When you need to hire a landscape contractor for a project at your home in the Harrisburg, PA, area, it can seem like a challenging feat. There are so many local contractors that it makes it hard to choose one. How do you know if the contractor is reliable? How do you know if their work is good? As a landscape supply store, we work with contractors a lot. Here are some tips to help you find a reliable contractor based on our own experience building relationships with these professionals.

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Do Your Research

One of the first things you can do to ensure you hire a contractor you’re happy with in the long run is to do your research. Simply do a quick Google search. If the company has a Google Business Profile, you’ll likely be able to see photos of their work and customer reviews.

In addition, you can visit websites like Angi that offer recommendations and reviews of local contractors. The information on sites like these can be invaluable. The contractor’s website will often state if they are licensed and insured (which is essential) or if they’re authorized by manufacturers (which is a plus).

You can look at a variety of factors when doing online research. What is their average star rating, and how many ratings do they have? Reputable contractors will have ratings between 4 to 5 stars and positive customer reviews.

Create a List

Once you have identified contractors who you think would be a good fit for your project, add them to an ongoing list. It’s a good idea to have at least three on your list, if possible.

Next, dive deeper to learn more. Peruse the website to see their digital project portfolio and see the services that they offer. Do you see photos of similar projects to yours? Would you be happy with the results if these were your own projects?

It is helpful to contact the contractor’s references to see what their previous customers have to say. Find out if they are happy with the work and if the contractor communicated promptly. You want to make sure the professionals you work with will be friendly and communicative.

Contact each of the contractors to get quotes. This often involves visiting your home or property to see the project\’s scope, take measurements, and get an idea of what you have in mind for the space. Before the meeting, ensure you have a basic idea of what you’re looking for.

Prepare for Your Meeting

There are various ways that you can prepare for your meeting. You may want to create a Pinterest board that’s filled with photos for inspiration. Perhaps you’d like to create a mood board. Check out the contractor’s galleries for inspiration. Have all of these ideas handy to show the contractor during your meeting. This will be very helpful and help ensure you are happy with the results.

Choose a Contractor

After you’ve met with the potential contractors and received estimates for your project, it will be time to decide. Don’t base your decision solely on price, but consider your interactions with the business and the quality of their work. This will help ensure that when your project is completed that you are thrilled with the work and that you’ve had a pleasant experience interacting with the contractor during the process.

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