Suppose you decide you’d like to renovate your patio and call a hardscaping company near you to get a price. They come to your house, survey the property, and ask you some questions about what you’d like to see. Then, at the end of this process they provide you with a written quote that includes everything you’ve asked for along with a dollar figure for their materials and work.

A question I hear all the time is: how much faith should you put in the figure that’s on your hardscaping quote? Or to put it another way, how much variability should you have in that budget?

In a perfect world, there shouldn’t be any change. The figure you see should be the figure you pay. It shouldn’t be a penny more or less.

That’s not the way things always go in the real world, however. Sometimes there can be a difference between your quote and the final balance. There are really two reasons this can happen, with one being legitimate and the other less-than-ethical.

Let me walk you through each scenario based on my 20+ years in the hardscaping and patio renovation industry.

 Issue #1: There Can be Unforeseen Issues With a Hardscaping Project

At my company, we follow a quoting process that we have developed and refined over the years. It essentially boils down to having a member of our sales and design team meet you at your home for an initial consultation. During that time, we will ask lots of questions, get a feel for your dream patio, and survey your property.

After that, we will provide you with a written quote for the items, materials, and labor needed to bring your vision to life. We will also point out any variables we think need to be considered. For example, we might tell you that depending on soil composition you could need extra filler or a retaining wall and give you prices for those additions.

Because we follow a detailed process that’s built on decades of experience, it’s very rare for our final bill to be substantially different from the quote we provided. Once in a while we even end up charging less than expected.

However, it’s only fair to point out that we can’t anticipate everything that can come up during a hardscaping project. For instance, we could come across obstructions in the ground that were invisible on the survey. One recent customer discovered they had an old cellar and shelter buried in their backyard that no one knew about. Removing that (to build over the space while keeping things structurally sound) added slightly to the cost of their build.

Those kinds of changes are uncommon, given that we have so much experience working around our area of New England. They can happen, though, and so it’s good to have a little bit of room in your budget to guard against them.

What’s far more common is that we begin excavation on a hardscaping project and a customer decides to change direction. This is always a possibility, and obviously those sorts of shifts can affect the budget and timeline.

Issue #2: Some Hardscaping Companies Deliberately Underquote

Now that we’ve mentioned the kinds of adjustments that are reasonable but rare, let’s look at the far more common scenario. There are many hardscaping companies out there that will try to lure customers in by intentionally quoting less than they intend to charge. The hope is that you won’t notice the fine print in their contracts, and that you will simply pay anything to have a mess cleaned up once your property has been dug up.

Let’s be clear: when people say they hate contractors, this is the reason why. It’s never good business to set up expectations and then fail to deliver on them. But the businesses that use these shady tactics do so because they know some homeowners want the lowest bids they can find.

There are three ways to avoid these types of unfortunate situations.

The first is to simply get very detailed about the quotes that are provided. Make sure everything you want is listed on the written estimate, along with plans, drawings, and notes that are detailed and signed off on.

The second is to simply ask lots of questions. Ask things like “how?” and “what if?” until you feel you have the answers you need. Here are some examples you could use:

  •       “How much extra should I budget above and beyond this number?”
  •       “What would be typical expenses that aren’t listed here?”
  •       “What would happen if your work went beyond the quote given?”
  •       “Could I speak with some other recent customers to see how accurate their quotes were?”

 You should take all answers with a grain of salt, of course, but asking tough questions puts you in a better position than you would be if you didn’t think ahead.

And finally, the very best way to avoid unethical companies is to simply work with trusted hardscaping teams with strong reputations. My own company has been doing this kind of work for 20+ years and has the track record to prove it. Our customers know that we quote work fairly and honestly, so they don’t have to worry that we will overcharge them or hold back on expenses when delivering an estimate.

Want an Honest and Professional Quote for Hardscaping and Patio Installation?

The best landscapers will give you a fair quote for your hardscaping project, advise you of any potential overruns, and then do great work based on that figure. That’s because we know that repeat customers, referrals, and positive reviews are the lifeblood of our business.

If that’s the kind of service you want and expect from a hardscaping business, and you are near the Saugus, Massachusetts area, then we can help. Contact the sales team at Stefano’s Landscaping today to arrange a free at-home visit. There’s no pressure or obligation, and you’ll get answers to all of your questions… along with a quote that actually means something.

I hope we get the chance to work with you soon.