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Simple Landscaping Ideas for Curb Appeal

March 25, 2013

Improving and maintaining your front yard is a good place to start when you want to enhance the value and beauty of your home. A few simple landscaping ideas can improve property values, contribute to neighborhood ecology, and put your home on the map.

Simple Landscaping Ideas

Landscaping is part art form and part professional skill. Many states have licensed landscape contractors who work with a variety of other simple landscaping ideas professionals to achieve eye-popping curb appeal. This can be an expensive prospect. But you don’t need to be rich or an expert to achieve great results andscaping ideas

Just keep a few landscape ideas in mind. Start with some easy tasks. Repair any cracks in the driveway, thoroughly wash the front walls and porch, repair and clean windows and lights. Your lawn is probably the most costly and time consuming portion of yard maintenance. Keeping it weeded, mowed and fee of debris can instantly enhance your curb appeal with little expense.

Take it a step further: cut down on the size of your lawn to maximize the appeal of what’s left. Cover a section with evergreen ground cover like ivy, Pachysandra or Periwinkle. Think about adding a stone walkway, plant some heat tolerant shrubs or a tree. Compare other trees in your neighborhood for size and breed for best results.

Natural Focal Point

The front door is a natural focal point. Something as simple as painting it a new color can immediately add accent. Try repainting the trim and shutters also, for another cost effective, easy enhancement. Next add potted plants or shrubs around the door, or flower boxes under the windows.

Adding greenery necessitates a reliable water source. Take a look at your gutters. Are they overstuffed and/or deteriorating? A wonderful way to both enhance the curb appeal of your house and reuse natural rainwater is to take advantage of rain chains. Replacing existing gutters with these artistic downspouts allows you to redistribute rainwater to your flowers and plants.

Rain chains channel water runoff through tumbling waterfalls, and can be combined with rainwater harvesting systems to reuse water. This mitigates the effects of urban runoff and reduces the burden on your water bill. And it all adds up to stunning curb appeal.

Commercial Landscaping Service

January 22, 2013

What to Look For In a Commercial Landscaping Company
Finding a commercial Phoenix landscaping company that can achieve the exact look that you want without compromising quality and environmentally sound practices can be quite tricky. There are landscaping companies out there that focus just a little bit too much on the aesthetics, and not on the equally important groundwork like irrigation and pipeworks, soil testing, bush fire prevention, and greenery maintenance.

Commercial Landscaping

If you’re currently on the search for a good commercial landscaping service that can turn your Phoenix property into a beautiful horticultural haven, there are a couple things you may want to consider aside from their rates. Sure, rates and costs are usually the first things you will look at, but more importantly, you should look at the specific services that the commercial landscaper offers.

Landscape Construction and Maintenance

A good commercial landscaper should be able to coordinate and work with you regarding your desired look, design, and landscape layout. This is also why it helps to have at least a clear idea of how you envision your property to look like after landscaping work has been done on it – so that the main idea or theme will come from you, and the company will talk you through how that specific look can be achieved. The company should also conduct a site visit before they give you a definitive amount for their charges and construction expenses.
A good landscaper will also offer you maintenance services as part of their landscaping package. This means that their work is not and should not end with just the commercial landscaping construction. You should also ask the landscaper about their customer service.

Irrigation Installation

As mentioned, a good landscaping company will also thoroughly construct and examine the necessary pipework and irrigation system of the landscapes they create. The pipes and valves of the water supply system should be in good working order to ensure that the plants and trees in your landscape won’t wither and lessen the beauty of the landscape. For the environmentally conscious, it would also be nice to get a Phoenix landscaping service that follows principles on water conservation and engages in other environment-friendly practices.

If you’re looking for a good commercial Phoenix landscaping company, you should also check if they’re certified by your local business bureau and have the necessary permits to operate in the area. For example, the contractors and employees working with the company should be backed by the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association, Arizona Certified Landscape Professionals, and Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, to name a few. If available, you should also check out their portfolio so you can get a glimpse of the work they’ve done in and around the area.…

Pool Landscaping Ideas In Your Home

January 20, 2012

When it comes to landscaping, there are many places to consider. Yards, fields, and around the house often have some in common it comes to the pool, there are a few distinct differences. Often the family pool landscaping ideas will stand out from the rest, and hopefully not clash. This makes the task of pool landscaping a little harder than the rest. There is also the concern of safety and securing the pool area to prevent tragic accidents that can happen when you are not there to keep watch. Securing your pool can have notable impact even on your homeowners insurance rates. When you have a pool, you have extra concerns on a number of fronts.

