Please Watch The Video and Read The Info Provided On This Page Prior To Our Meeting
Why Green Side Up Landscaping?
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High Communication
GSU understands that the biggest part of communicating well is first listening. We have been listening to our clients for 15+ years. The comments, feedback, and questions helped lead us to take a more proactive role in our client’s experience. We always want to be timely with knowledge on your project and answers to your questions. This is what you can expect from us every day:
- We return phone calls within minutes or hours, not days.
- Emails answered promptly.
- Post-installation care instructions emailed out to ensure your landscape lives.
- Educational pieces emailed out to improve clients’ knowledge base.
- Instead of constantly answering some of the same questions we spent the time to detail out answers to many FAQ’s (see below)
- Reminders prior to on-site meetings
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High Quality
You want the most knowledgeable and skilled team of people to design, install and maintain your property as possible. This knowledge must start at the top of the organization. The owners of GSU Landscaping have degrees in Turf Management and Horticulture. Their knowledge along with online and field training for all of our team members helps us to be the leader in the industry.
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Technology Forward
Want things to just be easy? We have flipped the script of the average landscaper. The GSU team has worked hard to deconstruct the frustration points of working with a landscaper and made them seamless. Here are just a few examples:
- Easy online scheduling with friendly meeting reminders.
- Emailed pre-meeting documents: Helps both parties start from the same knowledge point so we can focus on your property specifics. No wasted time for either party.
- Electronic document signing. Eliminates figuring out how to get signed contract back.
- Online deposit acceptance
- Electronic notes stored on your account so anyone servicing your account knows just how you want things done.
- Online training for our team members so they can be the most knowledgeable and safety conscience as possible.
- ACH automatic bank drafting for final payments
Maintenance Services Offered
Below is detailed descriptions of the services that are possible on our yearly renewing maintenance agreements:
Key Term Definitions:
- Man-hour: The amount of work that can be completed by one person within one hour. Why Important: Every service on your proposal will show how many hours we believe it will take to complete this service every visit. This is not how long the crew will be there but how long a single person would be there if performing the task.
- Square footage: Measurement of area. Why important: Most of the key aspects that are driving your price are size of your turf and mulch beds.
Cost: $55 and up per visit X 32 visits ($1760-$3500 normal range for yearly costs)
Driving cost factor: Square footage of turf and man-hours needed for cleanup of hard surfaces.
These services are offered during the normal growing season(End of March-Begining of November) for a total of 32 visits. Assumes two weeks not mowing after aeration and overseeding. This means that your turf will be mowed weekly at a height of ~3.5” and a weedeater will be used to trim/edge all aspects that could not be reached with mowers. We have mowers that range in size from 21” to our largest is 52”. Most, if not all, have a smaller weight footprint than if you were just standing on the turf. If you have mower size restrictions for your property please make this known during the site visit. Lastly, in general, we like to return the turf clippings back to the turf environment so you will get the most out of your fertilization program. We will use baggers if needed to help in not throwing as many clippings into the beds in tight areas and during that grey area time when the leaves are falling but the grass still needs to be mowed.
After mowing is completed, all hard surfaces(driveways, pathways, patios, decks, and porches) will be blown off at the end of each service visit.
GSU does not offer one-time mowings. We only offer services within a yearly contract.
Cost: $5 and up per visit X 35 visits ($170-$500 normal yearly costs)
Driving cost factor: Landscape bed square footage to be weeded.
These services are offered during the growing season(End of March-Begining of November) for a total of 34 visits. This service will be done at the same time as the mowing/trimming/clean-up service of the property. We do offer up to every other week weedings for non-mowing clients. We understand that you are mainly hiring us to cut your grass BUT you are judging our performance on how weed-free your landscape beds are. We allot a dedicated amount of time to hand-pull and/or spray weeds in all existing landscape beds AND hard surfaces. Any weed debris will be removed from your site.
We do not offer this service if we are not on the property weekly to provide mowing services.
Cost: $50 and up per visit X (7/11) visits ($350-$3000 normal yearly range)
Driving cost factor: Square footage of turf.
We only maintain(mow) turf that is on a fertilization program. This program does not need to be provided in our contract but it must be with a turf fertilization vender. We offer turf fertilization programs from Virginia Green Lawn Care. The two services levels that are available:
- 7- Step: Premium Plan(Most Popular)- LINK TO DETAILED DESCRIPTION
- 11-Step: Estate Program- LINK TO DETAILED DESCRIPTION The main difference with this program is that it includes four fungicide applications(to prevent brown patch and dollar spot), insecticides(kill grubs) and two applications of sedge control.
If a call ahead of service is needed please let us know during our site visit.
