As anyone who’s read our posts before knows, we highly recommend our customers do research before choosing a company to install their new artificial grass or pavers. Sadly, that research can sometimes produce as many questions as it produces answers. If you find yourself staring at three estimates that are completely different, you’re not alone. The estimates you receive from different companies will likely range in price, level of detail, and specificity. As you stare at these estimates you may be inclined to go with the cheapest option. Or, you may have preferred the professionalism of the company whose pricing was the middle of the road. Is it worth the extra money? This begs the question – how do you know if the price is right?
There are five major differences between the quotes you’re reviewing:
1. Baseline Costs – costs of doing business that must be covered by sales.
2. Product differences – higher quality products cost more.
3. Quality differences – expertise costs more than inexperience.
4. Professionalism – fully licensed, insured, professional companies will cost more.
5. Project size – due to fixed costs, smaller projects may cost more per square foot.
Why aren’t all quotes the same?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that it is completely normal for three quotes for one project to all be for different amounts. In fact, the spread can vary pretty widely. Every business has unique baseline costs to account for as they write their estimates. Remember, a business wants to give you their best price so they win the job, but they also need to cover all their own costs of doing business. Just like the grocery store that you purchase food from, landscaping companies need to cover their costs of doing business each day through their sales.
Because businesses don’t all have the same costs for things like advertising, staffing, insurance, etc., their charges will vary slightly. To be clear, this isn’t a large part of the variation, but it is part of it. If you appreciate a company’s employees, keep in mind that it costs money for those employees to do their work.
Outside of baseline costs, there are many differences between landscaping companies and the quotes they provide that do affect you and your project directly. It may not matter to you who pays more for advertising or employee training. It will likely not affect your project. The rest of the differences though? Those could have implications on your project for years to come.
Product Differences
As you may be aware if you’ve read up on why there are so many types of artificial grass, not all products are created equally. We highly recommend seeing samples of products prior to signing a contract or choosing a company with whom to do business. No two pavers or fake grasses are the same and that can be a huge driver in the cost you see in an estimate.
As an example, the grasses we use range in price from $1.25 – $4.25 per square foot. As you can imagine, the products at either end of that spectrum are completely different. If you have a 500 square foot project, a $3 per square foot product cost variance would make a $1,500 difference in the cost of your project.
Artificial grasses can vary in color, height, thickness, texture, resistance to heat, lifespan, safety, and general quality. As you might anticipate, a thicker or taller grass is more expensive – more material means more money. Grasses with special characteristics like staying cooler in the sun or resisting matting down in high traffic also tend to cost more. Grasses that are built to last longer using high quality yarn (the stuff that makes up the “blades” of grass) and a strong backing are also likely to cost more. And yes, products that are made without any detectable lead or other dangerous chemicals will also cost more than their counterparts.
For our part, we only use products that are lead and heavy metal free. We can obtain safety tests from our suppliers if you require them. Our suppliers also provide impressive product warranties on all products, indicating their confidence that the grasses are built to last.
Pavers also vary pretty drastically in color, appearance, edge beveling, and treatment. A product with beveled edges is less likely to have cracks and chipping over time, so this is definitely worth considering. We recommend considering tried and true manufacturers of these pavers like Belgard and Basalite.
Why does all of this matter? Product cost is a significant part of your installation estimate from any reputable landscaping company. Taking the time to review the samples from each company and discuss the warranty and benefits of various products will help you to understand what you’re paying for. You may really like a grass from a certain installer but need to pay a little more for the install. You compare the more cost-effective installer’s grass and it just isn’t up to snuff. The choice is yours but be aware that the difference in those grasses is likely a big part of the difference in cost you’re seeing.
Quality Differences
Find the best price for high quality product – check. Another place quality matters and will likely affect cost is the installation itself. As you may remember from our informative explanation of how to install artificial grass, it wasn’t as simple as putting plastic on dirt and calling it done. Properly installing both artificial grass and pavers is a skill that must be learned and practiced.
Landscaping companies all have different specialties and knowledge levels. While a handyman is helpful for many tasks, something as precise as installing these hardscapes should be done by a team with years of experience. There are many ways to install artificial grass and pavers incorrectly and you don’t want a company to be learning those lessons on your project. Whether it’s a clearly visible seam in artificial grass or horizontal creep that leads to pavers that are visibly not in line with the rest, you could be staring at mistakes made on your project for the next 20+ years.
Instead of dreading mistakes, focus on choosing a company that will complete your project properly the first time. Finding a company that knows how to properly install your new pavers or fake turf could make a big difference in the outcome. Sadly, we’ve seen the synthetic grass installed backwards, making it appear incredibly shiny from the street. We’ve had people call and ask us how they can fix ripples in the turf from where it wasn’t stretched properly as the installer who did the work has disappeared.
