DIY - Do it yourself or hire a contractor?

Projects come in all sizes and skill levels. Only you can answer the question of "Can I do this or not?". It is generally understood that anybody can do anything if they truly want to. The real question should be “Is it prudent for me to do this project myself or hire it out? "

Answering these five questions may help enlighten you:

1. Am I physically able to properly complete this project?
2. Do I have the know-how to achieve intended results?
3. Do I have the proper attitude?
4. Do I have the time to take from my current responsibilities?
5. Do I have the proper tools?

If you can answer the five questions positively, there is one more aspect to consider: the monetary cost. Some projects require expensive and/or specific tools. Most tools can be rented for modest fees. These fees can exceed the cost of tool in a surprisingly short time if you are not working efficiently. Always consider the total cost of the project when deciding whether to do it yourself or not.

DIY - Do I need to have a plan?

The need to have a plan varies with project size. There are many positive reasons to have a plan and only one negative reason: cost. Usually cost can be justified by you and your contractor both understanding the project's size, scope and details. When everyone involved understands the project clearly, the margin for error and misunderstood specifications are minimal, therefore the project can be costed out with a high degree of precision and priced according to "on paper" facts rather than another person's interpretation of your thoughts. This allows multiple contractors to have the same parameters to bid assuring an apples-to-apples bid scenario.

Having a plan brings to your project unbiased professionalism and experience. You do this by committing your ideas to scale on your site and assuring feasibility and forethought. Architects and designers alike take aspects of the project into account that the average person would not think of. These aspects include lighting, shading, local building codes, color coordination, drainage, traffic patterns, views, specific space needs, weather conditions, and future plans, just to name a few. When having a plan drawn for a project, think about adding future projects to it. An overall plan helps current projects tie in with future projects, assuring that no good money is spent after bad.

DIY - How to hire the right contractor

Hiring the right contractor increases your chances of completing your project on time and on budget. It can be tempting to consider the cost savings by not hiring a contractor however, there usually are monetary and time costs you have not considered. Failure to identify all the requirements can prove to be more costly in the long run.

Once you decide on hiring a landscape contractor the following items will help you choose the right one:

1. Have a plan or design with specifications.
2. Verify name address and telephone numbers.
3. Verify how long they have been in business.
4. Verify license and insurance are current.
5. Look at photos of like projects completed by contractor.
6. The contractor must show interest in your project and display a positive attitude.
7. Verify contractor uses top quality products designed for your applications.
8. Verify contractor’s reputation (BBB, Chamber of Commerce, local suppliers, other contractors, past clients, etc.)
9. Get a written contract that is clear, complete and firm, stating all materials, work to be done and amount to be paid with pay schedule.
10. Never pay more than 50% up front and never give final payment until job is 100% complete and you are satisfied.
11. Get a start date and a completion date.
12. Make sure that everything you and your contractor have agreed to is in the contract.
13. Make sure all prospective contractors are bidding the same job. (Having a plan helps to ensure this)
14. If you find your favorite contractor has a poor credit history but excellent workmanship, you may purchase all materials yourself and contract labor only. (Give no money up front in this case.)
15. Put "while you were at it" projects on a separate list and ask for a separate estimates. This give the contractor an opportunity to earn a little extra money while filling in idle time.