Well, let’s start with what it means to be a ‘professional’, someone with competence, knowledge and trade related skills.
I believe a true ‘professional landscaper’ must be friendly, dependable and courteous with a strong mindset and work ethic, as well as being a multi-skilled worker of various trades, all in one amazing person, let me show you.
This is a Mango landscaper who works with young apprentices, men and women in the trade. Let’s call our Mango landscape professional, Doug! He is Customer Service focused and is a thoroughly nice person, as well as having experience or some knowledge in all of the key skills listed below;
When we talk about hard landscaping and garden construction, the skills required are endless and there are many different hats to wear….
Customer service is paramount. Forward planning, administration and organisation skills are critical for the smooth and safe on-site project management and facilitating of deliveries and collections.
There is measuring, calculating falls, heights and gradients, volumes, angles, square meterage, depths and circumferences, triangulation, off setting and setting out, so this is where the surveying knowledge and maths comes in.
Understanding risk and health and safety, knowing how to look after yourself and your team with some nutritional understanding and kinetic handling for physically demanding work and heavy lifting. Motivation, stamina and pride are useful traits to have here.
Our landscape professionals also need to be commercial drivers, plant operators, fork lift truck drivers and be trailer qualified. Investment into continuous training and personal development is an essential part of our Mango philosophy.
There is drainage to consider, pipework and groundworks, water features and irrigation systems, lighting, solar and charging stations to know about as well as careful selection in specialist bona-fide sub-contractors.
So you see, there is much more to landscaping than just digging. As well as all these skills they are a friendly, polite, funny and courteous bunch who take great pride in their work.
What is a Professional Landscaping Company?
The Landscaping Industry is not officially regulated, however, there are trade body associations that exist to help promote quality and protect consumers.
For example; TrustMark is a not-for-profit social enterprise and the only Government Endorsed Quality Scheme in the UK covering home improvements in or around the home.
TrustMark Registered Businesses are thoroughly vetted and continually monitored to ensure they meet required standards in technical competence, customer service and trading practices, so homeowners can be sure they’re making the right choice.
When a consumer uses a TrustMark Registered Business, they know they are engaging with an organisation that has been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards, and has made a considerable commitment to good customer service, technical competence and trading practices. By ensuring all Registered Businesses adhere to and maintain these standards through our expert network of Scheme Providers, TrustMark gives consumers increased confidence and choice.
Whilst the landscaping industry remains officially unregulated, The APL or Association of Professional Landscapers is a trade body who aim to promote the highest level of standards within the industry.
The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) comprises accredited landscape companies who design, build and maintain gardens throughout the UK. The rigorous inspection process to join is the toughest within the industry. Along with the initial inspection, each member is inspected annually to ensure each member has up to date insurance, complies with health and safety law and their quality of work is to the highest possible. The APL is the only landscaping scheme operator of TrustMark, a Government endorsed initiative that promotes professional trades to consumers.
Doing your Due Diligence
So when it comes to looking for a professional landscaping company it is important to do your homework and find a bona fide contractor in hard landscaping and garden construction.
Hard landscaping and garden construction is expensive, there is no getting away from this and it is our job to help you understand what is involved and how much things cost. In an ideal world we only want to invest in our gardens or driveways once, therefore we want to do it properly the first time around.
Often, when we, as consumers, have decided to invest in our gardens, we often don’t want to have to wait. Please don’t rush, there is often much to consider.
It is important to take your time and find a contractor that you feel comfortable with, make sure that they understand the brief and budget and make sure that you are clear on their terms and timescales.
What to Expect & The Mango Experience
We often book a few months in advance to give us all time to talk things through and finalise your project plans, this is so we are clear on what will be happening and when.
So, when you contact us we will talk briefly about your ideas and requirements, book a site survey and technical visit.
We will then forward an invitation to you for a complimentary creative consultation at our office. This is where we can look at products and materials, choose colors and discuss the functionality and purpose of your garden and the overall design.
We will provide a comprehensive written quotation, broken down into sections to show clearly the disbursement of your funds that make up the overall costs of your project. We can talk about terms and conditions, payments, warranties and aftercare.
You can view and approve your quotations in our Mango Client Hub, then sit back and relax whilst we facilitate and carry out the preparations for your garden project.
