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6 Landscaping Projects That Will Bring Your Home to Life

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 16:26:06 GMT

Is your yard looking a little lackluster? Has it been a while since your trees have been trimmed? Could it use a little extra color?

Landscaping isn’t just about making your home look nice. It can also increase its resale value and help it sell more quickly.

Have you been wanting to spruce up your yard, either to boost resale value or just to make it more enjoyable? Are you unsure of where to begin?

If so, you might want to start by considering one (or more) of these great landscaping projects.

1. Clean it Up

Sometimes, some simple clean up can have a big impact on the appearance of your home. What does this clean up entail?

Some simple clean up projects you can start with include:

Raking up leaves and debris
Pruning trees or bushes
Mowing and edging the lawn

These simple steps can give you a fresh, blank slate. Then, you can focus in on more specific beautification projects.

2. Maintain Your Lawn

It’s also important to make sure you’re prioritizing lawn care. Keep your lawn mowed, edged, and free of debris. Fertilize and aerate it on a regular basis, too.

You should also consider installing a sprinkler system to make sure your lawn stays fresh and hydrated during the warmest months of the year.

3. Plant Some Shrubs

Shrubs can add a lot of character to a yard.

They also don’t require a lot of maintenance, so they’re perfect for those who don’t have the time or energy to put a lot of work into their yard.

Some good shrubs that can withstand most conditions are hydrangeas, boxwoods, lemongrass, and lavender.

4. Add Some Color

If your yard is looking a bit monochromatic, consider jazzing it up with some flowers. Flowers add a nice pop of color and make your yard much more appealing.

Some good, low-maintenance flowers to consider include pansies, geraniums, peonies, and daffodils.

5. Install a Patio or Deck

This is a bigger undertaking, but a deck can really transform your yard. Who doesn’t want to hang out on their deck and gaze up at the stars during the summer?

Experts also agree that a deck is one of the best yard additions for those who want to increase the resale value of their home.

6. Set Up a Rock Garden

Another fun addition is a rock garden. This is a simple, affordable project that can add a lot of character to your yard. It’s also low-maintenance since there aren’t any plants to water!

Start Your Landscaping Projects Today

Are you interested in trying one of these landscaping projects? Do you want to make sure they get done correctly?

If you want to enhance your landscaping but don’t necessarily want to do the heavy lifting yourself, we can help.

Contact us at Fort Bend Brothers today to learn more about our landscaping services. We also offer professional pressure washing, Christmas light installation, and more.

If you’re located in or around the Fort Bend, Sugar Land, or Richmond areas, we’re here for you!

How to Find a Good Pressure Washing Company in Richmond TX

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 16:00:00 GMT

For every pressure wash you do on the exterior of your building; it holds or refinishes the paint coats for another three to 10 years. Other benefits of pressure washing are that it helps extend your buildings reselling value and reduces health risks.

Building owners recognize the myriad benefits. That’s why the Building Exterior Cleaners Industry has grown by 3.4% in the past five years. It’s now a $9 billion industry.

Since the industry is growing, it makes it a little more challenging to find the best pressure washing company in Richmond, TX. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you find the best pressure washer contractor for your needs.

Keep reading to learn what to do when choosing a pressure washer.

Ask Friends and Family for Referrals to Find a Pressure Washing Company in Richmond, TX

If you have friends, neighbors, or family living in Richmond, TX who have already used a pressure washer contractor, ask them for the company’s name and number.

Before you make the call, be sure to ask what type of pressure washing job they performed. Then ask them what they liked most about the company and what they liked least.

Do a Google Search

Go online and do a Google search for “pressure washers near me” or “pressure washer Richmond TX”. Either way, you’re sure to soon find several pressure washer companies who are located nearby.

However, don’t just pick the pressure washing company that’s closest to you. You also don’t want to pick the first one you see. Do a little research first.

Check out Their Website

Head to the pressure washing company’s website. Make sure it’s professional looking.

A well-done website means the company takes pride in their work. It also means typically means they own and operate a successful business.

Find out what type of services they offer. Check out any testimonials they have on their site.

Check out Online Reviews

91% of consumers are either regularly or occasionally checking out online reviews. And 84% of us consumers trust these online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

Don’t just read one review, go ahead and read several before you make up your mind. And just because you read one bad review, that doesn’t automatically mean the company isn’t reliable.

Use your common sense and trust your own judgment. If the majority of reviews are positive, you can reasonably trust that the company will deliver good service.

Ask Questions

Before you go ahead and hire a company, you need to do a bit more digging. Here are a few questions to ask to ensure they’re a good fit for your needs.

Experienced

Find a company with 10 years or more of professional experience. If you can’t find a pressure washing company that’s been around that long, three to five years is also decent.

Your building is an investment. You want to hire a company who knows what they’re doing.

Insured

Accidents happen. Do yourself a favor and make sure your contractor carries at least liability insurance.

Otherwise, you leave yourself, and your building vulnerable to some costly repairs should something go wrong.

