As the cooler season approaches, you may be thinking about improving your landscape design in Oakland. Sure. Everybody wants to have an aesthetically appealing landscape not for the family’s enjoyment but also for a healthier and more refreshing atmosphere.
However, if you’re new to this or don’t know the basics of landscaping, it’s best to hire a professional to guide you in enhancing the overall feel and appearance of your backyard and property.
This article will tell you the important roles of a landscape contractor and why you should consider having one.
What is a Landscape Contractor?
Although landscapers are capable of top-notch work in enhancing your backyard or garden, the role of a landscape contractor differs in many ways. That’s because they offer yard maintenance aside from outdoor architecture and larger-scale projects.
Instead of the larger hardscape features that landscape contractors undertake, landscapers typically focus on plants, bushes, and other softscape features. Among the examples of hardscape features are built structures, fountains, and outdoor kitchens.
Consider selecting an insured and licensed business from the many lists out there to work with your backyard and property. In Oakland, the licensing guidelines and requirements can be accessed online. Consider checking the Oakland State License Board to verify and assess a potential contractor that meets your needs and preferences.
Don’t just settle on that. Dig deeper into the background or history, including the reviews and services of the company by clicking on their website. Moreover, try finding if they have a list of portfolios uploaded so you can see their actual accomplishments and if such meet your requirements.
Even better, consider checking out websites with reviews of various companies to get honest and balanced feedback from customers.
What Does a Landscape Contractor Do?
Landscape contractors undertake large and small projects not only for household properties but also institutional and commercial establishments. Such an undertaking can include the planning and managing of a large project such as establishing an outdoor kitchen for a subdivision or design details like putting up gardens for a household backyard.
Other design details can also include planting shrubs and flowers. The point is that a landscape contractor can take on various roles of which are most detailed and in-depth.
Let’s have a deep dive on the following roles:
Planning
Planning is essential in every undertaking to take the vision of the customer to realization. Details such as timeline, materials, budget, workforce, and many other factors are planned for any proposal to be accomplished efficiently and thoroughly.
For specialized deliverables such as plumbing or electrical, landscape contractors might need to tap subcontractors, especially when undertaking large projects. However, when designing a plan for the trees in your backyard, you can use planning in arbor care to ensure your vegetation’s healthy and aesthetically pleasing view.
Design
To design the ideal outdoor space that suits customers’ needs, landscape contractors will work closely with them. In that way, they can easily adjust or change whenever the client proposes something or corrects a deliverable. Here is the thing.
The process and planning of landscape design can entail taking measurements and considering the physical factors of the property, including environmental parameters such as geography and climate as well as the soil conditions. Landscape contractors can also tackle the pros and cons of specific plant species or provide design samples or templates to the customer. The contractor may also tap landscape architects to draw a more detailed design for larger projects.
An essential component of ensuring your property’s curb appeal is design. With a landscape contractor, you can find the ideal parts or materials to include in your property during the implementation phase of the design.
Who knows? After a detailed conversation with your contractors, you’ll notice that you might need a firepit for family bonding or trellis for privacy concerns. Or perhaps, your backyard might need some plant species to have a refreshing and rejuvenating appeal.
Construction
The foundational work of design projects is landscape construction which is also a fundamental part of a landscape contractor’s deliverables. Add to that the hardscape aspects of integrating and putting up outdoor kitchens, water fountains, wood decks, and other prominent features.
The task can also include reshaping and setting up significant changes to the property’s overall aesthetics using softscape features such as decorative gardens, rock formations, wood slabs, and others.
Arbor Care and Horticulture
Landscape contractors can assist their clients in designing, maintaining, and proper care of softscape features in the property such as shrubs, orchids, ornamentals, trees, and others that are critical in reshaping the overall view.
Note that other essentials to the overall health of your trees and shrubs include regular care such as pruning, trimming, fertilization, and bigger services such as replacement or removal of sick and unappealing ones. If your trees are well taken care of, expect a more aesthetically pleasing view that will ultimately boost your backyard or garden’s value and curb appeal.
Practical Benefits of Hiring a Landscaping Contractor
Although we’ve already hinted at some benefits of hiring a landscaping contractor, we’ll detail them in the following paragraphs to get a better glimpse of what they can do.
Here we go.
- Increase Your Property’s Value
Hiring a top-notch landscape contractor for your endeavor will give your backyard a high-end and visually appealing aesthetics that can boost its financial value.
Think about this. When you incorporate hardscape luxury materials such as an inground sprinkler system, outdoor kitchens, and stone patios, you will not only enjoy the view but also gain from the increase of your property’s value. After all, some people are willing to buy a property for whatever price if the landscape aspect is appealing enough.
Note that a well-landscaped structure with an attractive outdoor area will fetch far higher prices in the market compared to properties with no landscaping. There are various landscape elements worth investing in, with some bringing higher returns than others.
- Make Your Outdoor Space Functional
Landscape contractors are not only bound to designing outdoor landscape design. Instead, they can also be tapped to establish a cohesive path that commences from inside to outdoor and extends a general living area by establishing a new space for relaxation.
One way to increase the functionality of your backyard and ensure that your property is well enjoyed is by including a paver patio with a fire pit and surrounding chairs where both family members and visitors can relax on a bonfire while relishing the starry nights. Build a healthy and memorable connection between your indoor and outdoor space by creating the perfect ambiance for gatherings and bonding.
- Improve Overall Curb-Appeal
Another way to improve your backyard’s overall curb appeal is to hire a professional landscape contractor that will include simple touches to give your outdoor space major effects. Want a tropical and relaxing feel? Consider adding large shrubs or trees, especially palm species like the Areca Palm and Foxtail. You’ll feel like you are in the Bahamas when you’re sitting in your backyard and surrounded by tropical features.
You can also add professional outdoor lighting to give a functional and visual impact. While adding a spot of relaxation and respite, consider illuminating your outdoor space and highlight the natural settings. Outdoor lighting can also help neighbors walk around your outdoor space at night and help in protecting the property from unwanted elements or trouble makers.
- Budget and Time
When you hire a landscape contractor, expect that they will provide a team of professionals who can sit with you and explore all your thoughts and plans within a specific budget frame. Moreover, they can suggest ways to ensure that the deliverables are done faster or more efficiently. In that way, you can find the best option that suits your available time and financial allocation.
With a trained professional, you don’t have to experience the hustles and bustles of a DIY landscape project and do away with unnecessary costs. A landscape contractor will also ensure that your given completion date is within a particular time frame. That is to ensure that your backyard is the ideal backdrop for planned events such as family gatherings.
Team of Professionals
Hiring a team of professionals with correct insurance and licensing is fundamental to ensuring that your Oakland landscape design is properly implemented and that your vision comes to fruition.
Upon hiring a professional landscaping team with an extensive portfolio of sample deliverables and a positive reputation, you can be assured that your project will be done quickly and efficiently. In addition, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your landscape designs will be realized without you having to spend a lot of time and effort. Besides, you’ll save a lot of money if the contractor will provide you an option that is budget-friendly.
So those are some of the everyday tasks and responsibilities of a contractor concerning Oakland landscaping. If you’re from that area, consider checking out options to get the one that best suits your needs and ideals. Don’t settle for less if you could have a professional that will assist you from start to finish.
