Best 5 Landscaping Companies in Shoreline, WA

DIY Options vs. Professional Services

Many homeowners have basic lawn maintenance knowledge, but landscaping necessitates more advanced skills. Full-scale landscaping projects require intense labor and heavy equipment. Adding more complex elements, such as an irrigation system or fire pit, requires construction and machinery expertise.

You can DIY some landscaping projects, such as removing overgrown plants or adding flower beds. However, if you don't have basic lawn expertise or if you're planning a larger yard overhaul, consider hiring a landscaping contractor.

Hiring a landscape designer or architect helps you avoid expensive mistakes. These professionals have the knowledge and skills to elevate your outdoor living space, recommend cost-effective upgrades, and help you develop a plan for long-term maintenance.

Factors To Consider When Choosing an Shoreline Landscaping Company

Experience and reputation are important considerations for choosing a landscaping company, but you also want to ensure that the provider offers the services you need within your budget. Consider the following factors when hiring a landscaping contractor.

Services Offered

Consider your landscaping needs before choosing a provider. Some companies offer lawn care services—including controlling weeds, mowing, pruning, fertilizing, and mulching—to help improve your yard health and maintenance. These companies often also offer pest control and tree clearing services.

Plan to hire a full-service landscaping company if you plan to do a full revamp of your yard or want to install elements such as fire pits, retaining walls, or sprinkler or irrigation systems. These providers specialize in outdoor upgrades and designs, including landscaping rock projects, adding hardscapes, and gardening. Some provide lawn maintenance services in addition to design and architectural services.

Licensing and Experience

Your provider should possess the appropriate licenses from the Shoreline city government. Most contractors also have advanced training and certification in areas such as lawn maintenance, horticulture, and outdoor design. Your provider might employ the following certified staff members:

• Certified fertilization or pesticide specialists
• Licensed arborists
• Licensed horticulture specialists
• Licensed or certified landscaping designers or architects

It might also have certifications from professional organizations, including the Professional Landcare Network and the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Although these certifications aren’t mandatory, they’re an added bonus. Your landscaper should be fully insured and bonded. Contractors will typically have liability insurance for protection against bodily injury or property damage. Request a certificate of insurance or insurance numbers to verify coverage.

Reputation and Reviews

Find a contractor who gets good reviews from customers. You can look at third-party review sites like the Better Business Bureau to verify that a company has a good reputation and provides a positive customer experience. Avoid companies with largely negative reviews, including ones that frequently mention unreliable customer service, delayed projects, or poor project results.

Work Portfolio

Most landscaping and maintenance companies will have before and after photos of previously completed projects to demonstrate the quality of their work. Request 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 practices will include waste management, water conservation, and eco-friendly material options, and they're an important consideration when choosing a landscaper. Landscaping work done on your property shouldn't impact your current vegetation. Additionally, your landscaper should choose native plants, such as evening primrose, red columbine, and beach strawberry. Ask your landscaper about sustainability practices for your project, and get recommendations for ways to reduce maintenance costs, water consumption, and waste.

Cost

Request quotes from multiple companies to compare services and prices. Most providers offer free consultations in which they'll review your outdoor space, provide recommendations, and go over project ideas. Your detailed quote should outline project costs such as materials and labor. You can use a quote to compare with other companies and sometimes negotiate a better deal.

Landscaping Costs in Shoreline

In Shoreline, you should expect to spend approximately $30–$45 for landscaping, depending on project type and size. Significant yard work such as resodding will be more expensive than more straightforward tasks such as gardening and mowing. Factors like your yard's size and the materials you choose will affect your final cost. For larger yards, companies might charge by the acre. Large or complex projects need more labor, which will increase costs. The table below shows the average cost of landscaping by project type:

Landscaping Service	Average Cost
Deck	$12,963 - $17,284
Landscaping Design	$2,291 - $3,055
Landscaping LandGrading	$436 - $2,615
Landscaping Mulch	$26 - $131
Planting FlowerBeds	$87 - $1,743
Planting Trees	$228 - $381
Sodding	$44 - $52
Swimming Pool	$33,119 - $87,155