10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Landscape Company
Before you hand your yard to anyone, Bret-Mar Landscape, Inc. wants Naperville homeowners to ask the right questions. The company you choose will shape how your property looks, functions, and holds its value for years, so the decision deserves more than a quick phone call and a low bid.
The right questions separate true professionals from crews who cut corners. Even the Federal Trade Commission advises homeowners to vet contractors carefully, confirm licensing and insurance, and never choose on price alone. Here are the ten questions we believe every homeowner should ask before hiring a landscape company in Naperville.
1. Do You Have Licensed Landscape Architects on Staff?
This is the question that reveals the most. Many crews install plants and pavers, but few bring true design credentials. Bret-Mar Landscape is led by licensed landscape architects, including Ashley, our President, and founders Kurt and Sharon. Real Naperville landscape architecture means your project is designed with training, not guesswork, and that difference shows in the finished result.
Related: Why Fall Is the Right Time to Start Planning Next Year's Landscape Project
2. How Long Have You Been in Business?
Experience protects your investment. A company with deep roots has solved problems you may run into and has a reputation to uphold. Bret-Mar Landscape is a second-generation, family-owned firm with over 40 years of experience, with roots that trace back to 1985. When you hire seasoned Naperville landscapers, you gain decades of hard-earned knowledge about what lasts here and what does not.
3. Will I See My Design Before You Build It?
You should never have to imagine the result and hope for the best. Ask whether a company can show you the plan first. Every Bret-Mar design is completed in software that produces 3D imagery and a virtual walkthrough. You review your future landscape on large screens in our office and stroll through our display gardens, so you commit with confidence rather than crossing your fingers.
4. Do You Handle Both Design and Construction?
Splitting design and build across two companies invites finger-pointing when something goes wrong. We keep both under one roof. Our in-house team handles the landscape and hardscape work and brings in trusted specialty partners for trades like electrical and plumbing. One accountable team carries your project from first sketch to final walkthrough, which is the heart of thoughtful Naperville landscaping.
5. How Do You Choose Plants for My Property?
A beautiful plan means nothing if the plants struggle. Ask how a company selects what goes in the ground. We choose trees and plants suited to local soil and climate, favoring species that are native and locally sourced. Plants matched to the region establish faster, resist pests better, and demand less upkeep, so your landscape thrives instead of merely surviving.
Related: What to Expect During a Professional Landscape Design Consultation
6. Can You Handle My Entire Project?
Some homeowners want a single feature. Others want a full transformation. Either way, it helps to hire a company that can do it all. Bret-Mar Landscape offers landscaping, hardscaping, and outdoor living. That includes planting design and fine garden maintenance, patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, and stone work, plus outdoor kitchens, fire pits, water features, and lighting. Our Naperville landscape design services cover the whole vision.
7. What Does Your Process Look Like?
A clear process is a sign of a company that respects your time and your money. Vague answers here are a warning. We follow a simple, transparent path built around clarity and communication, so you always know what comes next. A defined process is a hallmark of true Naperville luxury landscape design, and ours removes the guesswork from getting started.
Have Questions? We Welcome Every One.
The family-owned team at Bret-Mar Landscape, Inc. answers to every question on your list, from design credentials to warranties. With over 40 years of experience, licensed landscape architects, and full 3D design, you see exactly who you are hiring before you commit.
Schedule Your Consultation Consultations and designs carry no charge. Serving Naperville and Chicago's southwest and western suburbs.8. Do You Offer Maintenance After Installation?
A landscape is a living investment that needs care to stay beautiful. Ask whether a company will still be there after the build. We keep gardens looking their best with fine garden maintenance, from seasonal care to plant health. A company willing to maintain its own work is a company that stands behind it.
9. What Warranties Do You Offer?
Warranties reveal how much a company trusts its own craftsmanship. Ask for specifics rather than vague promises. Our hardscape carries a two-year base warranty, and our trees and shrubs carry a one-year warranty with one replacement. Any additional manufacturer warranties are disclosed on your proposal, so you know exactly what protection you have before you commit.
10. Is There a Cost for the Consultation and Design?
Getting started should feel low-risk, not like a financial gamble. Ask upfront what the first steps cost. At Bret-Mar Landscape, there is no charge for consultations or designs. You can explore your ideas, see a plan, and get a quote before spending a dollar, which makes taking the first step easy.
Why the Answers Point to Bret-Mar
Ask these ten questions of any landscaping company in Naperville, and the differences become clear fast. Bret-Mar Landscape combines licensed landscape architecture, decades of family experience, and a design approach built around how you actually live. We select plants for local conditions, back our work with real warranties, and guide you through a process designed to be simple and clear.
That combination is rare, and it is why discerning homeowners across the area trust us with their outdoor spaces.
An Investment That Adds Real Value
Choosing the right landscape company does more than deliver a pretty yard. A thoughtfully designed landscape lifts curb appeal, expands your usable living space, and supports your home's value in a competitive Naperville market. Hire well, and your property becomes a signature outdoor experience you enjoy every day and recover when you sell. Hire poorly, and you may pay twice to fix it.
Related: Custom Landscape Design vs. Pre-Made Plans: Which Is Right for Your Property?
Your Three-Step Path to Getting Started
Once you have your answers, moving forward is simple, and there is no charge for consultations or designs.
1. Schedule a Design Consultation
Tell us about your space, your style, and how you want to live outside. This first conversation costs you nothing.
2. Get a Custom Plan and Quote
We create a personalized design vision, complete with your 3D walkthrough, plus a clear quote. You see the plan and the numbers before you commit.
3. Build Your Dream Landscape
Our in-house team brings the design to life, and your property becomes a space you are proud to call home.
Ask Us Anything
You have the questions. We welcome them. The best way to judge a landscape company is to sit down and see how it answers, and we are confident ours will earn your trust.
Schedule your design consultation with Bret-Mar Landscape today, and bring every question you have.
