It is the little things that make the difference

It is the little things that make the difference

One of our office buildings was re-painted this summer. Since we rent the space, we didn’t have any say in the selection of the contractor hired. The property manager spoke with several companies before choosing someone who met the minimum requirements; insurance and experience, and who offered the cheapest price. Now don’t get me wrong, price matters – but so do details.

The workers were nice enough, but inconsiderate of the businesses being run there. I never knew when they would show up for work, or not. Each day that they were there, they blocked my vehicle in. I had to ask them to move so I could leave for appointments….each and every day, and they were there for months, many more than expected, then left trash behind when they were done.

Now that fall has come and they are finally done, their lack of careful detail has become evident. The other day I began to insulate the windows for winter; clean the glass, put down the storms and latch the sashes. I was frustrated to find that most of the windows had been painted shut, some of the storms were put on incorrectly and the outside of each window was left filthy with paint smudges and debris from power washing. These are the sort of details that would have taken the contractor only minutes to address during the project – but now instead require hours for me to remedy.

This is not just a chance for me to vent but an opportunity to relate my first hand experience to potential customers as they interview contractors and compare bids for their landscape projects. Many times the reason for price differences are the quality of materials, methods of construction or size of the project being proposed, but other times it is simply the level of detail that one contractor offers. Materials, methods and size can all be adjusted for, unfortunately the level of detail is an intangible variable. Details don’t always affect the quality or safety of an installation, but they do affect the quality of life for those who live with the project and who, for a short period of time, have to live with the construction process and the contractors performing it.

The personal details critical to a landscape installation include, of course, being polite, keeping the area free of trash and debris, maintaining a consistent schedule and good communication about the progress, minimizing the inconvenience to homeowners and neighbors so that their vehicles, paths and views are not blocked, property lines and drainage are respected, lawn and plant damage are kept to a minimum, abiding by reasonable work hours and noise levels, keeping soil and mulch piles contained and cleaning up spills or tracks promptly. (I have a whole other entry on the responsibilities of being a great client including offering cool drinks and saying 'hello' to the crew!)

Construction and finish details are less obvious to most homeowners. They include consistent joints in stone work, cleaning up excess mortar from surfaces, making clean geometric cuts and corners, smoothly grading and seeding any tracks or disturbed areas. Some of them are even unseen. For example, we solder all of our underground low-voltage lighting wires and use silicone filled wire nuts to attach the fixtures. These are details that the homeowner will never see but that have a crucial role in the future function and longevity of the project just as a properly prepared base does. Polymeric sand used in patio joints, conduit installed beneath walkways and downspout extensions all offer similar hidden benefits.

To determine if a contractor regularly includes these details ask how they address the particulars, speak with their clients, see photos or visit completed projects and if possible visit a site under construction or ask to see progress shots so you can assess the conditions maintained during construction. Sometimes it is worth paying a little extra to know that the contractor you are working with has included these extras and offers the sort of customer service that will allow them to come back and address any problems.