Working With Professionals

Landscape professionals provide many different services. There are landscape architects, landscape designers, landscape contractors, horticulturalists, and arborists. While there is some overlap among these professions, there are also important distinctions:

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Landscape architects - have advanced education, professional training, specialized skills, and licensure in 46 states, including California. Licensure is obtained through education, experience, and successfully passing a licensing exam. An LA manages any job concerning the design and use of outdoor space and the land. The scope of the profession includes site planning, town and urban planning, park and recreation planning, garden design, and historic preservation. They provide analysis, planning, design, management, and stewardship of outdoor space and land. For more information, contact the American Society of Landscape Architects at www.asla.org.

•	Landscape designers - focus primarily on landscape garden design, environmental management, and the preservation of historical landscapes. For information, contact the Association of Professional Landscape Designers at www.apld.org.

•	Landscape contractors - install planting, irrigation, and structural elements of design. For information, contact the California Landscape Contractors Association at www.clca.org.

•	Horticulturalists - are trained in the science of growing and producing plants. For information, contact the California Association of Nurserymen and Nursery Growers at www.cangc.org or call (800) 748-6214

•	Arborists - are trained in the science of protecting and preserving trees and plant life. For information, contact the American Society of Consulting Arborists at www.asca-consultants.org

•	Request the architect’s portfolio. Speak with past clients, if possible. If water-efficient landscape is of interest, ask about water conservation gardens they may have designed.

•	Prepare a realistic budget. One rule of thumb is to invest no more than ten percent of your property’s worth into landscaping. This figure should include all design and installation costs, as well as plant materials.

•	Request the architect’s state license number and call the State License Board at (800) 321-2752; or look on line to verify that the license is current, and in good standing.

•	Request a complete description of the work to be done; quantities and sizes of all materials to be used, including plants materials; brand name of irrigation equipment; and a landscape water management plan.

California state law requires anyone who contracts to do landscape work to be licensed by the Contractors State License Board if the total price of the job (including labor and materials) is $500 or more. Licensed contractors are bonded and must complete four years experience at journeyman, or higher, in the same trade to apply for a license.

Typically, unlicensed persons are not bonded and may not have liability or worker’s compensation insurance. Be aware that if you hire an unlicensed person, you may be financially responsible if injuries, fire, or property damage occurs.

•	Request the contractor’s state license number and call the Contractors State License Board at (800) 321-2752 to verify that it is current and in good standing.

•	Request a list of similar jobs the contractor has recently completed in your area. Look at the work and talk to the owners, if possible.

CLCA is the nation’s oldest and largest organization of licensed landscape and irrigation contractors and can be reached at (916) 830-2780.

If you are concerned about making sure that the company you select is operating in an environmentally-friendly manner, consider selecting a certified Green Business. For more information on landscaping companies that meet these requirements, visit http://www.greenbiz.ca.gov/ or call 510-567-6770 or 408-441-4331.

It’s a good idea to obtain more than one bid so the price and work offered can be compared. Request all bids in writing. Remember that the lowest price may not always be the best. The contractor may have made a mistake, or may not have included all the work quoted by competitors. Be certain that each bid lists all the preparatory and finish work that the contractor has suggested; including the amounts and types of soil amendments and brand of irrigation equipment.

A landscape contractor is required to have a license bond posted with the Contractors State License Board. However, this bond does not ensure that your job will be completed. It’s a good idea to ask your contractor to provide you with a “payment and performance” bond that covers the full price of your job. Although nothing can totally ensure your job will be completed, a payment and performance bond provides a financial guarantee against mechanic’s liens that can be filed against your property by subcontractors or material suppliers should your contractor fail to pay them.

Be cautious about contractors who ask for payments prior to beginning the job. Most landscape and irrigation contractors do not require a down payment. Full payment is usually requested on completion of the job, or payment is made in installments if the job will take a period of weeks. If a down payment is required, ask the Contractors State License Board what amount is the legal limit that can be charged. Make payments by check or money order, not cash. Inquire

The law requires that home improvement contracts over $500 be in writing. However, whatever the amount, it is strongly recommended to insist on a written contract for your own protection.

•	Total cost. Be certain that any down payment or schedule of installment payments is specified in exact dollars and cents in your contract.

•	A complete description of the work to be done; all materials to be used, including cost breakdown, quantities, and sizes of plant materials; name brands of irrigation equipment.

After the contract is signed, any changes that you and the contractor agree to in the work, or materials to be used, must be in writing. The written change order must also include any additions or reductions in the total job price.

Sometimes, in spite of all the precautions, problems do occur. If this happens, contact your contractor. Usually, problems can be solved and corrections made willingly. If not, file a written complaint with the Contractors State License Board at:

You can call the Board at (800) 321-2752. The staff helps consumers with questions about contractors and will investigate all valid complaints.

To ensure a quality job, discuss with your contractor any possible inconvenience your landscape project will create. For instance, vehicles may have to be moved and covered to protect from dust. Make necessary arrangements before work begins to prevent possible delays or problems.