Pool Landscaping Ideas

With all this in mind you still want to set a great comfortable scene around the pool that might even bring you a great level of privacy. You are not the first, nor are you at all alone in desiring great pool landscaping. Some of the factors that can dramatically effect your pool landscaping include in ground and above ground pools, the terrain around the pool, and how much room you have around it as well. If you are considering your pool, landscaping prior to actually putting the pool in, you may be in the best position of all.

Along with your search for comfort, security, safety, and scenery, you may also want to consult for extra input from your insurance agent, local safety officials, and even the pool manufacturers. You will likely find some restrictions to consider, but you may indeed find many great ideas as well. In the end, this will likely help you avoid a number of problems, and leave you to enjoy your pool more. Of course, you are also considering the scenery you will enjoy when swimming, sunbathing, or otherwise enjoying the benefits of being around your pool, so you will definitely want to consider that setting deeply.
Above ground, pools can be a little simpler for many reasons.

Effective Pool Landscaping

Pool landscaping ideas for these can be cost effective elaborate decks with steps that can be locked up out of reach to secure them. Often these look great if they blend in well with your home and other landscaping, and can still be made large enough for furniture to relax on, as well as the things you need to enjoy your pool to the greatest.

When it comes to in ground pools you will indeed need to put a lot more focus in fencing and probably vegetation that helps conceal things to your liking. At the same time, you can definitely bring about great landscapes to go with them. Just expect more expense in the pool landscaping along with the additional expenses of in ground pools. Often the venders for your pool will have many resources to help you as well on this path.

Other factors you want to consider with pool landscaping are how many people will be there to enjoy the pool, and how comfortable do you want them to be? With the scent that often comes from conditioning the water in your pool, you may also want to put more focus on vegetation that has delightful smells to offset it, and minimizing debris that may land in the pool. In the end, you want a great scene to enjoy at your landscaping ideas

The pool landscaping ideas there should bring you comfort, security, privacy, and delight to your eyes during the many times you relax around it. Focusing on the details ahead of time should help you keep the expenses down, and enjoyment up!…

The Importance of Landscaping Jobs Near Me

July 16, 2011

The Importance of Landscaping Jobs Near Me Making your home visually stimulating is very easy. landscaping jobs near me is an important part in enhancing the total look of your whole property. There are many ways to create a great garden and landscape. However, especially if you are new to a neighborhood, you need to take some guides so that you are sure you are complying with the local area’s rules and/or codes with regards to putting up a landscaping near me

Landscaping Jobs Near Me

First of all, you need to have a plan well prepared ahead of time. You need to familiarize with the plants that could survive the local environment. You need to check the characteristics of the local area’s soil, from content to moisture. This should be done so that you would be guaranteed of a landscaped garden in full bloom. You should also see which type of landscaping the locality’s water supply could provide. It is important that you take note of these initial landscaping jobs near me, as when you did not check any of these, chances are your landscaping goals and efforts would be put to waste.

Whenever you are planning the perfect landscape for your home, knowing which landscape pattern is the right one by simply looking at the neighborhood’s general look of landscaping. Most probably, the most common plants in each garden are the most appropriate ones to plant. You could talk to your neighbors how they organized their own landscape. If you so much admire one of your neighbor’s landscaping, you could also ask him which landscaping jobs near me services company they employed. Ask about the fees involved and the timeframe it took to finish his landscaping job. Through these, you could even have a deeper sense of belongingness in the neighborhood.

Important Guides in Landscaping For the Local Environment

As said above, you need to check the kinds of plants that could survive the local weather and environment. This is to ensure that each plant your landscaped garden has could be expected to fruitfully blossom. You could know about the right kind of plants by asking the local horticulturist about the native plants and/or similar plants that could grow in the local area’s type of soil. If your lot area already has native plants growing, include them in your landscape plans. In addition, if you opt for having native plants as the majority of your garden, you could save time, effort and money in caring for them because they already have adapted with the local soil and weather.

In planning your landscape garden and pattern, you should ask about the methods you could use in maintaining the plants’ health. It would be wiser to list down all the plants, shrubs, grasses and trees and the specific needs you have to provide for them. Some of their needs should be enlisted according to the water amount, watering schedule, nutrients needed, sun exposure (or none needed), supplemental fertilizers and pesticides. However, as for the last two requirements, you need to check with the locality’s codes about these things.

