Guide · Contractor Vetting
How to compare contractor proposals — backyard, landscape, pavers.
The definitive Arizona playbook for reading bids across the trades where homeowners lose the most money: complete backyard, landscape, and paver work. Identify missing scope, read allowances vs. fixed selections, evaluate payment schedules by project type, and hold contractors to real change-order standards.
The honest version: Homeowners are trained to compare pool bids carefully and then treat landscape and paver bids as commodity work. That is exactly backwards. The cheapest paver bid is almost always the shortest-lived job, the cheapest landscape bid usually skips soil and irrigation detail, and the cheapest backyard bid quietly omits one full trade. This guide gives you the same rigor across every trade.
01
The five bids problem — same yard, five different scopes
Homeowners rarely get five bids on the same scope. They get five bids that all read like the same project and hide 20–40% of the real work in what is missing. Before comparing any numbers, force every bid onto a shared scope sheet — same paver square footage, same base depth, same plant count, same tree sizes, same drainage detail, same fence type, same lighting count, same permit and HOA scope. Only then do the prices mean anything.
- Ask every contractor to bid to a written scope you provide, not to a scope they invent.
- If a contractor refuses to bid your written scope, that is the answer — they are selling a package, not a project.
- Bids that omit units (sq ft, lin ft, plant count, tree size) cannot be compared. Push back until units appear.
- Bids with only totals and no line items are almost always hiding scope reduction.
02
How to compare complete backyard proposals
A complete backyard bid touches five or six trades — hardscape, structures, pool (if included), landscape, lighting, and often kitchen or fence. Comparing whole numbers is meaningless. Compare by trade.
- Break the bid into trades: hardscape, structure, pool, landscape, lighting, kitchen, fence, drainage.
- Confirm which trades are subcontracted and which are self-performed. Both are legitimate, but you need to know who is accountable.
- One general contractor with all trades under one roof reduces coordination failure; five separate contracts multiply it.
- Ask for the master schedule — sequence, durations, dependencies, and who owns each handoff.
- Confirm what happens at zone transitions (paver to turf, deck to pool, pergola to slab). Transitions are where budgets leak.
- Confirm post-construction landscape restoration is scoped, not assumed.
- Confirm design coordination (CAD or 3D) is included, not billed hourly after the fact.
03
How to compare landscape bids
Landscape is the trade with the most invisible variance. Two bids at the same number can differ by half in what you actually get.
- Plant count and container size — a 15-gallon tree is not a 24-inch box tree. Line up sizes, not just species.
- Soil prep and amendment — Valley native soil needs amendment for most non-desert plants. Bids that skip this fail in year one.
- Drip irrigation — every plant should have a dedicated emitter with a stated flow rate. Bids that list 'irrigation to plants' without emitter counts are hiding scope.
- Tree staking and guy wires — required in monsoon country. Verify it is on the bid.
- Mulch or decorative rock depth — 2 inches is functional, 3+ inches is desert-appropriate. Ask.
- Establishment period — who waters what during the first 30–90 days, and who replaces plants that fail.
- Warranty on plants — 30 days, 90 days, one year? A one-year plant warranty is a professional standard, not a favor.
- HOA plant palette compliance — if the HOA has an approved plant list, the bid should reference it in writing.
04
How to compare paver-installation bids
Pavers are the trade where the cheapest bid is almost always the shortest-lived job. Base preparation is invisible on day one and terminal by year three.
- Base depth — 2–3" ABC minimum for patios and walkways, 4–6" for driveways. Anything less is out of AE spec and will fail. Quarter-minus is never used under pavers.
- Bedding layer — 1" of washed concrete sand, screeded flat. Skipped bedding is the #1 cause of settling.
- Joint sand — polymeric joint sand, not standard mason sand. Polymeric locks the joints against ants, weeds, and monsoon washout.
- Edge restraint — spiked plastic or concrete edge on every unrestrained perimeter. Missing edge = spreading pavers in 12 months.
- Compaction — plate compactor on base, sand, and finished pavers. Ask how many passes and at what layer.
- Cutting — clean cuts on radii and edges, not broken half-pavers wedged in. Look at the contractor's past work.
- Drainage — every hardscape needs a slope plan (1–2% away from structures) and often deck drains. Bids without a slope note are guessing.
- Paver brand and line — Belgard, Pavestone, Techo-Bloc, Acker-Stone each have a range. 'Standard paver' is not a specification.
- Warranty — workmanship warranty separate from the manufacturer's lifetime warranty. Ask for both in writing.
05
How to identify missing scope (the master checklist)
The line item that is not on the bid is the one that turns into a change order or a call-back. Use this as a walk-through before signing anything.
- Permits — pulled by whom, cost bundled or add-on, expedite fees.
- HOA submittal — prepared by whom, revision rounds included, timeline impact.
- Site prep and demolition — dumpster fees, disposal, dust control.
- Excavation depth and disposal of spoils — who hauls the dirt.
