How to Hire a Landscaper

May 24, 2018

Your Yard is Important - Invest in it Properly

Not everyone has a natural green thumb, and sometimes it just makes sense to hire a professional landscaper to take care of your outdoor yardwork. When it's time to tackle a large project, you should do a little research before choosing a contractor for the job. Once you've decided what you want to have done, and roughed out a budget plan, you need to get research the following areas to find the right landscaper for the job. Do They Have Insurance? A reputable company will have insurance, specifically Workers Compensation Insurance and Business Liability Insurance. That means they are taking on the responsibility if one of the contractors is injured on the job or if there are any unexpected damages during the job. Without this coverage, you can be liable.
Check Their Credentials Take a closer look at any official credentials the company has. Are they members of a trade association, or are any of their workers certified in the field? While this isn't really a guarantee about the quality of work you can expect, it does show that the company is serious about its business and that they have proven a level of competency and knowledge to a third-party group. Do They Have any Required Licensing? Some states require that landscapers have certain licenses for some activities, such as handling industrial chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) A nursery dealers certificate may be necessary if you are buying plants. Look into what's needed for your area, then make sure your landscaper is properly licensed. Ask to See Their Portfolio A quality company should be proud of the work they have done, and should be able to provide examples of past projects with photos. Ask About Communication It is important to have clear communication when dealing with landscaping professionals. Not only do you have to manage scheduling and questions, you need to be able to clearly discuss your vision for the project. Will you have a direct line to talk to this company, or is there a specific person you can use as a contact? Discuss Your Budget Lastly, a good landscaping company will be clear and upfront about the cost of the project. Not only will they discuss all the costs with you, they should provide a written estimate at the start so you can hold them accountable if the budget gets off track. You should also be able to work with them to manage a schedule and break a large project into smaller sections, both for cost management and for logistics. To get the quality results you want, you need to start with a qualified landscaping professional. Do a little research at the beginning, and then you can sit back and let them do all the hard work.

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Auto Rates and Finger Prints: Both are Unique to You!

By Jeff Ryan • April 7, 2026

Factors You Can’t Easily Control These factors are built into your profile, but still play a major role: Your location: Claim trends, traffic, and weather patterns where you principally drive. Your age and driving experience: Especially for younger drivers. Other drivers in your household: Their age and driving history. The vehicle you own: Unique to the Year, Make, Model, and Sub-model’s damageability and cost of parts/labor. These factors significantly influence price differences, but they don’t tell the whole story. Factors You Can Control This is where habits and wise decisions can make a real difference: Your driving habits: Minimizing tickets and accidents can have a direct impact. Your coverage choices: Liability limits, deductibles, and optional coverages can vary widely. Your insurance consistency: Avoiding lapses in coverage. Your annual mileage: How much and how often you drive. Discount opportunities: Bundling, pay-in-full, NYS defensive driving course. Your Insurance Score (Yes—You Can Influence It) Insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score as part of their rating process. While it’s based on financial behaviors, it is not permanent—and it can be improved over time. Simple habits like: Paying bills on time Reducing outstanding debt Avoiding excessive credit inquiries… can positively impact your score—and in turn, your insurance rates. Your insurance score is under your control and a worthy mid to long-term project in and of itself. For more information on what you can do to positively influence your score, see: Great 8 Tip #8 - What's Credit Got to Do with Insurance? How Can I Improve My Auto Insurance Score Why Comparing Rates Doesn’t Work When someone says, “I only pay…” , the uniqueness of their fingerprint is missing. What are their: Deductibles Driving history Insurance score Household profile Coverage limits: what they may be giving up in terms of protection. Price without context can be misleading and discouraging.