With all the commercial landscaping companies out there, how do you choose the right one in the Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia area? Don’t despair, we’ll help you weed through the good, the bad and the ugly so you can find the perfect landscape contractor for your property.

Here are 5 tips for choosing a commercial landscaping company that is right for your property.

1. Be Sure the Contractor Offers the Services You Require

A common misconception is that all commercial landscapers offer basically the same services but this is not the case. It’s important to get a list of services the company provides so you can compare it to your checklist.

Common Services Offered by Commercial Landscaping Companies

  • Landscape Maintenance – Mowing, edging, weeding, trimming and pruning, turf and ornamental programs, seasonal color
  • Landscape Design – Site evaluations and plans to create or enhance marketing areas and focal points. Community master planning, amenity design such as patios, outdoor kitchens, dog parks, grilling stations and fire pits
  • Landscape Construction – Planting, hydroseeding, turf installation, water feature installation, retaining walls, hardscapes, drainage, erosion control and outdoor amenity installation
  • Irrigation and Lighting – Installation, maintenance, repair and upgrades, recommendations for efficient water use
  • Snow and Ice Management – Plowing, ice melt application and sidewalk clearing.
  • Landscape Enhancement – Redesign of focal points or addition of non-contracted items such as seasonal color displays, planters or baskets, tree removal and trimming

2. Do They Employ Sustainable Practices?

Are you looking for a company that will provide you with services to help you turn your landscape into a sustainable one? If yes, you are definitely moving in the right direction for your property. Creating landscapes that are cost-effective, energy efficient, water saving and environmentally conscious are all great ways to make an impact on your budget and the environment.

The landscaping company you choose should have sustainability at the forefront of everything they do, from the materials and plants they use to their water management plans for your site.

Questions to Ask Potential Contractors

  • Where do they purchase plant materials and other supplies? Do they use native plants?
  • What changes could be made to help you save money and resources?
  • Can they recommend organic programs that could actually work for your property?
  • Do they recycle yard waste like leaves, clippings and fallen branches?
  • What programs do they offer to make irrigation and lighting more energy or water efficient?

3. Research Company Qualifications

You can save yourself some headaches by doing a bit of research at the beginning of the vetting process. Check out the company website, request references and ask colleagues. If you still have questions, reach out directly to the company.

Questions to Ask Commercial Landscaping Companies

  • Does the company hold certifications and proper licensing for the work they intend to perform? Can they provide documentation?
  • What industry qualifications does the company hold?
  • Are they insured and for how much?  Can they provide insurance documentation?
  • Does the company have the equipment and manpower to handle your job?
  • What affiliations does the company have?
  • Are all services performed in-house or will you be dealing with a subcontractor for certain contract items?

4. Make Sure You Have a Designated Account Manager

One of the keys to a beautiful landscape is a great relationship and open dialogue with the person overseeing your account. This person may be different than your salesperson so be sure to find out who to direct your questions to after the sale and how to best reach him or her.

5. Ask for References

When hiring a commercial landscaping company you want to know how your property is going to look under their care. In addition to photo references of past site work, it’s a good idea to visit sites that are currently being serviced by the company you are considering. Ask the references about timeliness, quality of work, and plant material, level of communication and their overall happiness with the company.

There are many commercial landscaping companies in the Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia area. These tips should help you choose the best landscape company for your property, one that not only fits your budget, but also fits your vision for your property both now and in the future.

If you are interested in getting a bid from Complete Landscaping Service, email us at bids@completelandscapingservice.com or click here to go to our Contact Us form. 

This article has 29 comments

  1. Erika Brady Reply

    One of the first things I try and do when choosing a landscaping service is get a list of the services the company provides. I had an issue in the past when I didn’t do this and the company could not perform the task I asked them to. So that one is really important in my book. That way you are sure not to waste any time or money that is unnecessary.

  2. Jade Brunet Reply

    It is good to know that there are several services offered when hiring a landscape company. I am happy to learn that they are comfortable with planting and installing turf. It would be wise to find someone local who is familiar with the kind of plants that will thrive in your climate.

  3. Rachel Lannister Reply

    I really loved what you said about choosing a landscape contractor that will install a landscape that is sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally conscious. I’ve been wanting to cut down on the amount of water I use in my garden, as I want to do my part in conserving water. I’ll have to find a landscaper that could make me a beautiful garden that doesn’t require as much water as my current one does.

  4. siaosi Reply

    It would be nice to have my landscape increased by a professional. I would like to know that everything is done correctly. I would want to know that the landscape is enhanced by a professional.

  5. Max Reply

    I think that having a landscape maintenance service for my home that includes the turf and ornamental program would be great. I’ve never been a big fan of mowing the lawn, so having someone else to come and do it for me sounds like a dream. I’m going to have to look into having landscaping done for my yard, and see how it looks! Thanks for the info!

  6. Precious Leyva Reply

    Wow, I didn’t even think to ask a landscape service if they offered the services that I need. My yard needs a lot of help so I’ve been looking into different companies that can help me out. The biggest thing that I am in need of is turf removal.

  7. Braden Bills Reply

    I want to make sure that my landscape project taken care of. There’s a complicated light system, but I don’t know how to do it. It makes sense that I would want to find a good contractor for that! It would be nice to have some help for installing my lighting system.

  8. Sandra Hexner Reply

    Thank you so much for mentioning that the end product of our landscape design matches our maintenance ability. I am wanting to redo our front yard so it’s a lot easier to take care of. Also, choosing easy plants that thrive in our area, that I won’t have to continually change out will make it easier, but also save us money in the long run. I’ll have to follow your advice while searching for our landscaper. Thanks!

