I don't understand how you could have gotten quotes when you haven't decided on the type of rock, type of wall, type of patio, etc. Was the quote for the design portion of the job? If so, you are still in the design phase, and should not yet be discussing a schedule for work to be done. An up front fee of a couple of hundred dollars to start the design phase doesn't seem out of line, and it is during this phase that the details such as type of rock, type of wall, etc. will be work out and decided upon.

Then you will get quotes for the installation.

If this guy has quoted you a price for the design and installation including labor and materials, and you don't know yet what kind of materials you will be using, something is very, very wrong.

If you hire a professional landscape designer, whether they are also installers or not, they should be able to do a detailed design for you while keeping your budget in mind. You can then have a couple or three installers bid on the installation, with specs in hand, so everyone is quoting you on the exact same job.

Jo
Not a pro, just a gardener

The very first thing you have to do is have a solid plan in place to handle your erosion problem.

It would be a monumenetal and expensive mistake to start any type of landscape construction project without first having your erosion plan as well as drainage plan in place.

If this is a large job as you have stated then you should have a decent set of plans showing all your built structures along with the materials specification sheet and construction specifications.

If you do not, you are not ready to start your project.
How will your contractor know how to bid and effectively build your project if he does not have any specifications written up on the product that he is suppose to supply ?

In regards to your contractor asking for 50 percent down. That would not fly in my state if you were a licensed and bonded contractor. It would be against the law.
As a contractor in California you can only request 10 % of the cost of the job prior to starting the job.
Once the job is started you can then negotiate for any type of payment schedule that you work out with the client.
50% down is a poor amount for the homeowner to negotiate.
When a contractor asks for this amount it is a tell tale sign that they do not have established accounts at the local supply houses, and one has to ask the question WHY does a reputable contractor not have established accounts.

It also sends a message that the contractor does not have operating overhead in his account. _ Not a good sign.

As a landscape designer I work with all of my clients to negotiate a fair and reasonable contract , in this situation I would still be sitting firmly at the negotiation table. This would not be a satisfactory contract for my client to sign.

A "quote" is not a contract. You might find that the actual contract has a much higher price for all the work described than the quote. A low quote can be used to lure you into a commitment for a larger sum at the time of the contract. By then it seems like too much hassle to back out. Don't ask me how I thought of this! :-)

Well his quote was based on what we initially talked about...river rock, compost, 2-tier retaining wall, sod, etc. It's all written out with specific pricing. I haven't signed anything yet. I just thought I could upgrade to some other type of rock or flagstone for the pathway etc.

As far as the 50% down is, that makes me nervous as well. But after getting several quotes, they all said 50% down. The references paid them 50% down. My sister had a deck built and put 50% down. I took it as the norm.

I will be sure we discuss the erosion issue/slope in detail.

Thanks for the advice.

OK, I have 1 more thing to add. Get a copy of his insurance certificate. And then call the insurance company to verify that the policy is still in force. A friend of mine had the unfortunate experience of taking a contractor to court, winning the case, but since the insurance had lapsed, was unable to collect anything. The contractor was broke so he couldn't pay out.

If you don't have a plan, that quote is not worth the paper it's printed on, if it's on paper, that is. Those numbers could change dramatically, and he can simply say, "well, it was bigger/deeper/longer than we thought, so the price is x% higher. And I'll need that check today..."

So you don't want to come up with the extra $'s? In some cases, the contractor can legally walk off the job, leaving you with a mud pit.

I'm not trying to scare you, but there are several red flags in your post. The big deposit, the lack of a plan, your desire to get it done as cheaply as possible, and your seeming naivete about the design and contracting process...

50% down is a very bad sign, at least 'round these parts.

You have a more complex project than a deck, which is a relatively simple carpentry endeavor. If you are dealing with erosion and drainage issues, you are dealing with areas in which the contractor can incur huge amounts of liability and risk, meaning that you need to be sure that if something goes wrong, the contractor has the means to make good on it.

Please follow the advice of jerseygirl and check his insurance status. If there is licensing in your state, check his license.

This sounds like a pretty big job. You do not want to get into the middle of it and find that the contractor doesn't have the resources to complete the job in a way that minimizes risk to you both.

Ask for a design, drawn to scale, with details and specifications for all of the materials.

All of my quotes were 1/3 down, 1/3 in the middle, 1/3 on completion. Some contractors changed what I was asking for...a bluestone patio and walkway, into a paver patio. It's all very frustrating.

A deposit, whether it is 10% or 50%, is a sign of good faith on the clients part and without a reciprocating 'sign' from the contractor with the assurances suggested above great care should be taken. If a contractor has offered you a price for the extensive work you mention and has not addressed the erosion issue unprompted then I would doubt his integrity. If you pay 50% of a quoted sum without knowing exactly what is to be done for your money, and when, I would doubt your sanity.
As there is no mention of the work being carried out according to a design I assume there is none and that you are, not only trusting your landscaper with your money but also with your taste.
As you are not committed to anyone yet why not post a couple of pictures here with a wish list and see what happens, you may decide to go ahead anyway but at least you will be better informed.
In case you did not pick up on previous warnings: erosion means that the land is wearing away and unless you fix the problem will continue wear away taking your new retaining wall, privacy fence etc. along with it.

AAAHHHHH! Everyone is scaring me. I checked with the Better Business Bureau. He's had a couple of complaints, but they were resolved. We visited the Rock company that he purchases from and they knew who he was and said he does a lot of business for him. We chose the rocks and flagstone and he's bringing equipment out this week to get started. I hope all goes well.

Kristie

Its been a month since you last posted. What is happening down there in the Springs? (Im your northern neighbor in Denver)

I hope you have had no trouble with this contractor. I was surprised to hear the 50% down condition he ahd established.
Has he come forth and done anything he said he would do?
Just trying to keep abreast of what is going on there.

Neil

I would not pay NOTHING until you are completely satisfied, I had a big job similar to what you are describing it was a total of $18,000.00 retaining boulder walls and sprinkler and 400yds of top soil brought in and spread then hydroseed. What A Joke it turned out to be, he put yard in in july when it was 98 degrees and it was raining no erosion nets until 2 weeks later when he got back from his vacation. The soil he brought in looked like fill dirt rocks everywhere was reassured it was going to turn out great, everytime i question things i was reassured. well i figured he was a professional and new what he was talking about wrong. It has been a year now and my yard is a joke he is still working to try to fix it but it will never be right cause of the soil he used. soil is about 80 percent clay. I would make damn sure you know who you are dealing with and all bills are paid before you pay him cause if he doesnt pay someone he got material from then you are responsible not him they will put a lean on your house. trust me i have been threw it and its not fun, anyways i am talking to lawyer now and cant afford him because i spent all my damn money on this landscape job. I come to the conclusion that i cant trust any contractors what a joke dont you landscapers have insurance so if you screw somebodies yard up then you can claim it threw your insurance. sorry for being so negative but i am depressed over my yard. anyone have any suggestions for me ill take them not to hijack your post thx