You have to be sure that you are complying with local rules. Check out if there are bans against specific types or brands of fertilizers and pesticides. Another concern may be that the local area prohibits usage of these, or has standards of amounts and schedule of having fertilizers and/or pesticides. It all depends upon the environmental friendliness measures implemented by the local area’s jurisdiction.

When you ensure of these top points, you could be guaranteed that your home and your new landscape would gather much attention and popularity in the neighborhood.

Curb Appeal Landscaping – Enhancements Using Landscape Designs

April 15, 2011

Curb appeal enhancements provide aesthetically pleasing attractiveness to the exterior of either a residential or commercial property. Whether you plan to sell or stay in your home, curb appeal is an important element when considering a return on investment.

Curb Appeal Landscaping

If you are considering a move, completing minimal improvements to entice a potential buyer is worth the investment “first impressions are lasting impressions”. Home buyers often decide whether or not to look inside a home based on its curb appeal. At Todd’s Services (TSI), we can assist in the improvement process by offering a consultation outlining a selection of options to meet your goals.

For instance, there are times that adding elements to your landscaping can improve curb appeal, but there are other times when removing something is even more effective. Whether the option is to dress up an area with plantings, rebuild a patio area or remove overgrown landscaping, we will meet your objective professionally.

Based on housing market conditions in Michigan, the local area is currently experiencing a growing trend of many homeowners electing to stay in their homes and invest in major updates and renovations, which often includes curb appeal enhancements instead of relocating. TSI has been in business for more than 30 years and has experienced a surge in return customers seeking to renew and modernize their existing landscape designs.

As a full service landscape business we will design and implement the entire landscaping project focusing on customer input and satisfaction. The scale of the project can be minimal to satisfy an improvement to a focused area such as an entry way or the project can be designed for a complete exterior makeover, completed in phases at the customer’s discretion. A brief selection of options may include:

Planting Packages

>Achieving curb appeal for all four seasons begins with a plant selection plan that will provide something to catch the eye in each of the four seasons. The goal is to have flowering trees throughout spring and summer, fall foliage in autumn and good structure in winter.
Hardscape themes both from practical (low maintenance) and aesthetic (curb appeal) standpoints.

>Choices may include brick paver and/or stamped concrete selections, wood or composite decking options, retaining walls of stone, brick or lumber, inclusion of an outdoor fireplace and/or kitchen.

Focal points throughout the property perfectly scaled to the space.
>>Strategic placement of low voltage lighting along your driveway, sidewalks and near important landscaping elements will enhance the curb appeal. TSI has an extensive selection of outdoor lighting options available.

>Placement of outdoor structures such as a pergola, gazebo or sitting walls accompanied with lighted columns can provide a sitting area focal point.

Lawn restoration and installation of irrigation systems.

>Looking to enhance the lushness of your lawn? TSI field personnel are experienced and provide excellent workmanship to condition a lawn to the highest quality. Highly reputable materials and products coupled with the current industry technology promote optimal irrigation system performance.

There are a number of avenues you can take to improve your residential or commercial property. Enhance your curb appeals and increase the ROI through creative landscaping design and installation.…

Starting a Landscaping Business Cards the Right Way

October 10, 2010

So you have just started your own landscaping business cards, congratulations to yourself. The landscaping industry is growing at rapid rates and the people who are coming up with new innovation’s are leading the pack.

Landscaping Business Cards

What you will discover in this article is how to market your landscaping business cards so you can establish and build a solid and loyal client base quickly without spending all your profits on advertising. Marketing is really the life blood of any business; the biggest problem is that most business owners know very little about marketing their business and for good reason, just like yourself I am sure you got into landscaping in the first place because you have skills, knowledge and experience with landscaping and not marketing landscaping companies

So with that said my intention is to provide you with some easy to follow guide lines and tasks you can do right away to help grow and market your landscaping business cards. When most businesses start out they don’t always have a huge advertising budget, and if this is you too then definitely the best way to market your business is to use the internet.
So why choose the internet to market your landscaping business?
According to an authority for research and statistic on the internet says:
In 2009 87% of people used the search engines to find a local business

52% of consumers used telephone directories less than they did two years ago

78% of consumers researched a product online before making a as you can see if you don’t create a strong online presence you are missing out of all these consumers and as time goes on only more and more consumers will flock online to find local businesses.

So how do you build an online presence?

You can pay search engine optimization, pay-per-click and website designer firms thousands of dollars a month to do it all for you or you can follow a proven simple system and do it yourself, or even get your receptionist or assistant to do the task for you in their spare time or between phone calls.

In order to build a strong online presence you need to create content or information that answers your customer’s top questions. You can do this by creating videos, articles, a blog, press releases, and social networking sites.

