Spring Landscaping and Lawncare Consumer Issues

As the winter snow melts, Wisconsin consumers may be searching for landscaping or lawncare services. While they think about hiring a company or contractor, there are several considerations they should take into account – and tips they can follow to make a well-informed choice.

· Ask for contractor recommendations from friends, family, and other trusted sources.

· Get more than one estimate. Make sure all landscapers are bidding on the exact same work and using the same materials. Have the business physically visit the greenspace rather than giving a telephone estimate. Practice caution with extremely low estimates.

· Ask for the names of the contractor’s recent customers and contact them to see if they were satisfied with their services. Did the contractor show up on time, clean up afterward, and follow through with their guarantees? Would they hire the contractor again?

· Practice caution with door-to-door solicitors. Many businesses are often legitimate, but some solicitors might be scammers who want money upfront for either poor-quality work, or no work at all.

· Contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection to check if complaints have been filed against a contractor.

Landscaping and lawncare overlap, but are different jobs that require different skillsets and equipment. Before they make any payments or sign any agreements or contracts, consumers should decide exactly what they want, carefully read all paperwork in full to ensure they and the contractor both understand the job, and set specific expectations with the contractor.

Businesses that use certain lawncare products, like fertilizers, soil/plant additives, and pesticides, are subject to multiple state regulations. No matter how informal a lawncare or landscaping service appears, consumers should be sure that companies or contractors they hire have appropriate licenses and permits – and that the specific employees who apply the products are also properly licensed/permitted. If pesticides are applied, consumers should receive details (including safety information) about that pesticide in writing both before and after application.

· DATCP contact for pesticides: 608-224-4548 / DATCPPesticideInfo@wisconsin.gov

· DATCP contact for fertilizers: 608-294-0801 / DATCPfert@wisconsin.gov

By taking these simple steps, consumers can protect their money and property from potential miscommunications, misrepresentations, and costly mistakes.