Residential Landscaping Referral

[mlm]

Looking for referrals for a landscape contractor. We have a professional set of site plans and the work is on a small backyard site (30x30) that has already been demo'd and checked for utilities

Work/skills would include:
- Simple French drain
- Paver or concrete surfacing
- Deck and wooden benches
- Simple Outdoor electrical (outlets and lights)
- Gas lines for BBQ and fire table
- Minimal plants and irrigation

In West San Jose area, flexible on time. Referrals or advice appreciated because the people our designer referred are all booked up.

 

[littlebeast]

Looking for referrals for a landscape contractor. We have a professional set of site plans and the work is on a small backyard site (30x30) that has already been demo'd and checked for utilities

Work/skills would include:
- Simple French drain
- Paver or concrete surfacing
- Deck and wooden benches
- Simple Outdoor electrical (outlets and lights)
- Gas lines for BBQ and fire table
- Minimal plants and irrigation

In West San Jose area, flexible on time. Referrals or advice appreciated because the people our designer referred are all booked up.

i’ll ask my dude. he kicks ass, but not sure he goes that far south.

 

[mlm]

i’ll ask my dude. he kicks ass, but not sure he goes that far south.

Thanks!

 

[two wheel tramp]

Have you tried checking Houzz? That could be another good source for referrals.

 

[mlm]

Thanks. Will check it out.

So far we've gotten 2 quotes back in the last 3 weeks and both were more than double what our designer was predicting. The last one included included line items like...
- $17K for a 125 sqft section of redwood deck (extended steps)
- $9K for demo, grading, and soil prep...for a level dirt lot

Really want to find a GC to just take care of the whole thing, but assuming the high quotes are just a way of saying their schedules are full. Neighbor did something similar and subcontracted it himself for closer to $20K a few months ago. A PITA I'd like to avoid, but easily worth it to save $50K :laughing

 

[Holeshot]

Stuff has gotten quite expensive the last 12 months, especially trades. Everything your're getting quotes on isn't going to be cheap especially considering it's a small job, FWIW. There's lots of large-ish jobs out now and that tends to drive small job pricing disproportionately higher.

Individual trades may or may not be able to work with one another as well. You'll be acting the GC (you know this) which may leave some holes in the subs responsibility.

 

[mlm]

Stuff has gotten quite expensive the last 12 months, especially trades. Everything your're getting quotes on isn't going to be cheap especially considering it's a small job, FWIW. There's lots of large-ish jobs out now and that tends to drive small job pricing disproportionately higher.

Individual trades may or may not be able to work with one another as well. You'll be acting the GC (you know this) which may leave some holes in the subs responsibility.

Yeah, thats been my assessment. More than likely I'll be grabbing day laborers and semi-skilled guys to the do most of this. Means more work on my end, but for all I know they guys giving us quotes would have been subbing out the work the same way

 

[Holeshot]

They might be subbing out. Our guys get approached on a weekly basis...on both sides of the country.