Do you have a garden or large landscape that needs professional care? If so, you may need the services of bark blowers. Professional bark blowers spread soil, compost, or mulch over large areas. This service offers many benefits for your landscaping. Here are some questions you should ask before hiring professional bark blowers.

1. Do You Have a License?

Regardless of what type of work is being done on your property, make sure a contractor has a legal right to do so. As you’re deciding among local bark blowers, always ask to see a license or bond, as it may be required by your state or local region. Knowing that they have the right certification to work in their particular field means they understand the right safety practices to operate their equipment.

2. Do You Have Insurance?

Contractor insurance is just as important as having a license. Regardless of how simple a job may appear to you or how experienced a contractor is, accidents can happen at any time. If an accident occurs, you don't want to be held liable. Luckily, if a contractor has insurance, that means that their medical care will be covered.

3. What Material Do You Spread?

All bark blowers don't do the same type of work. Therefore, ask what type of material they spread. They may use sand, gravel, wood chips, fine mulch, coarse mulch, and more. According to the Mulch and Soil Council, bark dust must contain 15% or less interior xylem wood content that can transfer water and ion to other plants. If you have a preference as to the material used, discuss it with your bark blower to see if they can use a different type of material. If they can't, then you'll know that you should move on to another contractor.

4. Do You Have References?

You should always ask a contractor about what references they can provide. Check that they show up on time to do a job and know how to respect their customers' property. By being able to contact local references, you can have the assurance that you're hiring a reliable and professional bark blower. If the contractor has a good reputation and has done solid work, they shouldn't hesitate to provide you with a few references from past and current clients.

5. How Much Area Can You Cover?

Do you have a large landscape that needs assistance, or do you only need your bark blower to work within a small backyard or garden space? This question lets you know that the contractor has the right tools to spread over the area radius you need it to. All bark blowing machines aren't the same and can vary in how much they can hold and output at one time. If you have a general idea of the measurement of the space you have to cover, note that when you contact a bark blowing contractor.

6. Do You Offer Discounts?

Ask if the contractor you'd like to hire has any discounts for their services. A discount can be a great way to ensure their services fit within your budget. At Red Bark Inc, we offer a 5% product discount because we want to help you save money when you're trying to improve the look of your property with help from us.

7. How Many People Will Come?

If you have a large space to cover, more than one bark blower may show up depending on how their team is structured. It's always a good idea to understand how many people are going to come to work on your contracting project. It's especially helpful if you have kids or animals on your property who need to stay inside during the duration of the project.

8. How Long Will the Project Take?

If you have a small area to cover, this service typically doesn't take too long. However, if you have a large landscape for the bark blowing contractors to handle, it may take longer than normal. It's a good idea to be able to plan for how long they'll be on your property, especially if you have other things on your property to tend to. Plus, you want to ensure the contractors live up to their initial scope of work. Be sure to create a clear schedule with the contractor you intend to hire.

9. Will You Need a Clear Path?

When you're talking to your bark blower, do your best to describe the area that they're coming to. Are there any narrow walkways, gates, fences, stairs, or narrow paths for them to worry about? If your contractors are arriving in a truck or trailer, then you may need to clear a path for them so that they can get to the area that they have to clear. Ask them if they can describe their equipment and if it’ll be a problem getting on your property. It may be helpful to send them pictures if describing certain aspects of your property proves to be difficult over the phone.

10. How Much Will It Cost?

Any contractor you hire should have transparent pricing. Ask them if they can break down the exact cost of everything they plan to charge you for. Are they charging you for the equipment fee, materials, labor, cost, time, and so on? Do they charge more to work on certain days or at certain times of the day? If you're planning to hire a bark blower who has years of experience compared to others, they may charge more money compared to less-experienced contractors. Therefore, make sure that you assess these different factors when considering how much they're charging. Even if you received a referral from someone you trust, it's always a good idea to compare at least three quotes from different bark blowers so that you have an understanding of the general fee that they're charging.

11. What Are the Benefits of Bark Blowing?

While there are different ways to add nutrients to your soil, ask the contractor about the various benefits of bark blowing. Usually, these blowers add many benefits to any lawn or garden by helping retain moisture, improve soil quality, prevent the growth of weeds, and reduce erosion. If you're unsure if it can benefit a specific project, have the contractor explain it to you, as you may learn something new about the benefits of this type of procedure.

12. Who Is My Main Contact?

You may not be sure if you're working with a small or large team, so make sure you know who to contact during the duration of your project. After all, the person who shows up to do the bark blowing may not be the main person that you'll contact to make the appointment or pay your bill. If any issues arise, you want to be able to deal with them right away by having the right phone number, e-mail, and other contact information.

As you can see, bark blowers can do a great deal for your landscape. No matter how large or small your property is, it's important to hire a professional and dependable team to get the job done right. Here at Red Bark Inc, we take pride in providing exceptional bark blowing services. Contact our team for more information today!