Choosing A San Antonio Hardscape Contractor

By Jennifer Wallace


Outdoor rooms and space are part of your landscape. Before spring begins, it is good to make this outdoor space beautiful. The inanimate elements of your yard like the concrete, pool, fences, and tiles create a great appeal but the best way to achieve that is by working with a professional. Many companies are out there offering hardscaping services. Here are some tips for choosing a San Antonio Hardscape Contractor.

First, start by finding people who are certified or have hardscape certification. A landscaper who specializes in things that grow like flowers, grass, and plants cannot handle a paving project or patio because they are in different areas. A contractor will require additional training to provide such services. Therefore, when hiring apart from looking at the landscaping documents of a contractor, request for a certificate to proving extra training in this industry.

Projects involving the use of concrete and other hard materials are risky because employees can be injured at any time. The homeowner is the person held liable when such things happen which makes it important for the company to be responsible for all liabilities. If employees are insured, you will have no legal cases nor compensate injured workers. Check if liability indemnity is available too so that they can cover damages in the event they occur.

The other tip is communication skills. Most of these projects require a timeline but since something might go wrong during work, it is vital that good communication exists between you and the company. If they take time to respond to calls and emails, that is a red flag and in case you hire such people, communication will be poor. Make observations on their response and the extent to which they keep you updated.

Also, consider the upfront amount the contractor is requesting. Work cannot just commence without paying a certain amount to the contractor. The amount should, however, be reasonable. Fraudsters often ask for half the total amount of the project so that they can walk away. Others with financial constraints will also request large deposits because they cannot fund the project on their own. Avoid such people and select those who request for fair deposit amounts.

Having found a few good companies, the other crucial step is checking their gallery. Credible contractors will post images of hardscaping projects they have successfully completed for prospective customers to see and get ideas or deciding if to use the company or not. Go through various galleries online and find the contractor whose work is similar to what you want.

Moreover, check whether the person is providing a guarantee. At times, when the contractor uses faulty materials or makes errors during the project, you should not be the person held accountable. Get someone who can provide a guarantee of up to one year to avoid paying for mistakes of the contractor.

In conclusion, ask for a written agreement. Trusting verbal agreement can put you in much trouble later since it can be easy to change the terms. Ensure insurance, cost estimate and timeline are put down on a piece of paper and signed by the parties involved. After, trust your gut to make the right decision.




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