How to Schedule Contractors for a Backyard Makeover

The easiest way to schedule contractors for a backyard transformation is to actually hire them in the order of their work and when you need that work to happen. 

This means that you should hire the irrigation crew first and confirm their dates along with the estimated time that it would take them to finish a project before you ever move on to hiring for a planting or patio filling service. This is not only applied when hiring for a job, but it also applies in the actual job itself since the order in which a transformation occurs can change the way an entire transformation happens. 

All you have to do for this is to fix your designs and permits before you ever hire a company for such backyard remodeling services. It is also advised to keep buffer days between two different parts of the job so that even when one part delays, the other part can still start on time. Moreover, you should also keep a record of everything that was agreed and discussed between you and your contractor, as this will help avoid future arguments and will make the whole experience much more stress-free. Get that sequence right, and most of the delays that turn a six-week project into a six-month one never happen. 

Start Your Backyard Makeover With a Plan, Not a Crew

Most people tend to make this mistake, and it can cost them heavily because they could have thought about a very minimal design but can still be charged for a design that requires much more effort only because they were not clear about it before. This is why it is so important to always be clear on the kind of yard you expect as the end result before you ever think about which companies to hire for what jobs. 

This does not have to be in a fancy, elaborate way, but it has to be clear enough so that both you and your contractor can understand the vision of a finished backyard that you have. A scaled sketch can help a contractor know exactly where the work begins and where it would end; a finished design is what lets contractors quote accurately and commit to real dates. So avoid making vague plans and then switching it up between the transformations, as this will not only increase the budget but will also increase the time.  

More than the actual job, other things like paperwork and approvals can take time, and this is why it is always recommended to keep both of these ready beforehand. There are several installations in a backyard project, like decks, taller retaining walls, gas lines for fire features, and new electrical circuits, which may need permits and approvals depending on the local laws of your state or the federal laws of your country. 

These approvals can take up to several weeks to even reach the officer’s desk; this is why, if any digging is involved, you should call 811 in advance and check about the restrictions and approvals with them. According to Call811.com, the service is free, and utility companies send someone to mark gas, water, and power lines before work begins. 

The Order That Keeps Backyard Contractors Out Of Each Other’s Way

There is a certain order that is extremely necessary to follow when thinking about backyard renovations, and a good backyard contractor knows this. 

This is why most of the scheduling of how a renovation will go starts from below the ground and works its way up to the surface. A typical sequence:

• Demolition and grading: the first and foremost step, which is extremely necessary for a backyard renovation, is to remove the old underlying concrete, which can cause hindrance, and then shape this land to allow drainage. 
• Underground systems: a backyard renovation also requires looking out for underground systems so that they are well maintained, and no problems occur when we move on to the next layer, which lies directly above these systems. So checking drainage pipes, irrigation lines, and conduit for lighting and outlets is a good option. 
• Hardscaping: ensuring that the walkways and retaining walls of the neighbouring area wouldn’t get affected by the renovation is a good way to avoid neighbour conflicts and to avoid creating discomfort for others. 
• Structures: creating structures in your backyard comes in the later part of the job, after all of the boring things are checked out. This means that after you have checked the retaining walls and underground systems, you can then move to decks, pergolas, fences, and outdoor kitchens.
• Softscape and finishing: make sure that after you are done installing decks or fences in your backyard, the trees and shrubs remain healthy and there isn’t any residue left that hampers their growth. Moreover, if you feel like growing more plants, then doing it after all other backyard renovations are completed is recommended advice. 

The logic behind all of this is simpler than most people make it out to be. Most people assume that this sequence is based on some random facts; however, that’s not the case. It is just common sense, because if irrigation is done after the patio is poured, then the crew has to cut through new stone. Doing this is actually pretty difficult, and this will undo all the time and effort you spent in setting up the patio. 

This is why a particular order should be followed when thinking about backyard renovations because each of these tasks not only helps with its particular benefits but also helps in making the next step easier. This is why before a patio has to be set up, an irrigation crew has to do their work properly and timely. A fence can still go up along the property line while pavers go in near the house, as long as the two crews never need the same access path.

Moreover, a single backyard makeover isn’t treated as one project by Landscape firms which specialise in dealing with multi-phase projects. This is because they categorise and divide everything as a section of a smaller job. For example, logging, irrigation, planting, and almost everything else comes as separate visits with different sets of people; in the job scheduling software Tofu gives each handoff its own date, so a slip in one phase immediately shows what it pushes back. 

This is actually one of the most convenient features that can be used by a firm to ensure that both the company and the client have a clear understanding of what is scheduled for when. The app is a service management software that stores information like a client’s address, the visit time, the assigned technician, and any other extra notes or photos that the technician might need for future reference. 

These apps tend to showcase or schedule dates for when one part of the job is to be conducted, and when that part is done, the status moves from scheduled to completed while another one waits in line until all of your backyard makeover is done.  

How To Schedule Landscaping Services Around the Seasons

There is one more thing that matters more than the sequence in which a backyard makeover is carried out, and it is the timing. What I mean by that is not the timing of how and when the job gets done, but the timing of when the job is scheduled to get done. 