- Sub-base and base preparation — depth and material named.
- Drainage — surface slope plan, deck drains, French drains, tie-in to street or dry well.
- Electrical rough-in — conduit sleeves for future lighting or gate hardware.
- Gas rough-in — stub-outs for future BBQ, fire feature, heater.
- Low-voltage rough-in — sleeves for landscape lighting and irrigation controllers.
- Utility locates — Blue Stake ticket confirmed.
- Access protection — plywood over existing pavers or turf when crews cross them.
- Post-construction cleanup and haul-off — final broom sweep, restore or replace disturbed areas.
- Punch list and final walk — a scheduled walk before final payment.
- Warranty — workmanship in writing, manufacturer warranties passed through.
- Insurance certificates — GL and workers' comp naming you as certificate holder.
06
Allowances vs. fixed selections
An allowance is a placeholder dollar amount for a category not yet chosen. A fixed selection is a real product on the contract. Both are legitimate; the ratio decides whether your final invoice matches your headline number.
- Fix everything you have already decided — paver line, coping profile, plant list, tile, appliances.
- Keep allowances only for what you legitimately have not chosen yet — often lighting fixtures, specific tree cultivars, or finish stains.
- For every allowance, ask: what does a real selection cost? The answer tells you the true budget.
- Convert allowances to fixed selections before signing whenever possible. Post-signing is where allowances quietly grow.
- Common allowance-loaded traps: 'tile allowance $6/sq ft' (real: $12–$25), 'coping allowance $15/lin ft' (real: $35–$60 for travertine), 'plant allowance $2,500' (real: $6,000+ for a proper package).
- A bid with $30K in allowances on a $150K contract is a $10K–$25K change-order pipeline waiting to happen.
07
Payment schedules by project type
There is no universal schedule. Fair schedules match the trade, the risk, and the milestone. Any schedule that front-loads payment beyond the material and labor actually delivered is not fair.
- Small hardscape or landscape (under $25K): 25–33% deposit, 33–50% at material delivery or excavation complete, 15–25% at substantial completion, 10% held to final walk.
- Mid-scale project ($25K–$100K): 20–30% deposit, 20–30% at material delivery, 20–25% at rough-in complete, 15–20% at substantial completion, 10% held to final walk.
- Complete backyard ($100K+, no pool): 15–25% deposit, milestone draws at excavation, hardscape base, hardscape finish, structure erect, landscape install, and 10% held.
- Pool build (canonical AE Valley schedule): 15% at contract, 25% at excavation/shotcrete, 25% at tile/coping/decking, 25% at plaster/pebble, 10% at fill and start-up. This is the standard — 'small deposit plus remainder at completion' is not the norm and should be questioned.
- Landscape-only maintenance or install: often 50% deposit for materials, 50% at completion. Fair when material costs dominate.
- Universal rules: deposits above 40% on non-pool work are aggressive; any request for full payment upfront is a walk-away; final retention (10%) tied to written punch list is standard.
08
Change-order standards
Change orders happen on every real project. What matters is the process, the transparency, and the rate.
- Every change order in writing, signed by both parties, before work proceeds. Verbal changes are not enforceable and always favor the contractor.
- Each change order priced with material, labor, and markup broken out. Lump-sum change orders are how scope-creep pricing hides.
- Contractor markup on change orders should match the base contract markup (typically 15–25%). Higher markup on changes is a penalty for the homeowner.
- Homeowner-requested changes vs. site-condition changes vs. contractor-error changes — the third category is not billable to you.
- A running change-order log with cumulative total shared weekly. If you cannot see the running total, you cannot make informed choices.
- Normal change-order rates: 3–8% on straightforward hardscape/landscape, 8–15% on complete backyard with excavation, 5–12% on pool with disclosed hard-dig cap.
- Ask for the contractor's change-order rate on their last five comparable projects. Reputable contractors track this and will share it.
09
Red flags on any Arizona contractor proposal
The pattern is more important than any single flag. One is a question; three is a walk-away.
- No AZ ROC license number on the contract — walk away immediately (AZ requires a license for any residential work over $1,000).
- Insurance certificates not offered, or refused when asked.
- Deposit above 40% on non-pool work, or above 20% at contract signing on a pool.
- Allowances loaded on more than one-third of the bid.
- No line-item breakdown, only a total.
- No written change-order process.
- 'Cash discount' pressure or off-books pricing.
- No references from the last 90 days.
- Refuses to bid your written scope.
- Won't name subcontractors or claims to self-perform every trade.
- Verbal-only warranty or workmanship guarantee.
- Pushes for a same-day signature or 'the price goes up tomorrow.'
- No physical office, no branded truck, no crew photos, no permits pulled in the last year on public record.
10
Why quality contractors are not the cheapest — the math
Valley labor rates, material costs, insurance premiums, and license bonds are effectively the same for every legitimate contractor. When a bid is 20% below the pack, that gap did not come from a mystery efficiency. It came from a cut.
