How to hire a landscaper in British Columbia: what to check before you sign

Hiring a landscaper in British Columbia takes six checks. Match the job to the trade, ask for proof of coverage, collect written quotes, confirm utility locates, look at past work, and set a payment plan. This guide covers each one.

Landscaper List is a new directory and has no listings yet. These steps work for any landscaper you find, whether through a neighbor, a search, or this site later on.

Match the job to the trade

Landscaping covers several kinds of work. One company may not do all of them well.

Lawn care and seasonal cleanup is routine work. Planting and garden design is a different skill. Patios, walkways, and retaining walls are hardscape work. Irrigation is its own trade. Tree removal and pruning of large trees belong to a tree service or an arborist.

Name the job before you call. “I want a new cedar hedge along the back fence and a gravel path” gets a better quote than “I need my yard done.”

Tall retaining walls can need a permit or an engineer’s design. Check with your city or regional district before work starts. Ask the landscaper if they handle permits or if that falls to you.

Ask for proof of coverage

Ask for three things before you accept a quote.

First, a business licence. Many BC cities and districts require one for businesses that work in their area. Ask which municipalities the licence covers.

Second, a WorkSafeBC clearance letter. WorkSafeBC issues these to show that a company’s account is in good standing. A landscaper with employees should have coverage. Ask for a current letter. A letter from last year does not count.

Third, a certificate of liability insurance. This shows what the policy covers and for how much. Ask for the certificate from the insurance company or broker. If a tree drops on your neighbor’s fence or a trench breaks a pipe, this policy is what pays.

A professional will hand these over without fuss. A landscaper who dodges the request has told you something.

Collect three written quotes

Call at least three companies for the same job. Give each the same description. Ask each to visit the property, because a quote sent by text without a visit leaves out the details that change the price, such as slope, access, and soil.

A good quote lists:

• The exact work, area by area
• Materials, with plant sizes and pot sizes, stone type, and soil depth
• Start date and expected finish date
• Total price and what tax is included
• Payment schedule
• Cleanup and haul-away of old material
• Any warranty on plants and workmanship

Compare the quotes line by line. The lowest price often leaves something out. A quote that says “supply and install shrubs” with no sizes or counts is easy to cut corners on.

Ask about plant warranties. Some companies replace plants that die within a set time. Others do not. Get the terms in writing, including what you must do, such as watering.

Confirm who calls before digging

Any job with digging near buried lines needs a utility locate. In BC, BC 1 Call is the free service that notifies utility owners so they can mark their lines. Ask the landscaper who will make the request and when. Fences, posts, trees, irrigation lines, and deep beds all count as digging.

Look at past work and call references

Ask for addresses or photos of finished jobs. A job that is one or two seasons old tells you more than a job from last week. Plants and stonework show their quality over time.

Call two references. Ask these questions:

• Did the crew show up on the days promised?
• Did the final price match the quote?
• How did the company handle problems?
• Are the plants still alive?

Ask about local conditions

British Columbia has very different growing conditions from region to region. The seven directory regions are Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky and Sunshine Coast, Okanagan Shuswap, Kootenay Rockies, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, and Northern BC. Landscaper List sorts its directory by these regions.

Frost depth, rainfall, summer dryness, soil type, and wildlife such as deer all change what works. Ask a landscaper if they have worked in your town and which plants they pick for your conditions. Ask about local watering rules too. Rules differ by municipality and can change by season.

Set the payment plan

Agree on payment before work begins. For a large job, a deposit and payments at set stages are common. Tie each payment to a stage, such as materials delivered, base work done, and planting finished. Hold the last payment until the work is complete and you have walked the site.

Pay by cheque or electronic transfer and keep the record. Ask for a receipt for every payment. Be cautious about any request for a large cash deposit or for full payment up front.

Signs to walk away

Leave the conversation if the company:

• Will not give a written quote
• Cannot show a business licence, WorkSafeBC letter, or insurance certificate
• Pushes you to sign the same day
• Offers a price far below all other quotes with no clear reason
• Has no past work to show

Sign a simple contract

Once you pick a company, put the accepted quote into a contract. The contract should carry the same scope, materials, dates, and payment schedule as the quote. Both sides sign. Add a line stating how changes are priced. Changes to the plan are common, and a written price for each change prevents disputes later.

Keep the contract, the quote, the proof documents, and all receipts in one folder.