Landscaping Estimates

[gomsiepop]

I am in the process of getting estimates from various landscapers that have gotten good reviews on Talk of the Villages. All I can say is "WOW". Four estimates have been $19,400, $21,000, $25,000 and $30,000. I have tried to remain consistent telling the landscapers what I want done. How is it possible that the costs are all over the place? If anyone can tell me their experience with a particular landscaper please tell me. So far the landscapers with the above estimates are Evergreen, McGowan, Jamie's, JG Landscapers and Custom Scapes. I now have an appointment with TerraScape scheduled. Any information you can give me is greatly appreciated.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

Try Arrendondo... they just finished at our house for less than half that price.

JR

[linda_sears]

Matt Smith of Smitty Lawn and Tree is excellent and his prices are reasonable. 352-561-1999. Been using him and recommending him for years.

[jimbo2012]

I am in the process of getting estimates from various landscapers that have gotten good reviews on Talk of the Villages. All I can say is "WOW". Four estimates have been $19,400, $21,000, $25,000 and $30,000. I have tried to remain consistent telling the landscapers what I want done. .

Bound to get inaccurate quotes or get the short end of the deal

You can't TELL them what you want!!!

You need to get in writing what you want sketch out the lot, draw the plants with sizes etc.

hand it each one then you're getting bids on same work

Be mindful that a $20,000 job has a cost includinding overhead of about $10K

So negotiate.

[graciegirl]

I am in the process of getting estimates from various landscapers that have gotten good reviews on Talk of the Villages. All I can say is "WOW". Four estimates have been $19,400, $21,000, $25,000 and $30,000. I have tried to remain consistent telling the landscapers what I want done. How is it possible that the costs are all over the place? If anyone can tell me their experience with a particular landscaper please tell me. So far the landscapers with the above estimates are Evergreen, McGowan, Jamie's, JG Landscapers and Custom Scapes. I now have an appointment with TerraScape scheduled. Any information you can give me is greatly appreciated.

I sent you a P.M.

[billethkid]

make sure you understand the growth rate of what you are putting in.

Those small-ish plants will be very large in 2 years.

Too many people put in the plants as if they were going to remain the same size as day one.

Plants, including the weeds grow 24 hours a day most of the year.

While the folks you have quoting will not like the request, have them break it down for you in detail. Plants at $ each. Mulch x square feet times $/square foot. If they will not do it then scratch them.

DO NOT PAY IN ADVANCE!!!!!

[Bryan]

Be sure to check with Seniors Vs Crime, the BBB, and the Florida Division of Consumer Services before making your final choice. "Lowball" bids are not uncommon. Also visit the Seniors Vs Crime Office - they have a handout on Landscapers that is very useful and one on Contracts that is also useful. That big of a job, milestone payments may be in order but always keep about 25% of the total contract as the final payment after you inspect everything and it meets your needs.

[3377en]

We used Maintenance By Evergreen after getting many estimates, around 6 of them. They also varied greatly for what I asked for. Louis is very customer oriented and extremely competent. My wife changed things several times during the final planning. We have received all positive comments from our neighbors and friends. His water feature came out great. I can send you pics if you want. Many of my neighbors have also used him, no complaints.

[yabbadu]

Whatever you do.....DO NOT PAY any UPFRONT Money....................

[dewilson58]

Have them itemize the bid............might be helpful. Easy to have $5k to $10k in rock and stone. Palms can up quickly.

With a detailed bid, you can compare and ask questions.

I would be surprised if someone has 50% overhead built in.

Good Luck

[Barefoot]

You can't TELL them what you want!!!

Another opinion - I think you need to tell them exactly what you want (unless you don't know).
In our case, we wanted a double Sylvester palm with a diamond cut trunk, among other things.
We also wanted a center island with a certain type of rock, hedging, etc.
We were very specific in our wants, however our estimates also varied quite a bit.
I had one interesting session with a local landscaper, who is well known for his temper.
The estimate ended when he suddenly had a temper tantrum and threatened me.

