There are always shady folks out there in all walks of life, and unfortunately, the landscaping business is not immune to this. As discussed in this article, some people are willing to use landscaping as a way to gain access to your house, and rob you blind. This is not the first time something like this has happened, nor will it be the last. What the article doesn’t talk about is the landscapers who steal in less obvious ways.
Courtesy: obeth1 via Flickr
Some things to keep an eye out for when you have landscapers looking for work or working around your home include:
- Uniforms, lettering on vehicles and equipment, or other identifying marks. All landscaping companies should have something like a company name visible.
- Business cards. Ask anyone who approaches your house to discuss coming on as a landscaping company to present a card so you have contact information and identification.
- Familiarity. Landscapers tend to stick to certain neighborhoods, so if you haven’t seen them around before, you may want to be wary.
- Draw boundaries. Your landscapers may need access to your house at some points, might even need to use the bathroom. Give them space, but not too much, and you’ll build up a good relationship with them.
- Check up on them. If you don’t think they are doing what was set forth in your contract with them, let them know.
The best way to avoid any issues with the hiring of a landscaper is to thoroughly review them before hiring them, and ask numerous questions regarding their employees and their practices. Ask about prior customers who you could get references from – you could also use this to take a look at their handiwork.
Now, we’re not saying all landscapers are shady – in fact, 99.9% of them are simply hard-working folks who enjoy working in the lawns and gardens of America. They are your neighbors, your friends, and valuable members of your community. What we are saying, though, is to be cautious. If you’re considering a landscaper, see if you can get references or names of other customers to compare with. Do a thorough online search. ask questions. Having a landscaper can be great, and will free up some of your time.