Cost: $75 and up per visit X # visits ($150-$3000 normal yearly cost range)
Driving cost factor: Amount, type and maturity of plant material needing to be maintained.
Pruning is provided in seasonal visits. Each visit is by a trained crew that will professionally maintain the plant material that needs to get addressed at the correct time of year. Please note that the crew that prunes your plant material may NOT the same crew that cuts your grass.
Rough pruning timelines:
Winter pruning: January 2nd- End of February
Spring Pruning: Mid April-End of June
Summer Pruning: July-End of August
Fall Pruning: September-End of November
GSU offers as few as two visits(Summer and Winter) and up to four seasonal visits. Please note that fewer visits will lead to more prolonged time periods of shaggy plant material and a greater number of hours needed to prune during each remaining visit.
Every client sees pruning from a different light. This is a service that can vary greatly based on the level of detail that you seek. In bidding on this proposal we lay out the number of man-hours we believe will satisfy the majority of clients. If you seek a level of detail that requires more than the allotted man-hours we bill that additional time out at a rate of $75 per man-hour.
There is no need to schedule this work unless you request to be there during this service. We will schedule and complete it automatically.
Cost: $50 and up per visit X 5 visits (normal range is $250-$2500 for year)
Driving cost factor: Tree canopy size
GSU Landscaping offers leaf removal on an every-other-week basis from roughly the beginning of November to the end of January. These 5 total visits roughly break down to: twice before thanksgiving, twice before Christmas, and a final leaf cleanup in January. This breakdown could be different from the weather and when the holidays fall on the calendar. These visits do not need to be scheduled and will be done automatically.
Leaves will be removed from your site or blown into natural areas depending on how your property is set up. Please note that on every visit we may not remove leaves from your site and may stash leaves in a safe place where we can get them at a later time in the season.
Predicting when the leaves are going to fall is an impossible task. Within the 5 leaf visits, we are able to manage the range of trees and when they fall in this area. There will be a short period of time(late October- early November) that we will need to blow off your leaves into your beds or use a bagger on our mowers as some leaves will be falling but the grass will still be growing.
Cost: $200 and up ($200-$5000 normal range for yearly cost)
Driving cost factor: Landscape bed square footage to be mulched.
This service starts roughly the first of February(commercial clients) and runs through May.
Edging: A good mulching job always starts with a freshly established edge on the landscape bed. We use either spade shovels or a mechanical edger to reestablish the edges roughly 3” (where possible) prior to mulching. Please make known on the site visit if there is any private utility lines/dog fences/drainage/irrigation we should have you flag prior to edging.
Mulching: On established beds, we hand toss our mulch to give a fresh smooth appearance. This application works out to be a topdressing of an inch or less of mulch. One of the leading killers of plant material in your beds is the plants being suffocated by the level of mulch around the plant.
Our default mulch is a dyed brown hardwood mulch. If you prefer something different please make this known during our initial site visit.
Cost: $75 and up per visit X 2 visits (normal range $125-$400 yearly cost)
Driving cost factor: Landscape bed square footage to be weeded.
The goal with any pre-emergent is to prevent any unwanted plants(weeds) from growing in your landscape beds. The product lasts about 6 months and is broken down with water over time. We apply pre-emergent twice yearly:
- Early Spring: Right after your property is mulched.
- Later Summer: August timeline we will apply the product again. The goal is to get it down prior to aeration and overseeding so any stray grass seeds will not establish in beds.
The product that is used is completely safe for all ornamental plants and will not be seen within a few days after application.
Cost: $85 and up per visit X 2 visits ($170-$350 normal yearly range)
Driving cost factor: Number of irrigation zones.
Winterization(November): Irrigation systems need to be winterized in this region as otherwise they will freeze and cause great damage that will need to be repaired. After the water is turned off, pressurized air is used to blow all the remaining water out of the system to prevent cracked pipes. The greatest threat with freezing water is the cracking of the backflow preventer that replacement costs start at $350.
Spring start-up(April-May): The irrigation system will be repressurized with water and all zones will be checked for and aspects that need to get fixed. Repairs will be made during the spring startup visit and will be invoiced on next month's maintenance invoice. The rate for these repairs is $65 per labor hour plus the cost of parts.
Please note that we do not change the settings on the controller when we start up your system. Whatever you had the system set to the year before would be what the system is programmed to do. CLICK HERE to see how we suggest you set up your system.
Repairs/Changes: If you notice an irrigation problem or want to make a change, reach out to your point of contact and we can get repaired ASAP. This would be an additional service at $65 per man hour plus the cost of parts.
Cost: $250 and up ($250- $1250 Normal yearly cost range)
Driving cost factor: Square footage of turf.
This service is provided in the fall when the fescue seed has the best chance to grow(September-October).
