Landscaping Budget

[gomsiepop]

I don't know how to respond when a landscaper asks "what is your budget". I don't like to tell anyone what I am willing to pay for anything. I can tell them exactly what I want. This way I can compare "apples to apples" with three separate landscaping companies. I would like to hire someone who either owns a nursery or someone who will take me to tag the trees that I want. Can someone suggest landscapers who will do what I want?

[lanabanana73]

Following!

[TNLAKEPANDA]

I don't know how to respond when a landscaper asks "what is your budget". I don't like to tell anyone what I am willing to pay for anything. I can tell them exactly what I want. This way I can compare "apples to apples" with three separate landscaping companies. I would like to hire someone who either owns a nursery or someone who will take me to tag the trees that I want. Can someone suggest landscapers who will do what I want?

We are in the same boat. Currently getting a quote and design idea from someone a neighbor used but they did ask what is our budget. I can understand why but I was not going to tell them our budget.

[tommy steam]

If you are going to spend thousands on landscaping , it would be a good idea to sit with a landscape architect . This way you would have a design with the proper plants and design in it. You can than submit the plans to several landscapers and get bids on the exact job. What ever happned to knowing what each plant costs , price of labor , price for square or running ft. for hardscape? Also, don't pay them UP front. Most companys if responsible have credit lines with their suppliers .

[villager]

I went through the same thing. I would be vague - I'd say something like "I don't have an unlimited budget but want something I like." Then I would go into what I wanted. I also asked for a couple different quotes from the same person - if we did this, then what would the cost be, etc. That way, I never gave them a budget price up front and they knew I was serious about what I wanted. That seemed to work for me since I was very specific about what I wanted with each landscaper and could easily compare apples to apples. Good luck! It can be a long process but hopefully, will be worth it!

[lanabanana73]

I was not aware that the person I would be working with at a landscaping company was not a landscaping architect! I agree it makes sense to use an architect to come up with a design first, so where do I find one???

[billethkid]

Do not under any circumstance tell a possible vendor what you are willing to spend.
Outline exactly what you would like to have done....include everything your heart desires...then have the multiple vendors each quote the job.

Some other things to keep in mind are:

be careful about what tropicals you choose as they are not from this area and are not cold hardy to stand the winter temps here in TV.

be knowledgeable about the growth rate and mature plant size of what is being put in....you WILL be surprised how fast and how large some plantings can get.

Once you have a plan made and priced think about breaking it into stages of implementation. This allows one to better evaluate what the reality of what you want looks like and allows making changes to the future stages.

When choosing palm trees do investigate growth rate and annual maintenance. For example queen palms are inexpensive; grow very fast; require significant amount of bi-annual maintenance to keep from making a mess below them.

Get an understanding where your selected vendor gets their plants.....some do no more than go to Walmart/Home Depot.

Good luck.

[Steve & Deanna]

Some of the landscaping companies will come out and look over your area and recommend things to plant. We had used Village Palms on 466 to come out, check out our area and the rep said he would get back to us. We set up an appointment and at the last minute, he cancelled due to another appointment. We gave him the benefit of the doubt, set up another appointment and he cancelled again due to scheduling (???). Guess he wasn't interested. We did purchase a palm from them and we'll do the rest on our own. We did find them very helpful and professional in that way. After the tree was planted, it looked like it was going to have trouble and Village Palm sent someone out right away. So when we get back to our home soon, we'll see how it did. By the way, wet heavy snow today in VT from our winter storm warning. Our son is wondering why we're still here. So am I.

[jimbo2012]

If you are going to spend thousands on landscaping , it would be a good idea to sit with a landscape architect . This way you would have a design with the proper plants and design in it. You can than submit the plans to several landscapers and get bids on the exact job.

It's the only way to have it done, shop one design by an architect you will save their fee many times over.

Also your home will not be rubber stamp of someone up the street.

[tommy steam]

[QUOTE=lanabanana73;978997]I was not aware that the person I would be working with at a landscaping company was not a landscaping architect! I agree it makes sense to use an architect to come up with a design first, so where do I find one.?
I suggest you google for that information.

