Archive for the ‘Thoughts’ Category
Doing it Right—The missing component!
Posted on Sunday, July 18th, 2010 at 1:57 pm by Bert Minor
In a recent Ottawa Citizen Article entitled DIY—not so simple, Mike Holmes, the undisputed king of home improvement, explains the pitfalls of the “Do-it-Yourselfer” approach to projects. He makes a sound argument that some projects really should be left to the professionals. In short, even if you know “how” to do something, it’s more critical to know “why”. You might know how to remove a section of water-stained drywall and replace it, the article goes on to say, but if you don’t know what caused the stain in the first place you’ll be patching the same stain year after year. “It’s like a doctor treating the symptom and not the disease.”
In my line of work, I come across many contractors—and some Do-It-Yourselfers—who know the “how” of landscape construction. The DIY may have read articles and conducted extensive research before tackling a project. A contractor may have gone further and participated in landscape construction courses and achieved accreditations. Quite popular among landscape contractors are ICPI accreditation coursess provided by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. These courses teach interlocking stone and segmental wall installation techniques. While earning your education this way is laudable, it often focuses on the build side rather than the design side of the equation.
Harmony, order, unity, rhythm, proportion, functionality—these are some of the requisites of a successful landscape design. These precepts in design theory are the building blocks of proper landscape composition and properly understood and applied will lead to stunning landscape designs. Overlooking these principles, however, often lead to chaos—a mish mash of unrelated design elements and components that assault the senses. As well as being visually unappealing, poorly conceived designs are often impractical. They may have spaces that are too large or too small for their intended use or surroundings. Quite often elements of the design are scattered and lack cohesion or are improperly placed. A patio seating area, for example, may be positioned under full sun exposure rather than taking advantage of available shade on site.
A lot of residential landscape contractors currently in business don’t have a trained or accredited designer on staff. Many of the contractors you meet when soliciting bids for a landscaping project are operator-owned. They own and run their business, meet with customers, prepare the design and quotes and quite often work on the projects. They wear too many hats and often have only some of the skills necessary to perform any one of their roles effectively. Quite often their design inspiration is based on personal experience—what they’ve done or seen—rather than established design theory.
I am often amazed at some of the design-challenged projects that get the green light from homeowners. What’s more, it seems that some homeowners have no idea that the project that they’re so proudly showing off to their family and friends would horrify a trained designer—or just about anyone with a more critical eye. There are large, excessive garden walls that completely overpower entrances, massive steps that belong in front of a church or commercial building rather than adorning a residential home, patio areas designed too small for their intended use or functions, designs composed of a mismatch of unrelated or competing styles—the list goes on.
A properly designed landscape, one conceived and planned using established and sound theory, really is crucial to success. You should always look at a contractor’s technical ability to implement your landscape project, but of greater importance is a qualified design professional that can provide you with an overall vision. Hire a contractor that has a trained designer on staff or hire a trained or accredited designer to help in the planning process, then shop around for a contractor with the technical skills and experience to make your landscape dreams a reality.
On a final note, there are some successful landscape designers that have no formal training—they have a gift and style that shines through in their work. You may get lucky in your search, but going with an accredited designer is a much better option than leaving a project to chance. At the very least, ask to see a portfolio. Most reputable contractors and designers will have one handily available or will have an online portfolio to show off their work.
Tags: interlock, interlock ottawa, landscape design, ottawa landscape design, ottawa landscapers, pool design work, Poolscapes
The Better Business Bureau–is membership relevant?
Posted on Sunday, July 11th, 2010 at 5:41 pm by Bert Minor
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been an excellent organization serving consumers and businesses alike for nearly a century. Founded in 1912 by the Associated Advertising Clubs of America (currently the American Advertising Federation), it started out as movement by industry to self-regulate and adopt truth in advertising standards. It’s now better known by most as a champion of the consumer—a place to file complaints and check a business’s overall service or performance rating.
For most businesses, deciding to join the Better Business Bureau is purely a marketing decision. Since many consumers assume members of the Better Business Bureau operate at a higher standard, it’s a relatively inexpensive way to buy credibility. Do BBB member companies really operate at a higher standard? Unfortunately consumers are somewhat misled. Even the BBB website explains that BBB membership does not guarantee quality service or workmanship from an organization. Membership is simply an agreement between a business and the BBB; a pledge that the member business will operate under the Better Business Bureau “Standards of Conduct”, now referred to as “Code of Business Practices (Accreditation Standards)”.
The Better Business Bureau has come under fire of late for violating some of the very truth in advertising tenets on which it was founded. They have muddied the waters somewhat. Until recently, consumers could search for a business on a BBB website and get an impartial review of how well a company was performing. Today, if a company is not a dues-paying member of the Better Business Bureau consumer searches show the listing against a grey, drab and lifeless background and often with an NR rating (Not Rated). That, in and of itself, implies a company is too obscure to even rate–even if that business is well established and respected by consumers and industry peers alike.
If a company is a dues paying member of the BBB, however, you’re greeted with a bright and lively two tone blue listing and a company is immediately rated and referred to as “accredited”. Furthermore, the term “accredited” implies that member companies have earned some noble status when, in truth, all they’ve done is simply paid a yearly membership fee and agreed to operate under the BBB Standards of Conduct. Essentially they get preferential treatment for supporting the BBB.
A recent Smart Money magazine article goes even further and implies that the BBB is too cozy with the firms it monitors. The article goes on to say that paying members might actually be given higher ratings or more favorable treatment than non-paying members. The BBB is also under fire, and being sued in the U.S., for favoritism. Incorp Services Inc. is suing the BBB of Southern Nevada claiming BBB ratings are biased in favor of companies paying accreditation fees. There is mounting criticism that the BBB ratings standards are flawed, obscure and unreliable. Scott Jordan, a freelance writer in Mesa Arizona, also questions the reliability of the BBB rating system. According to his article the BBB simply doesn’t have the resources necessary to give any single business more than a fleeting glimpse, let alone a proper rating.