Many big and popular landscapers actually open up their booking months in advance to spring, and this is why by the time spring arrives, their calendar is already full. The people who start reaching out to these landscapers in late winter usually have a better advantage of time, as they can get bookings according to when they want and not when the landscaper is available. And the people who think about booking it just a week or two in advance often end up with schedules that start way after spring has already left. 

This is why one should always be careful of the time and should make bookings in advance. One more reason why it is so important to get your backyard renovations done on time is that certain materials like concrete are only advised to be poured once temperatures stay above freezing, and no heavy rain is forecasted. This is why winters are usually the time, and landscapers are free, so they can book schedules. 

The same guidelines for timing are also followed for planting, as is shown in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. This guide will help you understand what plants are suitable for you to grow in your home depending on the region you live in and the kind of weather there is. You can also reach out to your local cooperative extension to check when the heaviest winter days are predicted and what the duration of frost risk is in your region. 

According to NC State Extension, the best time to grow plants is in the fall, as this helps the trees grow out their roots in cool temperatures so that they would be able to cope with the Summer Heat in a better way. This is because by the time summer hits, the roots will already be developed and will not be as fragile as they are when they just start to grow out.  

However, that is not the case for all plants because some plants, like the warm-season grasses, are better suited for healthy growth if they are planted in late spring. And this is why aligning planting windows with landscaping services can help you greatly, as you might be able to finish hardscape in summer while planting could be arranged for autumn. All of this cannot be possible if you do not book services in advance. This is why, to get results that support growth of your plant, you should often opt for a split schedule like this.  

Coordinating Outdoor Contractors Once Work Begins

Coordinating contractors between different jobs can be quite tricky, especially if you are new to the whole makeover job. This is why the three tricks given below will help you coordinate everything smoothly and make sure that you are not stressed by the end of it all. 

Leave Room Between Trades

This is one mistake that most people tend to make, and it is the one that is actually based on being too perfect rather than making some mistakes. Every major project should not be assumed to end on time because this can create time lags and can delay the entire project. There are several factors due to which one part of the job might take a little longer than what was expected. For example, late deliveries or rain are reasons due to which such delays occur, and they are unavoidable, so to prevent the entire schedule from falling apart due to a delay in time, make sure you make room for such delays in the beginning itself. Keep two or three buffer days in between major phases of the job so that the entire calendar is not ruined.  

Put Every Commitment in Writing

This is one of the easiest steps to get wrong and somehow is often the most overlooked during a contracting job. Verbal agreements are alright, but they become a huge headache when one of the parties either forgets it or remembers another version of it that was never discussed. This is why it is recommended to always keep everything documented from the start date to an estimated time frame. Keeping all this information in a written form will help you avoid arguments later and will make the whole process a lot easier both for you and the contractor. Also reconfirm with the contractor a day or two before they have to start work, and the companies that usually use schedules can confirm this within seconds. If a contractor takes too long to confirm or makes excuses about pushing the date further, then they are not the person for this job. 

Give One Person the Final Say On Dates

It is almost shocking how a majority of the people fall victim to this trap when it is so easy to avoid it. Hiring three companies to do different parts of the job is fine, but micromanaging all of those three companies all by yourself is not. This is because all three companies have separate calendars, which means that an irrigation group may arrive after the patio is already done, which creates a problem for you. This is why you should be clear at the start about who decides each handoff; this could be either you or your lead contractor. This helps in setting up clear communication between you and the three companies without you having to pick up the phone and call three separate numbers. The lead contractor tells them when a previous job is done instead of when it was supposed to be done so that there is no delay in the calendar and the job works out smoothly. This will help you keep a real status of how the work is coming out rather than you juggling between three sites to understand what is written where. 

Putting Your Backyard Makeover Schedule Together

Most people do not realise that after any makeover you need to give a certain amount of time for the cleanup as well. This means that only carrying out the job is not enough; aftercare is equally as important. So, for a mid-size transformation which includes services like installing a new tree or planting new trees, you should always expect roughly two or three months for the contractors to arrive and for the cleanup to happen. 

This can also be proven by the fact that only about 4 to 8 weeks are required for the actual work to get done, but for the entire process to be completed, it requires 3 months minimum. These are not strict time frames under which the job can be done; these are just estimates, whereas the actual number can depend on a variety of other factors like design, permits, and contractor availability.

This is why, to keep the window of the work short, always make sure that you have the necessary designs and permits before the contractor ever arrives. Also leave gap days between two jobs so that even if one gets delayed, the entire calendar doesn’t have to suffer. You should also think about making the bookings for landscaping services in advance so that you can get the booking easily, and then you can match the climate time to the planting season. 

Most plants grow well in the cold winter when their roots are fragile and cannot tolerate summer heat, and during spring the schedule of landscapers is already full, which is why you should start booking them in the late winter of the previous year. 

Another piece of advice is to finalise a lead contractor when you have separated out jobs between three different companies, as this will help with clear communication between everyone and instead of you having to juggle between numbers for updates, you will automatically get them from someone. You should also keep all of this information in a written format, as verbal agreements can be easy to forget and even easier to debate. Keeping records of the scheduled date and the estimated time of completion can help you more than you think. 

So, whether you keep every detail in a notebook or your contractor runs the job in scheduling software, the schedule only works if everyone is working from the same copy.

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