- Aeration: Core aerators pull plugs of soil from the turf to allow oxygen, nutrients and water into the soil profile. This is a great way to open up the soil to help promote great root growth for your turf.
- Overseeding: Fescue seed is applied at 5lbs per 1000sq ft. Please note that 5lbs of seed is not so much that every bare spot will be 100% packed with seed but will give the RIGHT amount to grow a healthy stand of grass.
Cost: $375 and up per visit X 2 visits ($750- $2500 normal yearly cost range)
Driving cost factor: # of annuals to be changed out each visit
Annual color plantings can be added to your maintenance agreement that will be changed out twice a year. In late spring begonias(May) will be planted and then changed out to pansies in the fall(November). All pant debris to be removed from site when completed.
Cost: $75 and up per visit X # visits ($200 is normal yearly total for 3 visits)
Driving cost factor: # man-hours to clean up trash, sticks and debris from site
During the off-season(January-Mid March) the number of scheduled visits on your property is greatly reduced. Adding off-season visits allows us to spend more time on your property to pick up any fallen debris or trash and blow off the place so it looks perfect all the time.
Cost: FREE
Driving factor: PRICELESS knowing someone is checking up on your property all the time.
Our team wants you to know we are never asleep at the wheel. Your property is visited every 4-6 weeks by a member of our management staff and a report is emailed to you. This report gives suggestions for how to improve your landscape, any notes that will be added to your account so we provide a better service and we are also grading our crews on their performance. The crews are graded based off of “LANDSCAPING YOU ARE PROUD OF vs NOT PROUD OF” scores. These scores directly affect the crew’s quarterly bonus so you know they also have invested interest in your property looking great.
You will be able to schedule any of these meetings with your point of contact using their scheduling link.
Frequently Asked Maintenance Questions
Landscape Design
Green Side Up Landscaping is proud to offer landscape designs that transform your personal living space and offer a road map to your landscape vision. We offer many levels of design but most fall under the following three categories:
- CONCEPT Landscape design Front OR Rear Landscape $500
- CONCEPT Landscape design WHOLE Landscape $875
- 2D Front OR Rear Landscaping design: $1000
- 2D WHOLE Landscape design: $1850
- 2D & 3D Front OR Rear Landscape Design Bundle: $1800
- 2D & 3D WHOLE Landscape Design Bundle: $3150
- Realistic 3D &2D Front OR Rear Landscape Design Bundle $2500
- Realistic 3D &2D Whole Landscape Design Bundle $4375
- 3D Video Walk Thru for any 3D option $500
Our detailed landscape design plans provide you with a clear image of the changes you seek for your unique property. Whether you need front yard updates or a complete landscape transformation, we can help you create the landscape design you've been dreaming of.
Any major redrawing would be billed at $150 per design hour.
- Final design: Client will be provided with a digital copy of plans at completion. Print copies are available at an additional cost.
Requirements to start design process:
1.Property Plat: The aerial sketch shows the property lines and location of any structures on the property. This document was provided by surveyors and can usually be found in your closing documents for your house.
2.Budget: The client must provide a maximum budget amount of what they plan to invest in the landscape project over the course of the project even if it is to be phased. This budget is used to help the designer select materials and design layouts that achieve as many priorities as possible.
3. Client Vision: Clear goals and a list of priorities from the client is key to bringing that vision to life in a landscape design. The more detail that is provided the better we can design an incredible landscape for your enjoyment.
4. Concerns: Please list any concerns your site may present that our designers would need to account for:
5. Payment: The client is required to make full payment for the design to start the process. There is a way to make your deposit via Paypal from this proposal AFTER the proposal has been completed and submitted.
Once the design has been completed a proposal for the work will be provided.
Landscape Services Offered
Below is detailed descriptions of the services that are possible on our yearly renewing maintenance agreements:
Cost: $500 and up
Driving cost factor: Plant material(sizes, maturities, and varieties)
Let us guess...You are seeking low maintenance plant material in your landscape? GSU Landscaping has extensive knowledge of the plant material that would work to make your landscape look great. Our crew is trained using the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association(VNLA) standards for best planting practices to ensure your installed plants have the best chance for survival.
**Plant Warranties:**
All trees and shrubs installed come with ONE YEAR WARRANTY. This warranty does not include perennials, grasses, groundcovers or annuals. Plant material will be replaced if determined is totally dead in one year period. Green Side Up will warranty ANY woody plant material up to ten percent of the total plant material costs. If the total death of project is over ten percent then there has clearly been an unforeseen environmental condition, acts of God, or lack of care by the client to keep these living plants alive. Ultimately it is the CLIENTS RESPONSIBILITY to care for plant material. IF concerns arise please contact us ASAP. Each plant will only be replaced once. No plants will fall under warranty if the project has not been paid for in full. Animal damage is not covered under this warranty.
