Quick answer
Choose a landscaper by matching the company to the work, verifying licence and insurance, checking two built references, and comparing written scopes — not by picking the lowest total or the best-looking truck.
Start with the work, not the company
Write down what you are actually hiring for:
- A maintenance route (mowing, beds, seasonal cleanup).
- A planting refresh (replace shrubs, mulch, edge).
- A full installation (beds, lawn, irrigation, hardscape).
- A design (plan, palette, budget).
- A specialist job (drainage, retaining wall, tree work, rain garden).
Then look for companies that do that work regularly. A maintenance company with 300 lawns may be excellent at route work and inexperienced at building a wall. A design-build firm may be excellent at projects and expensive for weekly mowing.
Verify the basics
Licence
Landscaping licence rules vary by state and municipality. Pesticide application, irrigation installation, electrical lighting and structural walls usually require a licence or certification. Ask for the number and verify it with the state or local authority.
Insurance
Request a certificate of insurance for general liability and workers’ compensation. For a large project, ask to be named as an additional insured. If a worker is injured on your property and the company has no workers’ comp, the problem can become yours.
Business identity
A real business has a legal name, an address, a tax ID and a bank account. Be cautious with a door-knock crew that wants cash and has no contract.
References
Ask for two projects from the last 12 months that are similar in size and type. Call the owners. Ask whether the crew showed up, whether the final bill matched the quote, and whether the company came back for problems.
Brief all three companies the same way
A written brief should include:
- Property address and access notes (gate width, slope, parking).
- Areas in square feet, with a simple sketch.
- What stays and what is removed.
- Drainage or grade problems you have noticed.
- Water source and any irrigation.
- Plant preferences and maintenance appetite.
- Budget range, if you are willing to share it.
- Decision timeline.
Companies that resist a written brief are telling you how they will handle change orders.
Compare the quotes
Put the quotes into the same table: planted area, plant sizes, soil volume, mulch depth, hardscape square feet, irrigation zones, disposal, permits, warranty, payment schedule. The lowest total is often the smallest scope.
Ask each company what they would cut first if the budget dropped 20%. The answer shows whether they understand the project or are just marking up a template.
Red flags
- No written contract or a one-page contract with no scope.
- A large cash deposit.
- Pressure to sign today.
- No physical address or no verifiable licence.
- “We can start tomorrow” on a project that needs permits.
- A quote with no plant list.
- No workers’ compensation for a crew.
- Badmouthing every competitor instead of explaining their own approach.
The interview questions
- Who will be on site, and who supervises?
- How many projects like this did you complete last year?
- What is included, and what is explicitly excluded?
- How do you handle change orders?
- What is the plant warranty, and who pays for replacement?
- Who pulls permits?
- What is the payment schedule?
- What happens if it rains for a week?
- Can I see two recent projects?
- What would you do differently on this site?
The answers matter more than the sales pitch. A company that says “we don’t do drainage, we subcontract it” is more useful than one that says yes to everything.
After you choose
Get the contract signed before work starts, with the scope, plant list, schedule, payment terms and warranty attached. Walk the site with the crew leader on day one. Take photos before, during and after. Pay by cheque or card, not cash, and hold the final payment until the punch list is done.
Next: 12 questions to ask and the contract checklist.
FAQ
What should I look for in a landscaper?
Experience with your type of project, a licence where required, general liability and workers' compensation insurance, two recent references you can visit, a written scope with a plant list, and a clear payment schedule.
How many landscapers should I get quotes from?
Three is enough. More than that wastes time and encourages companies to bid loose scopes. Give all three the same written brief.
Is the cheapest landscaper a bad choice?
Not necessarily, but a price far below the others usually means a smaller scope: less soil prep, smaller plants, no disposal or no irrigation. Compare line items before deciding it is a bargain.
Should I hire a design-build firm or separate designer and installer?
Design-build is simpler and often cheaper on small projects. Separate design gives you an independent plan you can bid to several installers, which is better for large or complex work.