Choosing a company that will do things right the first time will save you headaches, frustration, and money. While a job done right may cost more upfront, you’re saving yourself in the long run. If you’re going to spend the money to have a project completed by a professional company, make sure that the job is done right the first time.
So, what can you do to parse out the pros? Ask to see pictures of previous installations if they aren’t already visible from social media and the companies’ websites. Check reviews for installation quality concerns; make sure existing customers are happy with the work. Ask for a copy of the labor warranty and make sure it is at least 5 years in length. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask about the company’s experience level with the type of job you’re looking for.
Using all of this information, you should be able to determine who is most likely to do high quality work. Just another piece in the puzzle of choosing which price is right.
Professionalism
Another factor in what a project costs is the professionalism of the business. In California and Nevada, landscaping companies are required to go through an application and testing process prior to being licensed to install artificial grass or pavers. No company is legally allowed to have a contract for a project of $500 or more for you unless they have this license. The process to become licensed costs money, time, and requires years of experience in their field. Any business should be able to provide a license number to you that you can check to ensure they are actively licensed with the California State License Board or Nevada State Contractors Board.
In addition, installers should be bonded and insured. These two additional requirements mean that you know any damage done to your property or injuries involving employees working on your property would be covered by someone other than you. It also means that that coverage would exist without sticky court battles or challenges.
A licensed, bonded, and insured installer will have more baseline costs than one who does not have these requirements met. While it costs a bit more to go with someone licensed, we highly recommend doing so. It protects you and ensures you’re working with a professional.
In addition to the bare minimum licenses and insurances, you should be looking for a company that feels professional to you. Look for someone who communicates clearly and doesn’t disappear randomly. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you have paid a deposit and don’t know what will happen next, or there is a half done project in your front yard and you don’t know what is coming next. Working with a company that is professional in demeanor and communication will take away a lot of the headaches of having work done at your home.
Also consider what potential benefits the company may offer to you. Is their warranty longer? Or perhaps it is more inclusive? Some companies also offer financing. This may help you to pay the higher up front cost while still getting the level of quality you’re looking for.
Maintaining and paying a staff that will be professional does, of course, cost money. Setting up financing options and longer warranties can also have potential costs for an installer, but professionals often like to provide their customers with the best they can offer. Again, this is a place where you may find yourself inclined to pay a little more for a little better. Alternatively, you may find that the mom and pop shop meets your needs, is licensed, communicates well, and instills you with confidence that your project will be done well and cost effectively. There is no right answer but knowing the differences will help you make an informed choice.
Project Size
Finally, there’s one difference that likely won’t vary company to company but may surprise some customers. For any synthetic turf or pavers, there are certain costs that are fixed. There are minimum quantities of products that can be ordered. In addition, installers can only pay crews so little to do a job, even if it’s tiny. On top of this, the dirt, existing sod, sticks, and the like that are excavated must be removed and brought somewhere. The dumping fees and container fees we pay to accomplish this can only go so low as well.
Because of these fixed costs, customers will find that the price per square foot tends to increase as a project gets smaller, especially under 300 square feet. At that point, we reach those minimums and you may be paying for labor, materials, dump fees, and containers that your project does not technically require but are simply unavoidable.
Speaking for Bella Rosa specifically, we do our very best to give all customers the best price we can, regardless of project size. We do not have a project size minimum, but we do advise customers with very small areas that their project will cost much more per square foot than if they were doing a larger area. We recommend considering including another area (perhaps you want some artificial grass in the back in addition to the 60 Sq. Ft. paver walkway?) or doing the project yourself if at all possible. If you decide to do a very small project yourself, we’re happy to provide you with knowledge on how to do the project should you request it.
Conclusion
There’s a lot that goes into the cost of a fake grass or paver installation. While your paver patio is closer than ever now that you’ve gotten estimates, it’s time to make a vital decision. Now that you’re armed with so much knowledge, you’re ready. It all comes down to this: Who do you trust to do the best job possible? Is the cost of that company within your budget? If you can answer the first question and the answer to the second is yes, we’ve done our job here. You’re all set!
If you have an answer to the first question but the answer to the second is no, consider contacting that company to discuss the price and/or financing options.
Finally, if you don’t feel you can trust the company that provided any of those estimates you’re holding, we’d recommend going back to the drawing board. You need to trust the people doing this work. Even if you think the price is a bit high, now that you know how it came to be, you need to feel you have confidence that your installer will do the job, do it right, and is trying to do right by both of you with their price.
If you’d like an estimate from us and don’t have one yet you can request a quote.
If you just have questions or would like to discuss the quote you’ve already received, please feel free to contact us here. Just like with small projects, no question is too small because helping you understand your estimates, your projects, and everything in between is what we’re here for.
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