Vancouver is one of the most attractive places on the face of the earth thanks to its stunning natural beauty.  It's tough to outdo Mother Nature but that hasn't stopped the city and its citizens from trying. Landscaping is almost an art form in Vancouver as evidenced in the gardens and settings in Stanley Park and the thousands of perfectly landscaped homes and office buildings that can be found in the area.

If you're thinking your little plot of paradise could use the touch of professional landscaping companies you might be getting more than you bargained for. Sure a professionally landscaped lawn is pleasing to the eye and boosts pride in ownership but it can boost something else as well...the value of your home.

You always hear realtors talking about 'curb appeal' when appraising a house for the market. Well that 'curb appeal', when expanded to include the entire property can raise the value of a house 10% to 20% or more. When you use a professional landscaping company you are adding value to what is probably your largest single investment...your house.

You can start your search for landscapers and landscaping contractors right here in Handy Canadian's landscaping directory. Each listing will give you a snapshot of the contractor's operation including a description of services provided, contact information, links to their website and for many, reviews left by customers who found the contractor on Handy Canadian. If you're looking for a simple sod job or a new walkway...or a complete redo, you can find the contractor that best meets your needs here.

A few tips about landscaping projects

The secret to a successful landscaping project is to select the right contractor and get it done right the first time. What you don't want is to end up with a botched job or an incomplete job that will require you to go through the whole process again to get it done right. We've listed a few basics that will help you select the right landscaping company the first go round.

• Every business in Vancouver requires a city Business License, make sure your contractor can provide you with a copy.
• If you are going to have a complex job done that requires digging, the installation of ground lighting, plumbing for fountains and the like, your contractor is going to have the requisite Certificate of Qualification for each of the different trade skills involved to be able to get permits from the city. This is really important. You don't want to have a project completed only to discover that the city never approved the work and now you have to undo it. Like so many things the devil is in the detail. Have your contractor demonstrate that he is qualified to get the permits required.
• Carefully read the contract so you both agree on expectations. Little things like will the work area be tidied up each day after work is done are details that can make serious dollar and cents difference to a contractor.
• It goes without saying that you need to check the reputation of the landscaping contractors that you are considering. Call the references they give you and drive by the installations they have done. Check the Vancouver Better Business Bureau for unresolved complaints. Lastly run their name through the search engines and see what comes up.

Follow these simple tips and you're well on your way to making the right selection of landscaping companies the first time.

Maybe your landscaping project won't rival Stanley Park or the beauty of Grouse Mountain but you will be contributing to the reason that Conde Nast selected Vancouver as the Best City of the Americas!

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