You’ve decided it’s time to hire a landscaper for your Fort Lauderdale home. Maybe the yard is getting away from you, or you want a full redesign before selling. Either way, you’re about to hand someone the keys to your property’s curb appeal — and possibly write them a significant check. So what should you look for when hiring a landscaper in Fort Lauderdale to make sure you’re getting someone reliable, skilled, and worth the investment?
Choosing the wrong landscaping company can mean wasted money, damaged plants, or projects that drag on for weeks. Choosing the right one can transform your outdoor space and save you headaches for years. Here are seven things every Fort Lauderdale homeowner should verify before signing on the dotted line.
1. Verify Their Insurance Coverage
This is the single most important thing to check, and it’s the one most homeowners skip. Any landscaper working on your property should carry both general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. General liability covers damage to your property — say a crew member backs a mower into your fence or breaks a sprinkler head. Workers’ comp covers their employees if someone gets injured on your property.
Without workers’ comp, you could be held liable if a crew member is hurt while trimming your trees or operating equipment in your yard. In Florida, landscaping companies with one or more employees are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Ask for a certificate of insurance and verify it’s current. A legitimate company will have no problem providing this.
If a landscaper hesitates or says they “don’t really need insurance,” that’s a red flag you should take seriously.
2. Check for Proper Licensing and Certifications
Florida doesn’t require a state-level license specifically for basic landscaping and lawn maintenance. However, Broward County and the City of Fort Lauderdale do require a local business tax receipt (formerly called an occupational license) to operate legally. Any company doing irrigation work needs a separate irrigation contractor license, and pesticide or fertilizer application requires certification from the Florida Department of Agriculture.
Beyond legal requirements, professional certifications show that a company takes their work seriously. Look for credentials from organizations like the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA) or the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). These certifications mean the team has been trained and tested on horticulture, safety practices, and industry standards relevant to South Florida’s unique growing conditions.
3. Look at Their Portfolio and Past Projects
A picture is worth a thousand promises. Any established landscaping company should be able to show you photos of completed projects, ideally ones that are similar in scope to what you’re looking for. If you want a full front yard redesign, ask to see before-and-after photos of similar jobs. If you need ongoing maintenance, ask how long they’ve been servicing their current clients.
Pay attention to whether their past work is in Fort Lauderdale or nearby areas of Broward County. Landscaping in South Florida is different from landscaping almost anywhere else — the sandy soil, salt air, intense sun, heavy summer rains, and hurricane risk all affect plant selection and design. A company with local experience will already understand these factors and won’t be learning on your dime.
Better yet, ask if you can see a property they currently maintain in person. The condition of a yard they’ve been caring for over several months tells you far more than a photo taken the day after installation.
4. Read Reviews — But Read Them Carefully
Online reviews on Google, Yelp, and Nextdoor are useful, but they require some interpretation. A company with hundreds of reviews and a 4.5-star average is generally a safer bet than one with five perfect reviews. Look for patterns in the feedback rather than fixating on individual complaints. If multiple reviewers mention the same problem — late arrivals, poor communication, inconsistent quality — pay attention.
Also check how the company responds to negative reviews. A professional response that acknowledges the issue and offers to make it right says a lot more about a company’s character than a defensive or dismissive reply. Every business has off days; what matters is how they handle them.
Don’t stop at online reviews. Ask the company for two or three references from current clients, preferably homeowners in Fort Lauderdale with properties similar to yours. A quick phone call to a reference can give you insights that no online review will.
5. Get a Detailed Written Estimate
A verbal quote or a one-line text message isn’t an estimate — it’s a guess. Before committing to any landscaping work, you should receive a written estimate that breaks down the scope of work, materials, labor, timeline, and total cost. For maintenance contracts, the estimate should clearly state what’s included in each visit (mowing, edging, blowing, hedge trimming, weeding) and what costs extra.
For larger projects like landscape design and installation, the estimate should include a list of specific plants and materials with quantities, the preparation work involved (removing existing plants, grading, adding soil amendments), a projected start date and completion timeline, payment terms and schedule, and a warranty or guarantee policy on plants and workmanship.
In Fort Lauderdale, a typical full-service maintenance visit for a standard residential lot runs anywhere from $150 to $350 per month depending on lot size and services included. Design and installation projects vary widely, but you should expect a detailed proposal for anything over a few hundred dollars. If a company can’t or won’t put the details in writing, move on to the next one.
6. Ask About Their Communication and Scheduling
Good landscaping work means nothing if the company is impossible to reach. Before hiring, pay attention to how responsive they are during the quoting process. Do they return calls or texts within a reasonable time frame? Do they show up for the initial consultation when they say they will? These early interactions are usually the best service you’ll ever get from a company — if communication is already poor before they have your money, it’s unlikely to improve afterward.
Ask specific questions about how they handle scheduling. What day of the week will they come? Do they notify you if there’s a delay due to weather? What’s the process if you need to request additional work or report an issue? In Fort Lauderdale, afternoon thunderstorms are a daily occurrence from June through September, so schedule disruptions are inevitable. What matters is how a company communicates about those disruptions and gets back on track.
Find out who your point of contact will be once service begins. Some larger companies assign account managers; smaller operations may have you dealing directly with the owner. Neither is inherently better, but you should know who to call when you have a question or concern.
7. Understand the Contract Terms Before You Sign
Read every word of the service agreement before signing. It’s not the most exciting part of hiring a landscaper, but it protects both you and the company. Key things to look for include the length of the contract (month-to-month vs. annual), cancellation terms and any early termination fees, what happens if work is unsatisfactory (do they come back to fix it at no charge?), liability for property damage, and how price increases are handled.
Month-to-month agreements are generally more homeowner-friendly because they allow you to leave if the service doesn’t meet your expectations. Some companies offer discounts for annual commitments, which can be worthwhile if you’ve already vetted them thoroughly. Just make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to.
For one-time projects, the contract should include a clear scope of work that matches the estimate, a payment schedule tied to project milestones rather than upfront lump sums, and provisions for change orders if the scope needs to adjust mid-project.
Finding the Right Fit for Your Fort Lauderdale Property
Hiring a landscaper doesn’t have to be stressful. By checking these seven items — insurance, licensing, portfolio, reviews, written estimates, communication, and contract terms — you’ll filter out the unreliable operators and find a company that treats your property with the care it deserves. South Florida’s climate creates both incredible opportunities and real challenges for landscaping, and working with a knowledgeable local team makes all the difference.
If you’re looking for a landscaping company that checks every box on this list, Angler Lawn has been serving Fort Lauderdale and Broward County homeowners with dependable, professional landscaping services. Get a free estimate at anglerlawn.com and see the difference a trusted local team can make.