You may be thinking why in the world would I write a blog on this subject—are you crazy!

Hardly.

What I am is either a good fit for you and your family or not at all:

Sure, it’s a word that has invariably lost its true meaning because it gets tossed around so much. So what does transparency look like from My Landscaping Project (MLP)? I’m glad you asked.

• MLP provides you with a Specification Sheet (view sample) when your project is a full front or back yard transformation. Why would you care about this? You may or may not; it really depends on your personality. A Spec Sheet serves the purpose of keeping the MLP team on the same page so nothing gets overlooked = peace of mind for you. And if something gets overlooked, you can hold us to it. As well, years down the road if you need to ever do some work in that area, should the contractor be curious about, for instance, how deep the base underneath the interlock is and what was used, you’ll have record of it. Say for instance I want to freshen up your interlock with new stone and you bring me valuable information like the depth of the base and what kind of stone was used, it may be sufficient enough not to have to excavate the base but re-use it, saving you thousands of $$ in the process.

• I said you get a Spec Sheet for full front or back yard transformations, but what about smaller projects? For smaller projects you get a Quote (view sample) with a detailed description of the work. And depending on your personality, you may feel you need to chat with me on the phone a few times or email me with questions to verify any doubts or receive clarification. No problem, that’s why I’m here.

• Oh and by the way, we document the entire process from start to finish, highlighting certain details that are important for structural purposes. We do this for liability purposes just in case anything is ever in dispute; as well at your request this can be provided to you for your records. Some time ago a homeowner was very concerned about her artificial grass and needed reassurance that nothing was coming up from underneath (in this case what looked like saw dust, but larger chunks of it). I sent her photos of the underlying structure and that immediately alleviated her concerns. It turns out it was rotting wood from the neighbour’s garage.

“Thank you for your email, you can expect a response in 36-48 hrs” “Just writing to say I’ll be sending you that information you requested tomorrow” “How is everything holding up with your project?”

The above may very well be considered just plain respect, courtesy and consideration for another human being—you, the homeowner and your family. Yet, time and again homeowners tell me stories that make the contractor look quite bad just because a brief moment wasn’t taken to stay in constant communication. Even fellow contractors have told me how they dropped the ball because they got too busy and forgot to follow up with a client...we’re all guilty of it.

So what does effective & consistent communication look like from My Landscaping Project?

• MLP has adopted the philosophy of “You Ask, We Answer”. What does that mean? It means EVERY question imaginable from you will be addressed; nothing is off limits—brutal honesty in order to form a relationship based on trust. If I were spending thousands of my hard earned $$, I would want the same thing. Over the days, months and years to come, you will see our website and other social media platforms begin to answer all of your questions in the form of blogs like this one and videos.
• But this isn’t just about our website, it’s about MLP holding ourselves accountable to you from the moment you learn about us. Somehow you came across our name; perhaps a referral; our Google reviews; whatever the source, that initial contact begins the process for us to form rapport and build a relationship with effective & consistent communication at the helm.
• And what about once we get paid, leave your property and something goes wrong? That’s a good question. The answer...we respond to your email, and /or we pick up the phone. What else would MLP do, avoid you? Sure, some contractors do that. There’s an underlying cruelness in the statement that a contractor’s warranty is up as soon as they leave your property. Yup, communication with MLP extends beyond the time you invite us into your home to complete your project.

Huh? Of course you value what’s important to you, why wouldn’t you! What’s with the oxymoronic statement?

So what does this have to do with the way My Landscaping Project is a good fit for you or not?

• Can I let you in on a secret? Well it’s not really a secret, it’s policy at MLP but you would only learn about it prior to ‘breaking ground’ on your project. Prior to doing so, I email you a courtesy message asking you “What would you like MLP to know is really important to you and your family about your property and us being here for the next x amount of days?” This gives you another opportunity before your property becomes a construction site to make sure we don’t overlook anything; like that rose bush that means the world to you; or that you want us to keep the gate closed at all times so your fur baby doesn’t escape. Whatever it may be.
• What’s important to you? What’s important to you? What’s important to you since you’ve contacted MLP and are considering entrusting us with thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to build something that...well, is important to you. I’ve hired contractors before, and not one, zero, none of them has ever asked me this question. You may have had a different experience. You’ve reached out to us because we have the expertise, the tools and manpower to complete what is important to you! That fact is not lost on MLP. Everything we do revolves around making sure we first communicate transparently to UNDERSTAND what is important to you; that we design a plan that is USEFUL to you; and that we execute in order to fulfill what will make you HAPPY as child at Disney World!

Just 2 questions for you remain:

1.  What value do you place on just these 3 major points that would either compel you to reach out to us or not?
2.  If you’re still not sure if we’re a good fit for you, what additional information would you need to help you make your decision one way or the other?

The fact is MLP is not a good fit for everyone.

Find the right contractor for you and your family! Because what you are saying is ‘I entrust you enough to invest thousands, maybe tens of thousands of $$ on you to get me from my current situation to what I envision.’ MLP may not be the right fit for you. There are other great contractors around who bring you great value for your investment as well, some of whom I know personally. And I’m going to say, yes, feel free to ask me who and I’ll give you their names. However, exceptional contractors and exceptional teams are few and far between unfortunately. Be careful.

If you’re reading this far, thank you for your time and consideration.

Maybe we’re a good fit for you, maybe we are not. So much more can be said—our client’s glowing reviews; their willingness to receive phone calls or emails from prospective clients to vouch for us. And yes, they would be willing to let you contact them as well.

Feel free to reach out with any questions. I’m willing to help.

Happy searching for the right contractor for you and your family.

Yours Truly,

Jason Tello

Craftsman - Designer