[jimbo2012]

That's a good sketch, (needs planted size & mature size) but will you give such a copy out to the homeowner to shop against your quote?

most landscapers will not for fear of losing the bid which is why an independent architect works out very well.

[Bonanza]

I agree that the drawing looked good on paper, however, in my mind there were too many palms and no trees whatsoever. Get rid of the Queen palms; they are trash trees! They require too much miantenance besides attracting rats and cockroaches which live in them, as do some other palms.

[graciegirl]

I am all for free enterprise but I am not all for being taken. TAKE YOUR TIME. Your new plants will double in size in a couple of years. You may change your mind about rocks. You may learn more about plants if you go to Truman rec center when the extension person comes to talk about Florida plants. Talk to other people before you spend fifteen thousand dollars or more.

[2BNTV]

I don't know how to respond when a landscaper asks "what is your budget". I don't like to tell anyone what I am willing to pay for anything. I can tell them exactly what I want. This way I can compare "apples to apples" with three separate landscaping companies. I would like to hire someone who either owns a nursery or someone who will take me to tag the trees that I want. Can someone suggest landscapers who will do what I want?

I would never do business with someone who asks this question!!!

Inform me of what my options are, and I will select what I like and can afford. There have been horror stories of people getting ripped off, especially if they paid up-front.

[gomsiepop]

I would consider calling you for an estimate but I'm curious, does this design include hardscape and stone? What is the cost for this design?

[Bonanza]

I would never do business with someone who asks this question!!!

Inform me of what my options are, and I will select what I like and can afford. There have been horror stories of people getting ripped off, especially if they paid up-front.

I agree with your post wholeheartedly.

I put someone who asks what your budget is in the same category as the server in a restaurant who asks you if you "need" change when you pay the bill in cash.

Grrrrrrrrr!

[JoMar]

I agree with your post wholeheartedly.

I put someone who asks what your budget is in the same category as the server in a restaurant who asks you if you "need" change when you pay the bill in cash.

Grrrrrrrrr!

Not sure why you have an issue with the "need" change question...if the answer would be no it would be to your benefit wouldn't it? Don't understand that one

[3377en]

After several estimates from different landscape companies, which varied several thousand dollars for the same requested work, I had a personal recommendation from a neighbor. It was for MAINTENACE BY EVERGREEN. We met with Luis discussed our plan. We did the front yard first. It was a great. Four months later we did the backyard water feature etc., we couldn't be happier. His number is 352 821 9967 office his cell is 352 504 5960. Message me if you'd like to see it. Good luck Ernie

[Ozzello]

This is a unique location for landscaping. Stuck between Subtropical and temperate. The only registered landscape architects I know of near here are in Gainesville (temperate) or Orlando (subtropical). Either way you aren't getting a designer with good familiarity to this particular region.

Sadly, most of the 'designers' in TV area have only a decent sales talk and a knack for placing plants. Most are repeating a couple designs they copied from the few talented landscapers who have/had the needed mixture of artistic, horticulture and construction experience and talent to actually produce a design for you that will not just look good on day one, but look even better in a few years without monthly pruning.

Soil acidity is 2nd most important only to water for the health of a plant, so if your designer or architect isn't talking to you about how this affects your design and TESTING YOUR SOIL to know themselves what your pH situation is, I would keep looking.

[Bonanza]

Not sure why you have an issue with the "need" change question...if the answer would be no it would be to your benefit wouldn't it? Don't understand that one


How would that "benefit" the customer?

It is pathetically rude to ask a customer if he "needs" change when he pays his bill.
You don't ask.
You simply bring the customer his change.
Period!

[RVRoadie]

Unless you know exactly what you want, asking a landscaper for a design without a budget makes no sense. Tell them how much you'd like to spend and what your expectations are. It's a quote, nothing more. After you've got designs and estimates from a couple of landscapers, you can figure out what you want and negotiate an acceptable contract.