When you have work done on your outdoor space, it isn’t only the products that you use that need to be of a high standard – but the workmen you trust with completing the job.
Your home is your sanctuary – the place not only where you should be at your most relaxed and content, but somewhere you should be proud to call your own. In the UK, we’re particularly proud of our homes and strive to maintain them at their most beautiful, applying our creativity to both our interiors and outdoor spaces.
When you’re investing in your home or garden, you choose the best materials you can afford and the most stunning products to bring your dreams to life. Having made the effort to research and select the look and finish you want, isn’t it vital that the people you choose to complete work for you should be of an equally high standard? Untrustworthy ‘cowboy’ workmen are a reality and can cause significant stress for homeowners, by making promises they can’t keep and delivering substandard, disappointing work.
Furthermore, issues with a patio installation may not present themselves for weeks or even months, by which time the cowboy has disappeared into the sunset with your hard earned cash.
We are proud members of the Marshalls Register of Accredited Landscape Contractors and Driveway Installers. This is a definitive list of professional, capable and certified workmen who we vet and monitor so that we can assure you of their competence and performance. The high level of workmanship required means all those on the Register must prove themselves in terms of their costs, the guarantees they offer on work completed and their professional methods.
Using the Marshalls Register to select a local company you can rely on could save you thousands. When it comes to domestic landscaping jobs, only around 20% of the costs go on materials, with a huge 80% spent on labour.
Marshalls Hard Landscape Guarantee
Only a Marshalls Register Installer can offer you the unique Marshalls Hard Landscape Guarantee. The guarantee protects your investment with a level of cover unmatched by any other company (subject to terms, See here):
- Covers material defects for a full 10 years
- Is index-linked, to protect your investment against inflation
- Is issued only when inspected and signed as satisfactory by you, the customer
For peace of mind, you can choose a Marshalls-vetted crew and avoid the horrific situations others have found themselves in – for example, the couple who spent over £80,000 on a barn conversion only to be left homeless by a cowboy builder’s incompetence, or the pensioner charged £775,000 for repairs that actually left his home in a worse state than it had previously been. These high-profile cases along with TV shows dedicated to uncovering some of the worst offenders have certainly helped to curb the prevalence of disreputable building firms. But to be absolutely confident of your choice, the Marshalls Register is invaluable.
In fact, many of the names on the Register go beyond delivering a high standard of service and instead provide something really quite exceptional.
To find the very best landscaping professionals in your area and enjoy the assurance of knowing your home and garden are in safe, capable hands, use the Marshalls Register and look after your most prized possession now and for years to come.
How to spot a rogue trader
If they come knocking because they ‘just happen to be in the area’ – be wary. A genuine Marshalls Register Installers will never cold call.
If someone claims to be genuine Marshalls Register Installer or says they are associated with us, check with us, or use our installer search by county to validate who they are.
If they say they can ‘start tomorrow’ – be wary. Reputable installers are in demand and may require several weeks’ notice.
Never accept a verbal estimate. Insist on a written quotation. Quotes should be written on headed paper with an address and telephone number.
If you accept the quote, request written confirmation. A ‘cowboy’ will be reluctant to do this, however a written contract is essential.