  9. Gloria Durst Reply

    I like how you would wnt to ask for documentation of insurance when you are choosing a landscaper. It would make sense to find someone who is insured because this would show they are a professional company. My sister is looking for someone to landscape her yard to help her home sell better, so she’ll have to find someone who has proper insurance.

    • Sue Zwolinski Reply

      Gloria,
      All you need to do is ask. Any reputable contractor will easily be able to provide a certificate of insurance that shows that they have Worker’s Compensation coverage, Automobile coverage, and General Liability Coverage. The certificate can be sent to you by their insurance company as well.
      Hope that helps!

  10. Gloria Durst Reply

    I agree that you want to be sure that a landscaper is properly certified and licensed. It would make sense to find someone who is licensed because it would show their experience. My sister is looking for a landscaper to help lay down sod, so she’ll have to find someone who is properly licensed.

  11. Derek Dewitt Reply

    My wife and I have been thinking about landscaping the backyard to add a garden but we aren’t sure where to start. I like that you suggest asking for references and photos of past sites the company has worked on. Seeing proof of skills always puts my mind at ease when choosing a contractor. Thanks for sharing!

  12. Katie Dunn Reply

    I really like your idea about making sure that a commercial landscaping company uses sustainable practices. I am currently trying to help my brother plan out his new business and I really think that it would be an advantage for him to be environmentally conscious. I bet that doing so would not only help save the planet but utility money as well.

  13. Zachary Tomlinson Reply

    Thanks for sharing! I want to bring in order my garden, so I’m looking for landscaping services. It’s awesome you talked about researching company qualifications in order to be sure of the quality of the work. I’ll definitely consider these recommendations in order to make the right choice.

  14. Harper Campbell Reply

    It’s good to know that when it comes to hiring a sitework contractor that there are some things that need to be looked at in hopes of finding the right one. I like how you mentioned that one needs to research the company’s qualifications to make sure that there will be no headaches that might come from the project. This is something that they should have to remember to make sure that their project is completed correctly.

  15. Sharon Wilson Smith Reply

    I liked your tip research company qualifications because you can save yourself from any problems that might arise. I believe that a good landscaping company must have good qualifications so it can provide quality results. If I were to hire a landscaping professional, I’d make sure to consider your tips.

  16. Tammie Houston Reply

    It’s interesting how you mentioned that problems can be avoided by researching for the company’s qualifications by checking the website or asking around. I’m planning to have my yard landscaped for my sister’s birthday, and I want someone reliable to do the job for me. Thanks to your tips, I know now how to start. I’ll make sure to keep that in mind as soon as I start looking for a landscaper.

  17. Gloria Durst Reply

    I like how you say that you would want to look at a landscaper’s references. It would be good to consider this because it would help ensure they are qualified. My brother needs a landscaper, so he’ll have to choose one with references.

  18. Cameron Bennett Reply

    I like that you mention making sure that a landscaping company has insurance before hiring them. It’s also good to compare at least three different companies to see what services they offer and what their prices are. Getting as much information as you can beforehand ensures that you’ll have a well designed and maintained property.

  19. Persephone de Vito Reply

    It was really nice that you mentioned researching by visiting the company’s website, requesting references and contacting previous clients, and reaching out directly to the company for further concerns. It might be quite a taxing activity, however, it’s only reasonable considering I’ll be trusting them with my yards landscaping. I was planning to have the garden landscaped as preparation for my sister’s 18th birthday next year. This article will really help me decide who to pick. Thanks!

  20. Bobby Saint Reply

    I couldn’t agree more when you mentioned doing your own research first to check if the landscaping company meets your qualifications. It is recommended to verify the company’s credentials first by browsing through their website. You may also want to ask for references and check for some feedback and testimonials from past clients. If you receive mostly positive responses, then chances are, the company may indeed be reliable. If I were to look for a landscape contractor, I would make sure to take this into account. Thanks.

  21. Kenneth Gladman Reply

    I like that you mentioned asking about organic options a landscaping company can provide. This is something that I value a lot in my yard. I want the best fertilizers and treatments available. At my age it is hard to get out and do everything I want to in my yard so hiring someone is a good plan for me.

  22. James Reply

    There are many reasons why you need to maintain a beautiful landscape to commercial properties. Not only it can enhance the image of the business but also it gives highlight to the site structure thus increasing the value of your home and attracting more customers.

  23. Moira Blythe Reply

    My husband and I have been more concerned about the sustainability and the eco-friendliness of everything that we do. I appreciate your advice that our landscape design company should not only be concerned about sustainability, but it should be at the forefront of everything they do. This is great advice, and we’ll have to make sure we find a company like this!

  24. Ava Murphy Reply

    I do like that you suggested asking the references of the commercial landscaping contractor that you’re interested in about their overall happiness in hiring the commercial landscaping company that they used. My mother is dreaming of owning a business in the future, so she is wanting to have a commercial building yard that’s well designed and maintained. Since she’s firm that she only wants to hire a commercial landscaping contractor that has a good track record of satisfied clients in the past to make sure that she will receive the best service, it will make sense for her to make time to speak with the past clients of the commercial landscaping company that she will hire. Thanks!

  25. Malia Davis Reply

    I like your tip to ask for photos of past jobs so that you can make sure the contractor will be able to do your landscaping the way you want. That would be really helpful because you could see if their past projects look similar at all to what you’re thinking of! We are trying to find the right contractor to handle the landscaping in our backyard, so we will keep that in mind as we search. The photos would help me know which ones do the kind of work we need done, which would give me peace of mind!

  26. Skylar Williams Reply

    I never realized that not all landscapers offer the same services. My sister owns a bakery with a garden and she needs some help maintaining it. I’ll pass this information onto my sister, so she can do her research before hiring a landscaper.

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