A good turn key company can eliminate stress, headaches, scheduling problems and excessive cost to the client. Continuity of different phases of your project normally go a lot smoother in this situation as well. True “turn-key” companies are hard to find but worth searching for.

In general most companies are not “turn-key” and normally use sub contractors in lieu of their own resources and employees. Not all sub contractors are created equal so this model can cause a lot of scheduling conflicts and often times leaves the general contractor with little control over the timing of the various phases of the project. The client feels the bulk of this dilemma due to an often inefficiently run project and workers not showing up on perfectly good work days. It should be noted that general contracting can work in certain situations. However, when you’re dealing with everything from a pool, to an outdoor kitchen, landscape lighting, masonry, carpentry, irrigation and more, having as many as 10 sub contractors or more at your home vs. 1 “turn-key” contractor makes all the difference in the world.

Another mistake some homeowners make is attempting to contract each phase of their project out to different companies. The “idea” is to save money by not hiring one company to oversee the project but it normally ends up costing the homeowner a lot more financially as well as increasing the stress factor dramatically. Even if you’re a contractor yourself, this is normally not a good idea. Every field has its own level of expertise and one should strongly consider that before managing your own project.

“Turn-Key” is the best way to go. In addition to all the reasons above you also need to consider warranties and finger pointing. If you have one company performing the work, one company warranties the work. If you have a general contractor they normally defer to their sub contractor that performed the work, which can cause delays for repairs and other issues. Should you decide to contract the project out yourself it will be very confusing to figure out who is liable for what and this often results in one contractor blaming the other for unforeseen circumstances or product related problems.

When searching for a contractor make sure they are a “turn-key” company so you can rest easy and enjoy the process. They should be able to perform virtually everything with their own employees with the exception of trades such as electrical, plumbing etc. Be sure to ask your candidates what type of model they offer early in your research process so you can select who is right for you.

The first step in selecting your contractor would be to know your scope of work. Make sure your entire scope of work is within the contractor’s realm of expertise. If most or not all of your project needs are not regularly and successfully performed by your candidate, keep looking.

Once you start calling contractors consider their responsiveness. Regardless of time of year or how busy the market place is, there is no excuse for not returning phone calls quickly. One of the tell tale signs a company is not going to perform well for you is their inability to call you back when you are looking to do business with them. They should value your time and be responsible enough to get back to you immediately.

Chemistry is important. Chances are you’ll be spending a lot of time with your contractor so make sure you get along well and are on the same page about the goals that you want to accomplish. Of course credentials are also important but at the end of the day, you need to trust and enjoy working with who you’ve chosen to complete your project.

If your project requires a comprehensive design, make sure the companies you are looking at offer a landscape architect. This is extremely important to the overall success of your project. You would not build a house without an architect designing the home and you should not build your back yard paradise without a landscape architect. In the long run, this saves time and unnecessary heart ache. If a contractor is trying to rush you along without a design on a larger scale project (high five figures to multiple six or seven figures) that should be a red flag. A well thought out design including elevations, plan views and grading/drainage details will be essential to make sure the entire project works in harmony and will last for decades. Make sure your contractor offers a landscape architect.

Check on warranties and references. A healthy warranty should be simple for a quality contractor to offer because they will have no worries about the integrity of their finished product. Consider that it is simple to make something look good for a few months but an art to make it last for decades. Standard warranties can be between 6 months and 2 years but 5 and 10 year warranties should be expected. References should be checked and visited when possible. Don’t only look at the finished product but ask the homeowners how the process went from the first phone call to after completion. Also, ask them how warranty issues (if any) have been handled so that you can get a good sense of how the company you’re considering will perform even after the project has been completed.

There are two ways homeowners typically figure out their budgets. Some already have and idea of what they are going to spend and can design their projects with that budget in mind. Others know what they want but don’t know what it costs to build.

Figuring out your budget takes time and research. A good design/build firm should be able to meet with you and give you guidance on what certain phases of your potential project should cost. Before moving forward with a design agreement you must figure out your budget and make sure that your landscape architect and/or design/build firm respects that budget as they move forward into the conceptual design phase.

You must be realistic about what it takes financially to successfully complete your project. If you have $50,000 and your proposed project is going to cost $150,000 you either have to reduce your scope of work or increase your budget. Dissect each phase of your project. If you’re building a pool don’t rule out the fact that beyond the pool there is pool decking, landscaping, fencing and many other considerations. Many people make the mistake of estimating the cost of their pool without estimating the cost of the finishes around the pool which will in most cases far exceed the cost of the pool itself.

The key is to be honest with yourself and your contractor about what you can spend. If your budget won’t allow you to do the project right the first time the best thing to do is to wait. Having a clear picture of all costs involved will allow you to move forward with confidence and peace of mind.