DIY Options vs. Professional Services
While many homeowners have basic lawn maintenance skills, landscaping requires more specialized knowledge. Full-scale landscaping employs heavy equipment and intense labor. More complex elements, such as fire pits or irrigation systems, need construction and machinery experience as well.
Small landscaping projects, such as removing overgrown plants or adding flower beds, can be easy projects to DIY. If you don't have basic lawn expertise or are planning a complete yard overhaul, we recommend hiring a professional.
Professional landscape designers and architects can enhance your lawn, recommend the most cost-effective upgrades, and help develop a long-term landscape maintenance plan. These professionals have the knowledge and skill set to elevate your outdoor space. Contactors that offer lawn care services can improve your lawn's health and help you avoid costly mistakes.
Factors To Consider When Choosing an Marietta Landscaping Company
Hiring the right landscaper depends on several factors, such as your budget, your service needs, and the company’s experience. Keep the following considerations in mind when hiring a landscaping contractor.
Services Offered
Different landscaping providers cater to different lawn needs. Some providers focus on services that help with the health and maintenance of your yard, such as controlling weeds, fertilizing, mulching, mowing, and pruning. These companies often also provide pest management and tree cutting services.
You should hire a full-service landscaping company if you're revamping your entire yard or adding new elements, such as a fire pit. These providers specialize in outdoor upgrades and designs, such as adding hardscapes, gardening, and landscaping rock projects. They can also help install sprinkler or irrigation systems, retaining walls, fire pits, and other architectural elements, and some also offer lawn maintenance services.
Licensing and Experience
Landscapers often have advanced training and certification in areas such as horticulture, outdoor design, and lawn maintenance. Your provider should have the appropriate licenses from the Marietta city government. It might also employ the following certified staff members:
- Certified fertilization or pesticide specialists
- Licensed arborists
- Licensed horticulture specialists
- Licensed or certified landscaping designers or architects
Reputation and Reviews
We recommend checking third-party review sites such as the Better Business Bureau to gauge a company's reputation and customer experience. Stay away from companies with largely negative reviews or frequent mentions of poor project results, unreliable customer service, or delayed projects. Try to choose a provider with positive customer ratings.
Work Portfolio
Most landscaping and maintenance companies will have before and after photos of past projects to demonstrate the quality of their work. Ask to see your provider's portfolio. You can specifically ask for photos of projects similar to yours, to see how yours might look and even get some inspiration.
Sustainability Practices
Sustainability is an important consideration both during and after a landscaping project. Ask your landscaping company about its best practices for water conservation, eco-friendly material options, and waste management; you can also ask for maintenance recommendations. Landscaping companies should choose native plant life (such as trumpet honeysuckle, climbing aster, and narrowleaf sunflower) when planting new vegetation, and they shouldn't allow their work to affect your existing vegetation.
Cost
Request multiple quotes from different to compare pricing and services. Most companies offer free consultations in which they'll review your outdoor space, make recommendations, and go over project plans. A detailed quote will outline project costs such as labor and materials. You can use a quote to compare with other companies and sometimes negotiate a better price.
Landscaping Costs in Marietta
Landscaping typically costs $28–$42 per hour in Marietta, depending on project size and type. Simple tasks, such as mowing or gardening, are less expensive than major yard work, such as resodding. Factors such as the size of your yard and the materials you choose will all influence your final cost. For larger yards, a provider may charge by the acre. Bigger projects need more labor, which will increase costs. Here's the average cost of landscaping by project type:
Landscaping Service | Average Cost |
---|---|
Deck | $13,694 - $18,259 |
Landscaping Design | $2,109 - $2,813 |
Landscaping LandGrading | $425 - $2,550 |
Landscaping Mulch | $26 - $128 |
Planting FlowerBeds | $85 - $1,700 |
Planting Trees | $223 - $371 |
Sodding | $43 - $51 |
Swimming Pool | $32,301 - $85,001 |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Landscaping in Marietta
What are warning signs of a bad landscaper?
What are the benefits of landscaping?
Are landscapers the same as gardeners?
What is a landscape designer?
How do I negotiate a price with a landscaping company?
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