- Base cut in half: pavers on 1" of ABC over native soil instead of 2–3". Saves $1–$3 per sq ft, fails in 24–36 months.
- Joint sand downgrade: standard sand instead of polymeric. Saves $200 per 500 sq ft, invites ants, weeds, and monsoon washout.
- Plant size downgrade: 5-gallon instead of 15-gallon trees. Saves $1,500 across a yard, delays maturity 5+ years.
- No drainage plan: skipping the slope plan and drain rough-in. Saves $2,000, causes monsoon damage year one.
- Uninsured crew: no workers' comp premium. Saves 15–25% on labor. Puts the homeowner on the hook for injuries under AZ law.
- No warranty stack: no manufacturer registration, no workmanship warranty in writing. Saves paperwork, costs the homeowner the repair.
- The 20% you save at signing is almost always in one of these six lines, and it comes back as a repair bill inside three years.
11
How AE writes proposals
For transparency, here is what an AE Outdoor Living proposal contains — use it as a benchmark for any contractor bid you receive.
- Written scope broken by trade with real units (sq ft, lin ft, cu yd, plant count with container size).
- Base spec named on every hardscape line (ABC depth, sand type, joint material).
- Every allowance named with the real selection cost noted alongside.
- Milestone-tied payment schedule matched to the trade — no front-loaded deposits.
- Written change-order process with same-margin markup on both sides.
- Named subcontractors where applicable, all licensed and insured, all disclosed.
- Insurance certificates offered before signing, homeowner named as certificate holder.
- Warranty stack listed by category: structural, material, workmanship, plants.
- HOA and permit management included, not billed as add-ons.
- Post-construction restoration scoped, not assumed.
- 10% retention held to a scheduled final walk with a written punch list.
Pool bids
True All-In Cost of an Arizona Pool
Every line the advertised pool price does not include.
Pool vetting
How to Choose a Pool Builder
Pool-specific bid comparison, red flags, and financial-stability questions.
Licensing
Hire a Licensed Contractor — Arizona
The $1,000 lifetime threshold, ROC verification, and homeowner liability for uninsured workers.
Paver spec
ABC Base for Pavers — Arizona Spec
The base spec your paver bid must meet — line by line.
Budget context
Backyard Budget Tiers — $25K to $500K
What each tier realistically buys — so you can spot when a bid is under-scoping.
Red flag
Quarter Minus for Pavers — Don't
How to spot the #1 base-material substitution on a competing bid.
FAQ
Common questions.
Same price is almost never the same scope. Line up decking square footage, plant counts, tree sizes, lighting count, structure size and material, drainage detail, permit inclusion, and warranty terms side by side. Nine times out of ten one bid is smaller than the other by 15–30% of scope hidden under a matching headline number.
Base preparation and drainage. Pavers bid at $9/sq ft usually assume 2 inches of ABC (below Arizona spec), no polymeric joint sand, and no drainage plan. Landscape bids often omit soil amendment, drip-emitter counts, tree staking, and any restoration of turf or hardscape the crew crossed. The missing lines are usually the ones that decide whether the work lasts three years or fifteen.
For a defined-scope hardscape or landscape project under $50K, a typical fair schedule is 10–30% deposit at contract, a progress draw at material delivery or excavation complete, and 10–20% held until final walk. Deposits above 40% are aggressive; any contractor demanding 100% upfront is a hard no. Pool contracts follow a different milestone schedule with 5–6 draws.
For a straightforward hardscape or landscape job with a real scope, 3–8% in change orders is normal. For a pool or full backyard with excavation and multiple trades, 8–15% is normal. Above 20% either the original bid was thin, the site had unusual conditions, or the contractor is running a scope-creep model. Ask for the change-order rate on the contractor's last five projects.
The best bids fix everything the homeowner has already chosen (paver line, coping profile, plant list, tile) and carry allowances only for items the homeowner has not yet selected. If half the bid is allowances on a signed contract, the final invoice will be 10–25% higher than the headline number. Push to convert allowances to fixed selections before signing whenever possible.
Because Valley labor and material costs are the same for every contractor. When one number is 20% below the pack, the contractor has cut something — thinner base, cheaper joint sand, smaller plant sizes, fewer emitters, no drainage plan, no HOA management, no warranty stack, or an underinsured crew. The 20% you save at signing usually returns as a $10K–$40K repair inside three years.
Current AZ ROC license (verified on the state site), general liability and workers' comp certificates, references from the last five comparable projects, a scoped and priced contract with named allowances, a payment schedule tied to real milestones, a written change-order process, and a stated warranty on workmanship. Anything missing is a red flag.
Bring us the other bids. We'll normalize the scope for free.
Send AE Outdoor Living the competing proposals you're weighing. We'll line them up on a shared scope sheet — decking, base spec, plant count, allowances, payment schedule, warranty — so you're comparing the same project, not the same headline number.
Get an Honest Bid ComparisonYour home investment — protected
Why this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."