Homeowner guide
How to choose a hardscape contractor
Short answer
Check the contractor's California license on the CSLB website, ask who will do the estimate and be on the job, look at photos of their own finished work, read reviews on more than one site, and get the scope, materials and price in writing before work starts.
1. Verify the license yourself
Look the license number up on the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) website and confirm the name matches and the license is active, bonded and has workers' compensation or an exemption on file.
Golden Hills Landscape, Inc. is license #1118886. You can check it on the CSLB site any time.
2. Ask who does the estimate and who is on the job
Some companies send a salesperson and hand the work to a crew you never meet. Ask who walks the property, who prices it and who is on site while the work is built.
At Golden Hills, Alonso, the owner, does every estimate himself and stays on the job.
3. Look at their own finished work
Ask for photos of jobs the contractor actually built, ideally with a customer review that mentions the same job. Stock photos and design renderings don't tell you anything about their workmanship.
4. Read reviews on more than one site
Compare Google and Yelp. Look for reviews that name the kind of work and describe how problems were handled, not just a star count.
5. Get everything in writing
A written estimate should describe the scope, the materials, how the base and drainage will be prepared, the price and the payment schedule. If two bids look very different in price, compare what each one includes underneath the surface.