We ended up using Terrascape (back in 2011). We worked closely with the Nursery Manager, Bonnie.
We went to their landscaping store on CR 301 and chose the double palm we wanted, as well as shrubs and large rocks.
Bonnie was great, and Terrascape did a good job for us.

[WaterSun]

I highly recommend Village Palms. They're competitively priced. You'll receive a digital graphic of the landscape design and an estimate, AFTER they meet with you at your home, take photos of your property, & listen to your ideas. You'll pay a down payment on the job. (I don't feel this is unusual as long a the down payment isn't exorbitant.) They'll share the design with you at at meeting in their offices and via email in a PDF. VP is very, very good. You know exactly what you're getting.

You may study the design at your leisure and in your own home. If the installation date is enough in the future, you may change the design, plants, and any hardscape (curbing or stacked-stone).

[raynan]

Try Village Palms. You can even go to their nursery on 466 over by Rolling Acres Rd and pick out what you want or have them pick it out. You can see alternatives that may be less expensive. They'll come to your home and you describe what you want. They will design it and you'll meet at their office to see it on a large TV screen and you can move things or change things and you will get an exact price. No surprises. Very good company to deal with.

[RayAmb]

We used TerraScape and are having terrible problems with them. We did not do our homework as we were new and did not know where to go check. Bad decision to use them for us. We were in a hurry. Seniors vs Crime can give you many - many - many unresolved complaints against them. Other web sites have them with an F rating and BBB is not correct on their complaint history with them. I know of two issues unresolved with BBB. hope you don't join the group. It's a bad experience.......

RayAmb

[pbkmaine]

Has anyone used Fernview Farms?

[teriquick]

Call Leo at Leo's Landscaping. Excellent quality and very fair price. Totally honest and you don't pay until it's done and you're satisfied. 352-266-6448

[redwitch]

I've heard nothing but good things about Arredondo and Fernwood. I can always tell when Arredondo has done a yard -- it is unique and quite well done with plants appropriate for Central Florida. I've heard a few complaints about Jamie's and McGowan but they have either been minor or downright petty.

Drive around. When you see a landscaping job you really like, especially one a few years old, ask the homeowner who did it, what was liked/not liked about the job and landscaper, maintenance, etc.

The nice thing about landscaping is that it doesn't have to be done immediately. You can take your time and be sure you're getting the right thing without being cheated.

[jbdeb114]

I wouldn't recommend Arrendondo. Had lots of problems. PERIOD!

[JP]

From what I have seen and heard, you get what you pay for so be careful about lowball estimates.

[l2ridehd]

I just had a pool installed by T&D and they used TCL (Tri County Landscape) in Wildwood to replace all the sod and irrigation after the pool was completed.

All I wanted was some basic privacy landscaping around the pool and I was planning to supplement it going forward. I had gotten pricing to install landscape from 3 places ($12,000, $9500 and $9300) so on an off chance they did residential, I asked TCL for a bid. I tried very hard to get apples to apples bids, same plants, same size, the only difference was the $12,000 bid included a palm tree as that was their specialty. Now getting exactly the same stuff is a bit challenging, but TCL did a great job for $3,000. Once again apples to apples is very hard as TCL had to be here anyway for sod and irrigation while the others probably had some cost in their bid for that even though I told them all TCL was doing that work.

So give them a try as their price was the best by a lot. The biggest difference between most was labor. Shrub prices were somewhat close TCL being the lowest, but all the others had huge labor cost in the bid. TCL's shrub prices was for the installed price. Their mulch price per yard was the installed price.

What I don't know, is did they do this job because they do work for T&D or do they do residential work for anyone.

[gomsiepop]

I finally went with KGL Landscaping for my landscaping. Not a good choice. I told him what palms I wanted and he gave me an estimate based on what I wanted. Problem #1 was when the job started and palms were not able to be planted because the area wasn't large enough I needed to replace them with other selections. Because I didn't get a line by line breakdown of how much each item cost I had to take the owner's word about the replacement costs. I just about had it when he told me that weeping bottle brush trees were $400 each. Ouch, at that point I knew I was being taken. Advice, get an itemized quote of each item and above all have the landscaper do a drawing on a site plan of your home with all of the setbacks. Then you'll know you're getting what you paid for.