Landscaping Services here in Columbia South Carolina differ from company to company. One company may offer you a price that is significantly higher than the next company. It really does pay in the long run to educate yourself to the facts about how landscaping jobs are priced so you can make the right choice in landscapers.
Not only should you look at the bottom line price of the landscaping estimate, but you should also look at the quality of service, promptness, attention to detail, and overall look of the finished installation. A low end bid may be cheap initially, but could result in dead plants, severed irrigation lines, erosion problems, or general lack of creativity or appeal. The "lowball" bid is usually low for a reason - is this landscape contractor licensed to do business in your city? Is this company reputable and can they provide you with character references? Does the company employ illegal aliens? Does this company pay their taxes? These are all questions that you should ask before you sign a contract for landscaping.
Another factor that drives the price of a landscaping project is the cost of materials. If the landscaping service that you are having to bid on your project has a good connection with a local nursery or farm, they can usually get a better price for the materials. It is generally up to the landscaper as to how much they charge you in the end for these materials - after all, the landscaper has done the foot work in locating the best prices and has done enough business with the material supplier to merit the "wholesale" prices that they enjoy.
Cost of labor is also a factor. What is the cost of the labor that the landscape contractor has to pay? If the cost of labor is significantly higher, then the dollar cost to you the consumer will be higher. If the cost of labor is extremely cheap, then there might be problems with communication, trustworthiness, and local economic impacts. It is a common misconception that immigrant labor is the only labor that is cheap. There ARE Nationalized Americans who are willing and able to do the labor that is involved in landscaping and Groundskeeping at a reasonable rate. A responsible landscape contractor will take these factors into account when running their business.
So whether it's lawn maintenance, landscaping services, or groundskeeping, it pays to take a good look at the company who you are employing. That money that you pay to the company might just come back around to YOU if you are prudent with your selection!
