by Bill Schwab Are you looking for a professional landscaper to maintain or manage a current property, renovate an existing garden, or design or install a new landscape? The professional you select should have certain qualifications. Here are some things you should look for to help ensure that your landscape experience is professional and positive. If your landscape installation costs more than $500, the contractor must be licensed by the California State License Board. To verify that a contractor has a valid C-27 license, contact the board at www.cslb.ca.gov. Contractors must demonstrate a certified level of skill, competency, and financial responsibility to be licensed. If they can't qualify for a license, you don't want them for the job! Have your contractor show proof of insurance before beginning work on your job. Worker's compensation insurance, general liability insurance, and automobile insurance all protect you, the homeowner, in case of many possible problems when people are working on your property. This is why you don't want to hire unlicensed, uninsured, illegals to perform work on your property. What happens if they are injured while working for you? The potential for a lawsuit is not worth the small amount of money you may save. Also, you take the chance of being fined up to $10,000 for allowing them to work for you. Ask for recent references from your contractor, he should be able to provide addresses you can drive by to see the quality of his work, along with phone numbers of satisfied clients. A reputable contractor should also be able to provide a portfolio of completed projects for you to look at. Ask what landscape and professional associations the contractor belongs to. See if they have written any articles for their industry. The more of these types of accomplishments, the more likely they are reputable in the industry. BACK >