ᐅ Which landscaping contractor should I choose? Added value?

Hello everyone,

We have a “luxury problem” in that we can’t decide who to hire for our garden. We have received three quotes. All of them initially assured us that they could start the work promptly. First, there is a more pragmatic landscaping contractor who is by far the cheapest but probably does not place much value on the concept or design. The execution will likely be more practical and less meticulous compared to the other companies. Then there are two local, very experienced firms that work very professionally. They took a lot of time and even prepared plans, but they are significantly more expensive than the first contractor. The style and scope of their quotes also differ considerably from the first one, which makes comparison difficult.

Since we really want a functioning concept for our sloped property and value good design, we tend to prefer one of the established and experienced companies. Unfortunately, these are also the most expensive.

Long story short: Is there a noticeable added value in entrusting the work to such an experienced company? Will they definitely do a more thorough and better job? Or does it ultimately not make much difference?

Best regards

Perhaps the cheap offer doesn’t include everything, and the costs might be added later?

We also often found the decision very difficult.

Ask for three gardens in the area as references. Visit them and talk to the owners to find out if it’s worth the money.

When building on a sloped plot, having a good concept is essential to make the most of the land. If you have no idea how you want to design the property, professional advice and thorough planning are important—in that case, I would opt for the more expensive option. However, if you already have your own ideas and know exactly what you want, then you “only” need someone to implement your plan and ideas, so the first option might be sufficient.

It’s unwise to choose the cheaper option solely for cost reasons and then realize after two years that you actually want it done differently. Starting over with landscaping means paying twice.

Nida35a schrieb:

Have them give you the names of three gardens in the area as references. Go there, ring the doorbell, and talk to the owners to find out if it’s worth the money.

The landscape gardener we want to hire, who is also the most expensive, basically did this on his own initiative. First, he wanted to demonstrate his skills, and second, to determine the design style we wanted. He took half a day for this and visited the gardens with us.

Hausbautraum20 schrieb:

Maybe the cheap offer doesn’t include everything and additional costs would come up later?

We also often found the decision very difficult.

Partly yes, partly no. Surely some things are not included in the cheaper option. But EPs, as long as they are comparable (like turf or L-shaped retaining blocks), are generally cheaper per meter (or unit). Sometimes significantly so. For example, the expensive one wants 390 euros per meter of L-shaped block, while the cheapest is 290 euros.