Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Choosing A San Antonio Hardscape Contractor

By Jennifer Wallace


Outdoor rooms and space are part of your landscape. Before spring begins, it is good to make this outdoor space beautiful. The inanimate elements of your yard like the concrete, pool, fences, and tiles create a great appeal but the best way to achieve that is by working with a professional. Many companies are out there offering hardscaping services. Here are some tips for choosing a San Antonio Hardscape Contractor.

The first step is to find out whether the person is certified for this job. There are many general landscape contractors in Santa Barbara but not most of these people have the skills to deal with the inanimate aspects of the compound. However, additional training or coaching is available to equip them with skills and experience for these specific tasks. Those who are qualified are issued with certificates to prove their expertise. Request to see these certifications.

Projects involving the use of concrete and other hard materials are risky because employees can be injured at any time. The homeowner is the person held liable when such things happen which makes it important for the company to be responsible for all liabilities. If employees are insured, you will have no legal cases nor compensate injured workers. Check if liability indemnity is available too so that they can cover damages in the event they occur.

The other tip is communication skills. Most of these projects require a timeline but since something might go wrong during work, it is vital that good communication exists between you and the company. If they take time to respond to calls and emails, that is a red flag and in case you hire such people, communication will be poor. Make observations on their response and the extent to which they keep you updated.

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.

Having found a few good companies, the other crucial step is checking their gallery. Credible contractors will post images of hardscaping projects they have successfully completed for prospective customers to see and get ideas or deciding if to use the company or not. Go through various galleries online and find the contractor whose work is similar to what you want.

Warranty is also a thing to consider. Contractors nowadays use shortcuts to complete work fast and go to the next project. In the process, they make errors that affect the project afterward. Others will use faulty products because of their price so that they can increase profit. Do not be held accountable for such things by paying for repairs that arise later. Pick people offering a warranty.

The last step is to ensure that all the details of your project are put down on a piece of paper. This can act as evidence in the court of law in case the contractor wants to breach the contract. Always read the contract before signing to make sure you sign the right thing. Use your guts to make the final decision.




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