Ask about their experience with your specific ground conditions, ask for a written quote that breaks down the work, and ask who is actually turning up on the day. Those three things sort out most of the problems we see homeowners run into after hiring the wrong person. The rest of this list fills in the gaps that catch people out across Naas, Newbridge, Celbridge and the rest of Kildare.
1. Do you know this type of garden, or just gardens in general?
A lot of landscapers are good at one or two things and stretch themselves for everything else. Kildare has a huge mix of garden types, from the heavy clay you get on older sites around Athy and Clane to the thin, compacted subsoil left behind on newer estates in Celbridge and Maynooth where topsoil was never properly reinstated after the build. Ask directly what they’ve worked on recently. If someone hesitates or gives you a vague answer, that tells you something.
2. Can I see a few recent jobs, even just photos?
You don’t need a glossy portfolio, but you should see something. A genuine local operator will have photos on their phone from the last few weeks, not a stock image gallery. If a business has a page about themselves, like our about us page, it’s worth a read too, since it tells you how long they’ve been doing this and where they’re based.
3. What exactly is included in the quote?
This is where most disputes start. “Lawn renovation” can mean scarifying and overseeding, or it can mean a full strip and relay, and the cost difference between those two is enormous. Get the quote in writing with each task listed separately: site clearance, soil prep, materials, disposal of waste, and aftercare. If it’s one lump figure with no breakdown, ask them to split it out before you agree to anything.
4. Who is actually going to be on site?
Some outfits sell the job then send a different crew to do it. There’s nothing wrong with subcontractors as such, but you want to know in advance whether the person who quoted you is the person (or team) doing the work, and whether that team is consistent for the full job or changes halfway through.
5. How do you handle waste and disposal?
Green waste, rubble, old decking, soil, these all need to go somewhere, and legally. Ask where it’s going and whether disposal is already included in the price or billed separately afterwards. This is a common source of surprise invoices.
6. What’s your plan for drainage on this site?
Kildare gets plenty of rain, and poor drainage is the single biggest cause of lawns and planted areas failing within a year of being done. If a landscaper doesn’t mention drainage unprompted on a site with any slope, clay, or a history of standing water, ask directly. A good one will already be thinking about it before you bring it up.
7. Will this work need planning permission?
Most ordinary garden work, lawns, planting, patios, doesn’t need permission, but things like boundary walls over a certain height, decking attached to the house, or work near a protected structure can. Rules and exemption thresholds change and vary by case, so don’t take a verbal assurance as fact. Confirm the current position directly with Kildare County Council before committing to anything structural.
8. How do you handle ongoing maintenance, not just the one-off job?
A garden that looks great on handover day can go downhill fast without proper aftercare. Ask whether they offer ongoing services like lawn mowing, lawn edging or lawn fertilisation, and whether they can come back for a seasonal check. If the only answer is “we don’t do that”, you need a separate plan for upkeep already lined up.
9. What happens with weeds and beds after the hard landscaping is done?
This is the part people forget to ask about, and it’s where gardens go wrong within six months. New beds and borders need proper early weed control or they get overrun before plants establish. We get called out regularly to gardens that were landscaped well but left to go wild because nobody set up a maintenance routine. Our hand weeding service exists mostly because of this exact gap, where the hard landscaping was done right but the follow-through wasn’t.
10. What’s your insurance and what happens if something goes wrong?
Accidents happen on any site, broken pipes, damaged boundary fences, a digger that clips a wall. Ask plainly whether they carry public liability insurance and whether they’ll put that in writing. A legitimate business won’t flinch at this question. One that gets defensive or changes the subject is telling you something important.
A quick checklist before you sign anything
- Written, itemised quote (not just a total figure)
- Clear start date and realistic timeframe for finishing
- Confirmation of who is doing the physical work
- Waste disposal included or billed separately, stated clearly
- Drainage addressed, especially on sloped or clay ground
- A plan for maintenance after the job is finished
- Public liability insurance confirmed in writing
Why this matters more in Kildare than people think
The county’s mix of old stone-built properties, mature gardens in towns like Naas and Kilcock, and newer estate builds around Leixlip and Maynooth means no two gardens behave the same way. A landscaper who’s only ever worked one type of site can do a perfectly good job and still get it wrong on yours, simply because the ground, drainage and exposure are completely different. Asking these questions up front isn’t about catching someone out, it’s about making sure the person standing in your garden actually understands what they’re looking at.
We’ve been working gardens across Kildare long enough to have seen most of what can go right and wrong on a job, and we’re happy to answer any of these questions directly before you commit to anything. If you’d like a straightforward quote for your own garden, get in touch through our contact page and we’ll talk you through what your job actually needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does landscaping cost in Kildare?
It depends heavily on the scope, the ground conditions and the materials chosen. A small lawn tidy-up costs far less than a full garden redesign with hard landscaping. The honest answer is to get a written quote for your specific site rather than rely on a general figure, since two gardens that look similar from the road can need very different work underneath.
Do I need planning permission for garden landscaping?
Most routine landscaping, lawns, planting, paths, doesn’t require permission, but certain boundary walls, raised decking attached to a dwelling, or work affecting a protected structure might. Thresholds and exemptions can change, so confirm the current rules with Kildare County Council before any structural work begins.
How long does a typical garden landscaping job take?
A straightforward lawn or planting job might take a day or two. Larger projects involving groundwork, drainage or hard landscaping can run to several weeks, particularly if wet weather delays groundworks, which is common in Kildare outside the summer months.
Should I hire separate people for lawn care and hard landscaping?
Not necessarily. Many homeowners prefer one landscaper who can handle both the initial work and the ongoing maintenance, since it avoids gaps where nobody is responsible for upkeep. Ask any landscaper you’re considering whether they offer aftercare services, not just the one-off job.
What’s the biggest mistake homeowners make when hiring a landscaper?
Choosing based on price alone without checking what’s actually included. A low quote that leaves out waste disposal, drainage work or aftercare often ends up costing more once those gaps surface. A detailed written quote protects both sides.
Is autumn or spring better for starting a landscaping project in Kildare?
Both have advantages. Autumn ground preparation can let soil settle over winter, while spring planting benefits from a full growing season ahead. The right timing depends on the specific job, so it’s worth discussing your project directly with a local landscaper before deciding.
