At Details Landscape Art, designers and builders of fine gardens throughout the North Bay, we take pride in a job well done. We hand select the best lumber, plant material, moss-covered boulders and beautiful flagstone pieces, and create magnificent designs tailored to the needs of the homeowner. The key ingredient in creating a masterpiece, however, is labor.IMG_1113

We are not a large contractor with a fleet of trucks and multiple crews installing several jobs simultaneously. Personal attention to detail is possible by remaining small – we design and build only a limited number of custom landscapes per year with a small, highly trained crew.

Our employees are Hispanic, yet we ensure that they are legally documented. We also ensure that they are nice people since we demand that they be reliable, timely, and treat our customers with courtesy and respect. They may or may not speak fluent English, but can certainly make themselves understood when necessary. It is our hiring philosophy that it is easier to teach an employee any skills they may lack, than to teach them people skills. We would rather hire the nice person with a great attitude and supplement their skill set over time.

We are confident in the quality and reliability of our labor. We feel comfortable leaving them to work on the jobsite while we are off acquiring materials, meeting with other clients or just in the office. But we do layout the garden, place plants, supervise the work to be done and keep a close eye on the progress, to ensure the finished product adheres to the design.

We diligently follow the letter of the California Labor Laws. Our employees are entitled to a ten-minute break in the morning and afternoon, a half hour lunch period, and heat breaks, when necessary. They also receive basic safety training from time to time, and wear gloves and safety glasses when appropriate.

At least one of us is skilled in concrete installation, carpentry, masonry, irrigation, planting, and light electrical skills (low voltage lighting). We do use subcontractors, however, in areas beyond our expertise, such as swimming pool installation, heavy electrical, ponds and waterfalls, and second floor carpentry such as decks and porches. We also subcontract large tree work including tree removal and stump grinding, since our insurance precludes us from performing this type of work.

Occasionally, when we have an especially large project, we may use casual labor to supplement our crew on a temporary basis.

Since landscaping involves working with tools, uneven ground, and the use of heavy equipment, there are always inherent risks of injury; therefore, our employees are covered by Worker’s Compensation Insurance. We also carry Liability Insurance in case of accidental damage to the homeowner’s property, and are bonded as well.

We are happy to report that we receive many compliments from clients about our gorgeous gardens, but also about the conduct and timeliness of our employees on the job. And they certainly enjoy taking photos of their work. They are proud of a job well done!