What you want to do then is create a very simple website with an way of capturing your visitors name and email so you can follow up and build a relationship with your potential customers. If any of this sounds confusing or goes straight over your head don’t worry, you are not alone.…

Helpful Tips In Choosing The Right Landscaping Supply Stores For Your Needs

July 10, 2010

The demand for landscaping supply stores continues to escalate as more and more people are becoming obsessed in beautifying their homes. This is why stores offering landscaping supplies are spreading like fire. If you are planning to buy some supplies, you have to choose the right store that can offer you the best materials that you need.

Landscaping Supply Store

Sometimes the best stores are the ones that do not have advertisements on TV. If you are the on the search for a landscaping supply stores, this article will give you tips in finding the right store for your landscaping needs landscaping companies

It is a good idea to check on the stores where professional landscapers buy their materials. These landscaping supply stores are not usually well known to the public but they are popular to those who are in the landscaping industry. If you are able to find this kind of store, then you are on the right track because professional landscapers will acquire materials that are of good quality and price.

Local Landscaping Supply Store

If you are eyeing on a local local landscaping supply stores near your place, try to get some feedback from a professional landscaper about it. He might know some information about the store even if he does not buy his materials from them.

He may also know the landscaping supplies available in the store and the quality of their products. If you get good feedback, then you can proceed with buying your materials and you can get started with your landscaping job. This way, you can save money and quite assured that you are getting good quality landscaping supplies.

You can also browse the yellow pages and look for contractors in your area. Talk to the contractor regarding the materials that they use and where they acquire their supplies.

If it is a bit awkward on your part to ask these questions, you can tell them that you are in the search for someone to do the landscaping job for you and that you want to be assured of the quality of materials that they use. This way, they can share you some specifications on their materials and where they purchase them.

Landscaping Companies

Most landscaping supply stores where landscaping companies acquire their materials are not very popular to the general public. This is because they do not need to do some advertising to attract ordinary buyers like you since they are already making a lot of money from landscaping companies.

When you have gotten the names of the stores from those in the industry, the next step is to find out where to find them. This way, you are able to save money while getting good quality landscaping materials.…

tips for Finding Quality Landscaping

December 8, 2009

Quality Landscaping How can you find a contractor or handyman you can trust? Often this is more challenging than it seems, as there are seemingly untold thousands of “contractors” all around you, just waiting for you to hand them your deposit check. Many will take it and begin the work. Some will take it and you may never see them again. And still others who, although they may have started the work, have walked off the job because they realized they under-bid the quality landscaping project and found it cheaper to abandon you rather than complete the project of your visions and dreams.

Quality Landscaping

Firstly, Although there is no fool-proof, iron-clad, one size fits all system to guarantee you a completed quality landscaping project with quality craftsmanship, a good place to begin is the BBB. The Better Business Bureau will list many contractors and handyman services in your area.

Company Complaints

They also maintain a history of each company’s complaints reported to the BBB by customers. Based upon the number of complaints, how they were or were not resolved, and on the length of time the company has been in business, the BBB will assign an alphabetical rating (A+ is best/F is the worst), just like what our teachers used for us in school. So your first step is to visit the BBB website.

Secondly, Narrow your search down to 2 or 3 possible contractor/handyman possibilities to work on your bath room, kitchen, basement or landscaping, and set up an appointment for them to meet with you. When meeting with them, take note of how they present themselves. They don’t have to be wearing a uniform, but should appear and act professional, with your best interest in mind.

Choosing a Reliable Handyman

Along this line, does he seem to listen to you and your ideas? Does he offer input that is harmonious with your visions and dreams? Or does he seem to want to override what you want with what he is used to and comfortable with? All professionals have some way to show you pictures of the quality craftsmanship of their work. It may be a photo album, a brochure or pamphlet, or a website. Ask to see it if he doesn’t volunteer it first.

Thirdly, In the search for someone who can be trusted, almost like “family” as he will most likely be working in your home much of the time when you are gone. Ask for testimonials and/or references. Testimonials are good reading and give you a sense of what others think about the person or persons you are considering hiring. But testimonials are very limited in their scope of usefulness.

Quality Material

References allow you to get an even better understanding of who you will be dealing with. This assumes, of course, that after you ask for and receive said references that you actually follow up and call them! Sounds simple, I know. But many of us drop the ball here and assume that since he has given us references, that no more research is needed. Wrong! Call them. Ask them how well they can be trusted. Ask about the quality of quality landscaping. Ask if he provided ideas which were not only viable, but dovetailed nicely with that homeowner’s visions and dreams.

