Beauty is not just inside the home. To make a statement, you must ensure that the beauty can also be found on the outside of the home. When someone drives up, you need to be able to show off the outside landscape. You should present your guests with a way that the inside of the home is going to look by having a nice outside. Not only that, but your neighbors are going to thank you when the outside of the home is looking as nice as it possibly can. Having a professional that can come in, clean up outside and make your home really stand out can put a lot of pressure off of you.

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Your home’s curb appeal is affected by much more than just your house – your landscape has a huge effect on how your home looks, and is perceived by others.

So whether you’re looking to add a new feature like a gazebo or patio, you want to restore your lawn, or you want to add unique landscape features that will make your yard more pleasant and unique, a landscaping contractor may be just what you need.

Landscaping contractors are experts when it comes to creating beautiful outdoor spaces, and they offer a wide variety of services – ranging from basic lawn and yard maintenance to the building of retaining walls, decks, patios and more. So read on, and learn more about hiring a landscape contractor – or check out Contractors Today to find a professional landscaper near you right away.

Landscaping Contractor Licensing & Certification Requirements

The requirements for landscapers vary state-by-state. For example, in some states like Ohio, there is no specific license required by the state for landscapers, but other states are more restrictive.

The criteria for licensing vary depending on the state, but usually requires multiple years of hands-on experience in landscaping or a related business, and to take an official exam to prove their expertise in landscaping and horticulture, and pay any required licensing fees.

It’s also important to note that in some states, additional licensing and certifications may be required if you’re hiring a landscaping company that offers services like deck building, concrete pouring, or fencing.

Even if you are in a state where there is no need for a specific landscaping license, we recommend looking for a landscaper that has been certified by a reputable organization like the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

In addition to licensing and certification, you should ensure that your landscaper is properly bonded and insured. This means that they carry special insurance policies that protect you from liability if something goes wrong during the job, or if there are major issues throughout your project that result in sub-par results.

Hiring an unlicensed landscaper or a landscaper without certification may mean you’ll pay less for your services – but it also exposes you to more risk, especially because many of these independent landscapers are not properly insured and bonded.

What Services Do Landscaping Contractors Offer? Understanding The Basics

The services offered by a particular landscaping contractor can vary quite a bit. Some landscaping companies may focus primarily on things like planting and maintaining grass, trees, bushes, and flowers. Others may be more focused on larger-scale projects like building decks, patios, and outdoor lighting.

However, we’ve put together a list of common services that are offered by most landscaping contractors. Take a look, then find a qualified landscaping contractor near you to get started with your project.

• General landscape maintenance – Most landscaping contractors offer general landscape maintenance services. Depending on the contractor you choose, this could include things like trimming shrubs and trees, raking leaves, mowing and fertilizing grass, and a number of other services.
• Fertilization and pest/weed control – Regular fertilization and application of weed killer and pest control products can help your lawn and landscape stay lush, bright and beautiful.

• Seeding and planting lawns – Landscapers are specialists at seeding and planting lawns. Whether you are interested in reseeding your lawn due to restore patchy or brown spots or you want all-new sod to completely restore your yard, a landscaping contractor can help.
• Removing trees, shrubs, and overgrowth – If your yard has seen better days and you’re looking to start fresh, a landscaping contractor can help. With their help, you can remove dead or dying plants and trees, eliminate overgrown areas of your yard, and prepare for a brand-new landscape.

• Planting flowers, bushes, trees, etc. – Landscaping contractors usually specialize in planting bushes, trees, flowers and other plants that are ideally suited to your home’s environment and climate.

• Walkways, retaining walls, patios (hardscaping) – Most landscaping contractors don’t just offer gardening and plant-related services, but also specialize in building outdoor spaces, and adding elements like walkways, pathways, poured concrete staircases, patios, and other such things. Because materials like stone, tile, and concrete are usually used for these purposes, this landscaping specialization is known as “hardscaping.”

• Deck building – Many landscapers offer deck building services, and can handle the end-to-end design and construction of decks. This depends on the landscaping contractor. Additional licensing and certifications may be required for the contractor to offer these services, so some contractors do not offer this service and will refer you to a specialized deck building company.

• Fence, gazebo, pergola construction – Most landscaping contractors also specialize in other outdoor construction projects. This can include fences, as well as free-standing structures like enclosed gazebos and pergolas, depending on the contractor.

• Outdoor and landscape lighting – Not all contractors offer this service, but many landscapers are beginning to offer outdoor and landscape lighting services to light your home, patio or deck, and other areas of your property. Depending on the contractor, they may have an electrician on staff, or work with a qualified third-party electrical contractor.

• Water features – Most landscapers can handle projects that involve building and installing water features, such as koi ponds and landscape waterfalls, statues that involve water features, fountains, and other such landscape features.

Do I Need A Landscape Architect For My Project?

A landscape architect is a professional who specializes in drawing detailed designs and blueprints for landscaping projects. They are usually only required for projects that are quite large and extensive

For example, if you are adding a lot of new elements to your property, such as deck, multiple walkways and retaining walls, a koi pond, outdoor lighting and a gazebo, the services of a landscape architect may be required to create a comprehensive design, and ensure that all of the elements of your landscape are installed properly.

However, for a smaller project – like pouring a simple concrete patio and building a stone walkway to the front of your home – you likely will not need a landscape architect. Your landscaping contractor can simply carry out the design work and build these elements themselves, based on your specifications.

In most cases, your landscape contractor will have a landscape architect that they often work with, and will hire them to create the designs for your home, so you won’t have to find one on your own. Usually, only the largest landscaping companies have the resources to hire a full-time landscape architect of their own.

Find A Landscape Contractor Near You – Contractors Today Is Here To Help!

Looking for a qualified landscape contractor near you? Need help bringing your vision for your home’s landscape to life? Contractors Today is the best option. Just visit our website now, fill out a quick form with information about the landscaping services you need, and get connected with qualified, licensed professionals in your area – in just a few minutes!

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