Selecting A San Antonio Hardscape Contractor

By Jennifer Wallace


During summer or spring, people organize parties outdoors while others take most meals like breakfast outside. Your outdoor room or space must, therefore, be safe and aesthetically appealing. Elements of the landscape like the spa, paving stones, decks and walls must be repaired or installed by someone who is knowledgeable. The following is a guide on how to choose a San Antonio Hardscape Contractor.

First, start by finding people who are certified or have hardscape certification. A landscaper who specializes in things that grow like flowers, grass, and plants cannot handle a paving project or patio because they are in different areas. A contractor will require additional training to provide such services. Therefore, when hiring apart from looking at the landscaping documents of a contractor, request for a certificate to proving extra training in this industry.

After confirming the certification, the next step is checking if the company has the relevant insurance policies. The policies will give you a peace of mind knowing that even if employees are injured you will not be liable. On the issue of damages, the insurer will compensate you too. So, avoid extra expenses and liabilities by requesting to see valid insurance certificates. Contact the insurance company to corroborate the validity of the permits.

The other step is checking the communication skills of you provider. If their communication is poor you can tell by checking if how the company responds to phone calls and texts. Get people who are prompt and with workers whose verbal skills are good so that they can update you or explain the process of the project. In future, such people will be good because you will be involved in the project due to constant contact.

Also, consider the upfront amount the contractor is requesting. Work cannot just commence without paying a certain amount to the contractor. The amount should, however, be reasonable. Fraudsters often ask for half the total amount of the project so that they can walk away. Others with financial constraints will also request large deposits because they cannot fund the project on their own. Avoid such people and select those who request for fair deposit amounts.

Additionally, request pictures showing previous jobs of the contractor you want to hire. Certification, insurance, and deposit are not enough to measure the performance of hardscape contractors. The best way to measure performance is by going through images of their past work. If you want a patio, ask for images of projects like those they have completed. It will be easy to get new ideas of the project or know what to expect from the contractor.

Another step after finding the right companies is checking those among them that offer a warranty. Even though you have seen good images of some previous jobs, it is good that they be willing to stand behind their work. Workmanship errors and the use of faulty materials are common and instead of carrying the burden of repairs that come later, with a warranty, the contractor will offer free repairs.

In conclusion, ask for a written agreement. Trusting verbal agreement can put you in much trouble later since it can be easy to change the terms. Ensure insurance, cost estimate and timeline are put down on a piece of paper and signed by the parties involved. After, trust your gut to make the right decision.




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