Hiring a landscaper: what to ask before you say yes

Two quotes for the same job can be far apart. Often that's not because one landscaper is cheaper. It's because the two quotes cover different work.

The cheap quote usually leaves out what you can't see when the job is done. The base under the pavers. The drainage behind the wall. The soil under the turf. Those are the parts that decide whether the job lasts.

In NSW, some landscaping counts as residential building work. Retaining walls, paving and drainage are the usual ones. Above a set value, the person doing that work must hold a contractor licence.

Ask for the licence number and the name it's under. Then check it yourself on NSW Fair Trading's public licence check. It shows whether the licence is current and what work it covers.

For bigger building jobs, the law can also require a written contract and home building insurance. Ask whether your job needs them. A good landscaper will know the answer.

Ask for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance. That's the document that shows the cover is current. Anyone properly set up can email it the same day.

If someone digs into a pipe or damages a neighbour's fence, this is what covers it. Without it, the bill can end up with you.

Get the quote in writing, and make sure it says what's included. A good quote covers:

How the ground will be prepared. What drainage goes in, and where the water will go. What soil is being brought in. The size of the plants, since small pots are cheaper. Taking away the old material and the green waste. Any approvals or engineering the job needs. The clean-up at the end.

It should also say what happens if they dig and find rock, old concrete or a buried pipe. You want to hear that they stop, show you, and price it before going on. Our three written promises say how we handle it.

Be careful with a price given without looking at the ground. Be careful with a big deposit before any work starts. Be careful with no written quote, no licence number, or cash only.

A good landscaper will answer all of these questions happily, us included. Ask us about a garden design, or try our garden check to see what your garden might need first.