You should only hire contractors with access to earth-moving equipment. You need to realistically understand the amount of work that goes into creating water elements in your landscaping. Some ponds and other water elements can require the removal of large amounts of dirt. If your contractor does not have access to the appropriate equipment to move this dirt, then you may end up paying more.

You should only hire contractors with references from the local community. There are a lot of people operating as landscape contractors these days. Some of these contractors are fly-by-night operations without any real background or history. You want to make sure that you are dealing with a respectable contractor who can provide the level of service you need. References will help you understand the work ethic, professionalism, and skill of the contractor before you spend any money.

You should always get an estimate before you actually hire the contractor. In all honesty, you should probably try to get estimates from more than one contractor. A diversity of estimates will allow you the opportunity to pick the least expensive option. It will also help you negotiate on prices if you want a contractor who is more expensive.

Write out a simple contract between you and the landscape contractor. This does not have to be anything that would hold up in court. The contract only has to clearly lay out the relationship between you and the contractor. This includes the scope of the work and any payment terms.