Adding value

A new book gives landscape contractors an opportunity to reward customers while also marketing their company.

Brian Horn

Published February 23, 2011

Landscapers can give the “Landscape Valuation Guide” to loyal customers as a thank you. Cool Springs Press and Horticultural Asset Management Inc. (HMI) have teamed to produce a garden book customized to a homeowner’s personal landscape. The “Landscape Valuation Guide” is designed to document the average replacement cost of a homeowner’s trees, shrubs and roses in addition to providing important care and maintenance instructions for each plant.

This is of interest to landscape professionals, especially design/build contractors, because, for $29.95, a contractor can give the book to customers as a gift for their business. Landscape contractors can also customize the book’s title for each customer. So, you can deliver “The Anderson’s Landscape Valuation Guide” to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.

“The industry has been trying to associate real value on the landscaping assets we either create or maintain, says HMI President and CEO, Doug Cowles.  

“This product is a unique way to demonstrate the costs a property owner would likely have to pay to replace the plants if they were to be lost. Not only does the guide help establish our industry’s “value” to the home, but it’s also a valuable insurance or tax resource if your client ever has a loss.” 

The guide combines HMI’s plant replacement cost calculator with the Cool Springs Press library of garden care instructions and maintenance for thousands of plants. Homeowners, especially those whose plants may cross zones and styles, can pull from the pool of information and create a one-stop source for information on their plants.

The guides are produced after a user creates an inventory of plants at Cool Springs Press’s online bookstore www.gardenbookstore.net. Using a custom user interface, the homeowner is then prompted to provide their complete home address information. 

Based on growing region, the system provides a comprehensive list of trees and shrubs most popular in the homeowner’s area. From this list, homeowners select their specific trees and shrubs and provide height and diameter specifications.

Once complete, the system computes an overall value based on key measurements and market value, and is put in the guide, which will also contain: instructions on when, where and how to plant, growing and care tips and companion plantings and designs for the plants. Homeowners will find value in the book because many customers don’t know the value of their landscaping.

This increase in value is nearly impossible for an average homeowner to calculate, and those curious or savvy enough to find the answer might be forced to rely on an expensive arborist evaluations. “Now that our database and replacement cost calculator is available through partnership with Cool Springs Press, we’ve eliminated a major expense and barrier for every US homeowner,” says Cowles.

The Landscape Valuation Guide is  available at www.gardenbookstore.net. Just click the “How much is your landscape worth?” icon.


The author is associate editor with Lawn & Landscape. Send him an e-mail at bhorn@gie.net.

 

Read Next

Research

February 2011
Explore the February 2011 Issue

Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.

Latest from Lawn & Landscape

More from Lawn & Landscape

Ready or not

Tribute to an industry guru

Caterpillar names Christy Pambianchi as chief human resources officer

Ceramica acquires Fundraising Brick

Senske Family of Companies acquires Huron Pest Control

Sunseeker unveils new X7 Series Robotic Mowers

More from this author