do you offer wholesale landscape supplies?
6. Where do your supplies come from, specifically your mulch and rock varieties?
7. Can you help me determine how much of a particular landscaping material I will need to complete my project?
8. What are your hours of operation?
9. Do you sell different quantities of materials such as soil, rock, etc.?

Relying on word of mouth is one of the best ways to figure out if you can trust a landscape materials company including those in the cities of Petaluma, Windsor, Sonoma, Sebastopol and Cotati. But if you're short on time and can't accomplish a lot of personal research into company references, it's best to choose a Diamond Certified landscape materials business 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 materials company in Sonoma County and the greater Bay Area, 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 landscape materials company within reach, you'll have to do some research on your own. If you do, it's wise to call some references provided by your landscape materials supplier. Keep in mind, though, that references provided to you by the landscape supplier 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 happy with their products.

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

1. What materials did you purchase from this company?
2. Did this company provide adequate support and customer service throughout your landscape installation?
3. Have you received any specialized services from this company?
4. Were there any charges added that surprised you?
5. Did you receive advice or education on areas of landscaping installation that you needed? Were you pleased with how this was accomplished?
6. Are you satisfied with their products and customer service?
7. Would you/have you recommended this supplier?
8. Would you purchase more items for your property's landscape?
9. Will you continue to work with this landscape materials company as further landscaping needs arise?

If you are ready and willing to face the challenges that come from doing the landscaping yourself, you may feel prepared to find a good landscape materials supplier in Sonoma County, whether you're in the bigger cities of Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Guerneville or the smaller cities of Annapolis, Bodega, Roseland, Schellville and Vineburg. But there are a few things you need figure out, before you can confidently decide on a supplier who makes sense for your landscaping material wants and needs.

1. Plants: You'll want to know what is available and growable in your area. While a landscape materials supplier can help you with this, you'll need to have a basic awareness of the various types as well as an idea of your preferences in order to know with surety that you are receiving the best possible advice from your supplier.
2. Design styles: This is one that will be helpful to you before ever entering a landscape materials center. You will want to have the basic design complete before seeking professional advice on the types of landscaping materials to include.
3. Landscaping material: Just like your knowledge of plants, understanding the different materials that are readily available in Sonoma County can help you save money and support your local economy. Once again, you don't have to do extensive research and your supplier can help you gain more knowledge about the types of materials available and easily usable, but having a tiny bit of background knowledge will enable you to have confidence in your choice.
4. Tools of the trade: No one will ever say that installing and maintaining a landscape is easy. However, knowing the correct tools to have around can help save you time and energy as you tackle the challenges that come with home gardening. You'll need to prioritize which tools to buy so that you can budget for them before you begin.
5. Making a schedule: This may seem a surprising part of landscaping design, installation and maintenance, but it is one of the most essential elements you can consider. For instance, do you know what time of year is the best time to begin? Do you know the sequence of putting in your landscaping (i.e. if you need electric wires run, should those come before everything else?)? Do you know how and where to store plants before you get them in the ground? Once again, basic knowledge is all you need here, as a good landscape materials company will be able to help you hash out a detailed schedule.
6. Planning for maintenance: If you plan on investing in your investment of a good landscape, you're going to need to know what it will take to maintain it before you begin. You'll want to develop a long-term relationship with your chosen landscape materials company, and this will begin with having a clue as to what you will continue to need from them over time.

Educating yourself can go a long way toward making the right decision when it comes to finding quality landscaping materials from a supplier in Sonoma County.

Discovering What You Need to Know Once You've Picked a Sonoma County Landscape Materials Company
There are many factors that need to be considered, even after you've made the important decision of which landscape materials supplier to go with. It is a good idea to know a little bit about each of the following elements before discussing them with your knowledgeable Sonoma County landscaping materials company.

1. Planning (and buying) in phases: Almost no one has the time or money to install a complete landscape all at one time. You should plan your design and budget to be able to be accomplished in increments.
2. Timing your purchases: This goes hand-in-hand with the first element. Many landscape materials have a period of the year when they are cheaper. For instance, lumber is often much less costly during winter months. Trees, shrubs, perennials can be purchased for a fraction of the cost at the end of their seasons. And newly released materials are most expensive at the beginning because there is a high demand and low supply-waiting a couple of years can save you much.
3. Less expensive doesn't mean good quality: Just because a supplier is willing to sell you landscaping materials at a cheaper cost, doesn't mean the savings will pay off in the end. You must attend to the quality of the material, it's origin and how long it has been sitting on the company's shelf.
4. But sometimes it doesn't matter: You must determine what supplies can be bought economically without sacrificing quality, and there are some landscaping supplies, such as common annuals, mulch, etc., that fall into this category. When you can get a deal, take it.
5. Estimating quantities: While this is definitely an area in which your chosen landscape materials supplier should prove to be very helpful, you need to understand the magnitude of supplies you might need. For instance, one ton of dirt sand or gravel will fill less than one cubic yard of space. You may gasp at the estimated amount of material needed for your landscape, but this does not mean the estimate is wrong.

Having a grasp of the dynamic elements of landscaping materials can make your association with a quality landscape materials supplier in Sonoma County that much more effective and efficient.

While guarantees may not always be standard practice in the business of landscape materials supply, you should definitely find a business that is willing to stand behind any product they promote and sell. This includes organic material. Even though there are many parts to keeping a plant alive and healthy, if you can prove you took every measure to ensure its health and longevity, landscape materials companies in Sonoma County should be willing to either reimburse you or replace the lost plant.

The best guarantees will extend to every facet of landscaping supply from lumber to stone, from irrigation systems to water features. Be sure to check out your chosen landscape materials company's policies before purchasing anything.