Scott Lewis Gardening & Trimming, Inc.

Do you know who is working in your backyard and has regular contact with your family and access to your property?

LOOK AT THEIR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE, LAWN CARE AND TREE TRIMMING WORK
… Ask for a list of properties they maintain and drive by them. Do the properties look good even when the owners are out of town? If practical plants were used in landscape installations, the property should look good, even years later. Some landscape companies recommend more expensive, exotic plants that only look good for a short time after their installation. They take their photos, get paid, and walk away – leaving a mess that needs replacing a year later.

CHECK LANDSCAPE COMPANY REFERENCES
… ask for 3, and call them. Are they happy with their gardeners and tree trimmers? How long have they used their landscape service? Would they recommend this lawn maintenenance company? Did they ever ask for proof of the landscaping company’s drug free workplace or criminal background checks? Does the landscape company have high employee turnover? Do they employ convicted felons?

VERIFY A LANDSCAPE COMPANY HAS A DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE POLICY
… does the lawn maintenance or tree trimming company really do drug tests? Ask for proof. Gardeners who really are drug free are proud of it and are happy to prove it. The landscape company receives workers compensation discounts if they really are a drug free work place. Ask for documentary evidence that they are a certified drug free work place and regularly test their employees.

CONFIRM CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
… are they done? Ask the company to confirm this in writing. Your family’s safety is at stake. We all remember the little girl in Colorado who was kidnapped by a handyman who worked for the family. This is one of many real life horror stories.

CHECK POLICE REPORTS
… call the local police department. Does the landscape company have any reports on file? Are they part of the neighborhood Crime Watch Program? Scott Lewis’ Gardening & Trimming is part of the Town of Palm Beach’s Crime Watch Program, assisting all residents by serving as mobile “eyes & ears.”

HOW LONG HAS THE LANDSCAPE COMPANY BEEN OPERATING UNDER ITS CURRENT NAME & HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN IN BUSINESS?
Florida residents can look this up at www.sunbiz.org. If the company is new or has a new name, they may not have any record with the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.

IS THE LANDSCAPE COMPANY’S REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER STATE?
Corporations or limited liability companies registered in a state other than the one in which they do business could be hiding their owners’ identities for a reason.

DOES THE LANDSCAPE COMPANY PROVIDE HURRICANE PREPARATION ASSISTANCE?
…is the landscape maintenance company willing to help put up your hurricane shutters, put away your lawn furniture and take down your awnings if a storm is enroute? Will they work on weekends to do emergency hurricane preparations if necessary? Scott Lewis’ Gardening & Trimming also provides hurricane preparation services, such as labeling your shutters and creating a matching window map to prepare for such an emergency.

LANDSCAPE COMPANY INSURANCE COVERAGE
…Ask for a Certificate of Insurance for the landscape company’s General Liability and Worker’s Compensation Insurance. They should have $500,000 to $1 million in coverage for each type of insurance. Otherwise, if one of their workers is injured on your property, you could be sued.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST…
Does the landscape company own the irrigation company or pest control company they recommend to their clients? This could be a conflict of interest because it easily could lead to more irrigation or pest control work than necessary.

ESTATE MAINTENANCE…
Is the landscape maintenance company willing to fill in for the property owner’s full time gardeners when they are sick or on vacation? Are they willing to supplement the work of the property owner’s staff when extra help is needed for big projects? Are they willing to do odd jobs that do not involve landscaping?