Posts Tagged ‘ottawa landscape design’
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
Interlocking Stone Ottawa
Posted on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 at 4:04 pm by Bert Minor
In 2004 we contributed to an article in Ottawa Life magazine titled “Buyer Beware”, an article about the horror stories some consumers have faced with nefarious contractors. Every year we get calls from consumers who have incurred financial losses from contractors who cut out on them, have had their homes and properties damaged by inexperienced contractors, or have had shoddy work done–work that doesn’t meet any interlocking stone installation standard. Unfortunately, such stories are far too common.
Here is a list of some of the situations we’ve come across:
Bait & Switch
A large part of the cost of installing Interlocking stone is base preparation. Some contractors sell their work as a proper installation–the right base depth for the application, optimal compaction, woven geotextile fabric, edge restraints, etc. While the the customer is at work, the shady contractor skims off the grass and a few inches of top soil, lightly compacts, grades and installs the pavers. The job is done in record time and the contractor walks away with a huge profit. However, the base is only sufficient to last for the supplied warranty, usually one or two years, and very soon after the warranty has expired the customer is left with a project that completely falls apart.
Always ask your contractor for installation specifications and, if possible, stay home during the first days of the construction phase or pop-in from time to time during the day to check on how the work is being done. If you simply can’t be home while the project is under way, then have a friend, neighbor or family member be your eyes for you. The most crucial part of interlocking stone work is the preparation; be there to make sure you’re getting what you actually paid for.
Options that are not optional
There are many components that go into a successful interlocking stone project. There is, however, only one way of installing interlocking stone that lasts–the engineer tested and approved way. Many contractors (some who have been in business for 20 to 30 years) routinely cut corners. These contractors know about edge restraints but don’t install them, they sell them as options. Edge restraints are NOT OPTIONAL, they are crucial to proper interlocking stone installation. Edge restraints are long plastic or aluminum strips that are spiked in along the open edges of an interlocking stone project. Without them the open edge pavers of your project will start to pull away. This is called “edge creep” or “brick creep”. The only way to prevent this is to have edge restraints in place.
Escalating Costs. Unethical?
This should be considered CRIMINAL! I’m amazed at how many people fall prey to this type of contractor. Although there may be certain situations that warrant altering the agreed-upon quote (finding a buried stumps, large boulders, or unstable ground in the excavation area), some contractors will routinely find ways to ask for more and more money. Insist that your contractor provide you with a plan, preferably one to scale, of what the finished work will look like. Understand your project scope, ask questions, and get the quote in writing. If you change your mind on some aspects of the project along the way ask for and sign a “change order” form so you can be fully and constantly aware of the project’s cost. If a contractor can’t provide you with a simple work plan and a solid quote, look elsewhere.
The large deposit
Some contractors may ask for a large deposit when signing a contract. You should NEVER give a contractor more than ten to twenty percent initial payment for work being performed! We’ve come across countless customers who have handed over up to 50% in up front project costs only to have their contractor mysteriously disappear or go out of business. A deposit is only required as an act of good faith; to secure your position on a contractor’s list of projects. On rare occasions, with large projects, it’s acceptable for a contractor to ask for small payments as and when project phases are completed. If this is the case, know ahead of time when your contractor will ask for payment and what, specifically, you’ll be paying for.
The Inexperienced Contractor
Many people fall victim to the “well intentioned” but inexperienced contractor. In fact, this is probably the most prevalent problem consumers are faced with. There are few regulations, licensing or skills requirements for starting a landscaping business. More and more, ill-prepared and ill-trained entrepreneurs take advantage of the loose regulations and blindly dive into this business. The uninformed homeowner is all too often subjected to the financial consequences of their inexperience.
These contractors improperly build large stone structures against your home without the proper protection or without following proper building specifications. Quite often this results in thousands of dollars in damage to your homes. They may build large retaining walls with little knowledge of the engineering specifications needed to ensure the wall doesn’t fail. These contractors often have little understanding of the limitations of the concrete products they use. They may use smaller garden wall blocks to build steps that are too high or too narrow to safely negotiate. They may build three foot high raised decks and retaining walls with smaller garden wall blocks–blocks designed to hold garden soil pressure only.
You can avoid the inexperienced contractor by doing a bit of homework. Visit www.icpi.org (interlocking concrete pavement institute) and look at the contractors section for valuable information. Learn as much as you can about how interlocking stone installation methods and ask prospective contractors how they would go about building your project. Armed with a little bit of knowledge, you can easily weed out the contractors that use six inches of limestone screenings (stone dust) or 3/4 clear crushed stone as a base–something that completely flies in the face of engineered specifications. The more you know about installation guidelines, the easier it will be for you to differentiate between inexperienced or ill-informed contractors and the professionals.
There are many contractors in this business who create beautiful and innovative designs and execute them flawlessly. Unfortunately there are infinitely more companies, some that have been in business for many years, that fall into the categories we’ve mentioned here. These companies will continue to survive and thrive on the uninformed and trusting consumer. Don’t be the next victim! Do your homework before you hire a contractor. Check references, check the Better Business Bureau and check contractor’s accreditations. Make sure your contractor has insurance in case damage is done to your home and check that they pay into Workman’s Compensation. You, as the homeowner, are the project owner and are responsible for the safety of workers on your site.
Remember, what these companies do is nothing short of CRIMINAL! They may not end up behind bars, but the more consumers are informed, the more likely these disreputable companies will end up out of business.
If you have fallen victim to some of these contractors, we’d like to hear from you. Please add a comment below.
Tags: buyer beware interlocking stone ottawa, how to choose a contractor ottawa, interlock ottawa, landscaping ottawa, ottawa landscape design, ottawa poolscapes