Finally, Remember the best way to protect oneself is to exercise due diligence. Do your preliminary homework at the website. Then get personal and meet with the few individuals who managed to garner your interest. Make mental notes of how they presented themselves, how timely they were, if they showed real listening skills, and if they seemed to possess true creativity.

Lastly, before picking the one who will be responsible for implementing your vision, ask for and follow up with the references he provides.…

Are You Planning a Major Landscaping Jobs?

November 7, 2009

Landscaping Jobs With summer here for most of the country, many people start getting into the mindset of doing a landscaping project to accentuate their home. Landscaping can be a great way to add flair and excitement to an otherwise normal home, and can help to make your property more unique and attractive than that of anyone else in the neighborhood. When it comes to organizing a major landscaping jobs, you need to call in a contractor who can make use of the heavy equipment necessary to do the right job.

Landscaping Jobs

Many people who are familiar with handling small landscaping jobs feel as if they could probably handle a job of larger size on their own. However, this is almost always a bad idea, as getting involved with larger jobs can not only be dangerous but can comprise the look and stability of your property or landscaping companies

Only by working with an experienced landscaping contractor will you be able to rest assured that you’re home is in good hands and everything will run smoothly. Hiring an excavating contractor is often necessary for those who wish to install pools or other large structures, as these jobs require the use of heavy equipment that only an excavating contractor is properly trained to use. A job like this would be dangerous and nearly impossible for the everyday person to tackle.

Excavating contractors can usually work very quickly so as to assure that your project stays on schedule, and their rates are much more affordable than if you were to try to do the job yourself and rent all of the necessary equipment.

Proper Training

Depending upon the lay of your property, you may need to make use of demolition. Properties that are crowded with ingrown rock known as ledge must sometimes make use of demolition in order to clear an area to install things like pools and other large, subterranean structures.

The only way to get rid of ledge is to blast for it, as it often comes in large clusters that must be cleared out completely to be removed. No one without a license and proper training should ever try to do this type of work on their own, as it can be extremely dangerous and you can end up ruining your property.

Landscaping Contractor

Hiring a landscaping contractor is a smart move for anyone who is interested in doing a job that would be classified as too big for the average person to tackle on their own. A contractor will work out a fair deal with you and take care of all the logistics so you can sit back and relax, anxiously awaiting your newly landscaped property.

You can save valuable time, energy and money by hiring a contractor for your large landscaping jobs.…

Residential Landscaping Services Near Me

November 5, 2008

Do you admire the beautiful front yard of your neighbor’s? Do you ever envision having a breathtaking garden of your own? Perhaps it is time for an outside-home renovation. Professional residential landscaping services near me can help bring the lifestyle you envision to life. At a landscape design company, a wide range of landscape design selections is offered.

Landscaping Services Near Me

The professionals will first have an on – site consultation to understand the lifestyle and the space of your residential garden. They define the “hardscapes” or the outdoor spaces, such as pool, deck, et cetera; and then together with the client, they discuss the “greenscapes” or the theme of the gardens that clients may wish to include such as: buffers, vegetation, containment, and water features. Professional residential landscaping services near me deliver a simple step-by-step process that conveniently fits into the lifestyle and budget for you and your family landscaping near me

Landscape Companies

Professional residential landscape companies ensure that the landscape designers understand the client’s desire and needs while providing professional consultation. There are so many details that one may not know and need to consider before installation. The choices of plant nursery to place in your home can offer privacy, add fragrance, and it can also provide a natural habitat for other animals. The professional landscaping services near me consultation educates the clients on such vital matters that will help you make an educated decision to achieve a beautiful and easy maintainable garden.

Residential Landscaping Services

From arbor installation to paving, a professional landscaping service will submit details that exceed your highest expectation. Knowing that your money is being spent on professional experts can add comfort and security to your home. By having a customized landscape design installed, not only enrich the overall outlook of your house and impress your friends and neighbors, it will also improve your property value.
Trying to design the landscape around your house or even trying to install it yourself can be quite a hassle. It takes up time, and causes unnecessary headache. A request to a professional residential landscape company is easy.

Project Complete

They come to your home and do an on site consultation that ensures that the client is receiving quality service, products, and reasonable rates. They provide the most up to date installation technology that is will have your project complete on time with little complications.

You no longer have to admire your neighbor’s garden when you can enjoy the serenity of one in your own home. Professional residential services will make the home of your dreams come true.…