A few years ago we were dues paying members of the BBB and enjoyed an A+ rating on one of those beautiful blue banners. Given that we only ever get asked if we are BBB members about 10% of the time, we felt our dues and membership fees budget could be used more effectively. We made a strategic decision to put more money in training; training that earns us accreditations that are pertinent to our business and that, in turn, supports our industry association. Well, since we dropped our BBB membership we lost our beautiful blue banner. We are now listed as NR (Not Rated). Nothing was done to lose our A+ rating other than deciding to drop out of the BBB program and not pay the yearly fee.
There’s a great irony here. Unless things change at the BBB, consumers will lose faith in the organization. If consumers can’t rely on the information they provide, The BBB itself could be brought down by the very tenets on which they were founded; the very same standards of conduct they have members swear to uphold–Truth in Advertising.
I still encourage consumers to use the Better Business Bureau when vetting a landscape contractor. Chances are if a company isn’t flying right they’ll show up on the BBB radar. However, if a company is not listed on the BBB website, or listed and not rated ”NR”, consumers owe it to themselves to go even further in their research or risk disqualifying very qualified and capable companies. Ultimately, the better business bureau should only be considered as one of a list of things to take into account when hiring a contractor. You should at the very least:
- Check contractor references from current and past customers.
- Check references from dealers and suppliers whenever possible.
- Ask the contractor if they are part of any industry associations.
- Ask for and check on any relevant industry accreditations.
- A contractor should have a valid business license.
- Validate that the contractor has Liability Insurance.
- Confirm that the contractor pays into the Workman’s Compensation program–this can protect you from injury lawsuits from anyone getting hurt on the site.
Go ahead and check the Better Business Bureau ratings, but don’t let the drab grey listings or lack of “accreditation” mislead. Put a lot more weight in a full company vetting process. A company may well have simply made a strategic financial decision to support more relevant industry organizations and earn true and pertinent industry accreditations.
Tags: how to choose a contractor ottawa, interlock, interlock ottawa, ottawa landscape design, ottawa landscapers, Poolscapes
Come see what the fuss is about!
Posted on Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 at 6:42 am by Bert Minor
We strongly believe that creativity and quality of workmanship are what sets us apart, but don’t take our word for it. If you’d like to see what people think of the quality of our work, visit our testimonials page.
Fall is here but think summer–next summer!
Posted on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 8:55 am by Bert Minor
With shorter days and gloomy weather it’s hard to think about lounging poolside in your newly created back yard oasis. Truth is, however, this is precisely the best time to think about putting your landscape dreams to paper.
Most landscape designers are winding down for winter and with little or no snow on the ground, it’s very easy to take all the necessary measurements and photos necessary to put a plan together for spring/summer implementation. A designer will have less time pressures and more time to focus on getting things just right for you over the winter months.
Most reputable pool and landscape companies are booked several months ahead. If you wait until spring to plan, your dream back yard may not come to fruition until mid summer. If you wait until late spring or early summer, you’ll be lucky to get a few days or short weeks before it’s time to close things up again. Don’t wait and miss a full summer of fun! Call to book a consultation now. You can have a full, working landscape plan and get a jump on the list of projects scheduled for spring.
Tags: landscape design, ottawa landscaping, pools, Poolscapes
New Photos
Posted on Sunday, June 21st, 2009 at 10:34 pm by Bert Minor
We added a few more recent photos to the site. There are many more projects we’ll be including…when time permits.
Tags: design, interlock, landscape, ottawa, pool, Poolscapes
More on the Tax Credit
Posted on Monday, April 13th, 2009 at 6:32 pm by Bert Minor
Landscape Ontario released information outlining the tax credit in a bit more detail. I’ve included the PDF postcard here for review. It looks like the list of approved projects is pretty broad. It seems like the key words are projects that are of an “enduring nature”. That would include all kinds of Professional Lnadscape design and contractor services. The tax credit ends February 10, 2010. Since the landscaping season usually ends when the snow flies and most reputable contractors can be booked three to six months in advance, if you’re considering taking advantage of this tax credit, it would be wise to book an appointment as soon as possible.
You can read more about the tax credit on Landscape Ontario’s site here.
Tags: landscaping, ottawa pools, pool, pool design work, Poolscapes
Federal budget recognizes value of green industry services
Posted on Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 2:08 pm by Bert Minor
That was the heading of an email I received from our industry association–Landscape Ontario.
It’s long been known that the Harper government was working on a stimulus package for the economy. What wasn’t known until the budget was announced recently was what would be included in the package. Home renovations was widely rumored, but that’s a pretty broad field. How much of a rebate would be offered was also not clear.
Well the wait is over and we now know that the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) includes tax incentives for work outside as well as inside your home.
Here’s a short list of what’s eligible:
- Building an addition, deck, fence or retaining wall
- Painting the interior or exterior of a house
- Resurfacing a driveway
- Laying new sod
The Home Renovation Tax Credit means families can claim a 15% tax credit on work performed after January 27,2009 and before February 1st, 2010. The tax credit applies for purchases over $1000.00 and less than $10,000.00. In other words a $1350.00 maximum tax refund on work exceeding ten thousand. The refund is a tax credit to be submitted with your income taxes.
This is good news for those of you looking to have work done this year. It’s also great news for those of you whose projects got bumped last fall.
For more information visit department of finance website.
Tags: HRTC rebate, interlocking stone ottawa, landscape design, ottawa landscapers, poolscapes rebate