Landscape Lighting: Add safety and night curb appeal to your property.
- Standard lighting(pathway lighting, up lighting trees and house) $300 per fixture with a 5-light minimum.*
- Advanced installations: (moonlighting in trees, lighting in hardscapes, deck step rise installation...etc) Installation would be on a time ($100 per man hour) + material basis.
- Renovate your existing Halogen lighting system with new LED lights: $100 per man-hour plus the cost of materials.
Make your property stand out even at night!
- Extend your living space outside
- Highlight landscaping and yard decor
- Enhance your property's curb appeal
- Increase your property value
- Improve the safety and security of your property
- Retrofit your old halogen lights with LED lights and save money!
*Includes all Labor and materials for installation.
Cost: $500-$5000
Driving cost factor: Area to be graded and amendments needed
Grading can be as easy as using a shovel/rake to as complex as using a skid steer or excavator to get an area smoothed out. All of these options are possible along with everything in between. Soil amendments(topsoil, compost, fill dirt) can be used in the process to aid the intended final result.
Cost: $600 and Up
Driving cost factor: Square footage of the area to be sodded.
Once your site is graded smooth you can get sod installed. Sod is sold by the pallet which varies from 500 to 700 square feet. There are several types of sod(Tall fescue, bermuda, zoysia) we can install but the most common in our region is Tall Fescue
Cost: $150 and up
Driving cost factor: Area & items to be cleaned up and removed.
Have an overgrown area and just want to start over? We can rip out that old landscape and help you start from scratch.
Cost: $200 and up
Driving cost factor: Landscape bed square footage to be mulched.
- Edging: A good mulching job always starts with a freshly established edge on the landscape bed. We use either spade shovels or a mechanical edger to reestablish the edges roughly 3” (where possible) prior to mulching. Please make known on the site visit if there is any private utility lines/dog fences/drainage/irrigation we should have you flag prior to edging.
- Mulching: On established beds: We hand toss our mulch to give a fresh smooth appearance. This application works out to be a topdressing of an inch or less of mulch. One of the leading killers of plant material in your beds is the plants being suffocated by the level of mulch around the plant.
On New Beds: We apply a deeper application of mulch(~2”) as we need to establish the bed.
Our default mulch is a dyed brown hardwood mulch. If you prefer something different please make this known during our initial site visit.
Frequently Asked Landscaping/Hardscaping Questions
Hardscape Services Offered
Cost: $5000 and up ($5000-$50,000 normal price range)
Driving cost factor: Patio square footage and elevation where the patio is to be installed.
We can design and install your dream patio in your backyard. We are ICPI certified to install any paver product you select. The standard paver we select is linked here.
Cost: $2000 and up
Driving cost factor: Length and height of the wall.
Whether it's a sitting wall around a fire pit or a structural wall to level a patio we have you covered. We are NCMA certified to install any segmented retaining wall. Our standard sitting wall is linked here.
Cost: $1800-$3000
Driving cost factor: Size of fire pit and materials selected for construction.
Standard fire pits are made out of segmented retaining wall blocks and use a matching cap.
Natural wood burning is most often requested but we can have these pits hooked up to gas also.
Cost: $10000 and up
Driving cost factor: Size and materials of fireplace construction
Want something a little more eye-catching? Want to enjoy the fire outside but not have the smoke in your eyes? An outdoor fireplace may just be the ticket. This landscape features really brings grand presence to your outdoor living space.
Cost: $5000 and up
Driving cost factor: Size and features of this project.
We can design and install your dream outdoor kitchen. Granite countertops, grills, burners, sinks, ice makers and more are possible just for how you want to use it.
Frequently Asked Landscaping/Hardscaping Questions
Complete List of GSU Services
- Mowing/Trimming/Clean up
- Landscape bed weeding
- Edging/Mulching
- Pre-emergent applications in landscape beds
- Aeration & Overseeding of turf
- Leaf blowing/Leaf Removal
- Pruning of plant material under 12’
- Turf fertilization programs
- Irrigation systems: Winterizations/Spring start-ups/Repairs
- Annual Plantings
- Off-season visits
- Landscape Design
- Tree/Shrub/Perennial/Annual Installation
- Landscape Lighting
- Grading
- Sodding/Seeding
- Clean up & Removal of Landscapes
- Edging/Mulching
- Pruning of plant material under 12’
- Dry creek beds
- Hardscape Design
- Patio/Pathway Installation
- Repairs of old patios
- Retaining/Sitting Wall Installation
- Fire Pits
- Outdoor Fireplaces
- Outdoor Kitchens
- Driveway Cobblestones