Licensed

It doesn’t take more than a company heading to the county office to get their license, but you at least want to make sure they have one before you hire them.

If they aren’t, it’s a sign they aren’t a legitimate company. You could be asking for a lot of problems if you hire an unlicensed pressure washer.

Know the Difference Between Power Washing vs. Pressure Washing

Make sure before you hire a company that you know which type of service you need. There is a difference between power washing and pressure washing.

Power Washing

Power washing uses a more powerful stream of hot water at a steady rate to clean durable objects and surfaces made from the following materials:

Brick
Concrete
Stone
Vinyl
Wood

Due to the hot water and power of the stream, it typically costs more than pressure washing. However, it’s extremely effective in removing excessive amounts of mildew or mold.

To combat mold and mildew, a chemical similar to Bleach (non-chlorine) is used

Pressure Washing

Pressure washing uses the force of water to clean durable surfaces and objects made from the following materials:

Brick
Concrete
Stone
Vinyl
Wood

Pressure washing is typically more budget-friendly due to lower maintenance and equipment costs. More people tend to choose pressure washing due to its efficiency and effectiveness.

Get Several Quotes

Most pressure washing companies are happy to provide you with a quote for their services. Get at least three quotes before you make your decision.

You’ll then have a better idea of how much it should really cost to pressure wash your building.

Don’t Let Price Be Your Only Deciding Factor

While staying within your budget makes sense, you should also remember that you get what you pay for. Quality service that lasts will go a lot farther than saving a little bit of money and ending up with a company that does a bad job.

Be wary of any company that gives you a low bid. They often end up cutting corners just to ensure they get hired.

Get a Guarantee

If a company isn’t willing to stand behind their work, keep looking until you find one that does. Ask each company if they’re willing to offer a guarantee for their work.

If they are, ask them what that guarantee includes. If you get a written estimate, check to make sure it includes their guarantee.

Make Sure They Use Professional Grade Supplies

There are tons of pressure washers for personal use on the market today. But they don’t do the same job as a professional grade washer does.

You’re paying for professional grade supplies and materials. Make sure they use high-quality supplies rather than consumer grade supplies.

They aren’t true professionals.

Contact Us

We’re proud of our top ratings on Google as a pressure washing company in Richmond, TX.

We’re also proud to offer discounts to members of the military, first responders, senior citizens, and even those responding to a homeowners association demand. Click here to contact us to schedule your appointment.

How Does Your Garden Grow? 7 Creative Garden Ideas For Spring

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Did you know that landscaping and gardening can increase the value of your home by up to 15%? With those numbers, you can’t afford not to be gardening!

With spring rapidly approaching, there’s no time like the present to start your garden. Whether you’re a veteran gardener or you’re planning on starting one for the first time, here’s 7 garden ideas to try out this spring.

1. Plant Flowers in Waves of Color

After a gloomy winter season, colorful waves will brighten the spirit of anyone visiting your flower garden. Here’s a list of flowers in all colors of the rainbow:

Pink

Tulips
Peonies
Cherry Blossoms
Zinnias
Petunias

Yellow

Acacias
Daffodils
Primroses
Marigolds
Sunflowers

Red

Poppies
Dahlias
Roses
Begonias
Azaleas

Purple

Lavender
Cosmos
Heliotropes
Morning Glories
Hydrangeas

Blue

Forget Me Nots
Flax
Cornflowers
Lobelias
Blue daisies

Plant some of each color and you’ll never have to wait for a rainy day to see a rainbow again.

2. Use Evergreens as a Unique Focal Point

Evergreens can provide a distinct texture to your garden. Evergreen shrubs can provide boundaries and shape that will last the entire year. And some, like Camellia and Azalea shrubs, will even bloom flowers!

You can also trim your evergreens to provide living sculptures to your outdoor garden. Try trimming your pines into a dramatic triangular shape for added contrast with the rest of your garden.

3. Grow Consumable Plants

Try planting something that you can use to make fresh, seasonal dishes. Here’s a list of edibles you can grow this spring.

Vegetables

Spring Peas
Spinach
Carrots
Potatoes
Eggplant

Herbs

Mint
Basil
Cilantro
Sage
Thyme

Fruit

Strawberries
Oranges
Blueberries
Raspberries
Cherries

It’s good to do a little research to learn which will grow best with the amount of sun you get, the type of soil you have and the climate in your area.

4. Popular Garden Ideas: Perennials

Perennials seem to be popping up in everyone’s garden plans this year. Maybe it’s because they’re so useful: they come back every spring, many are edible, and they can be used to make a whimsical woodland effect.

They come in a range of colors, shapes, and sizes, so you don’t have any excuse! Be sure to add this popular gardening trend to your spring garden.

5. Use Plants That Attract Birds and Butterflies

What’s more rewarding than using your beautiful garden to attract beautiful wildlife? Find out some of the best plants for attracting birds and butterflies.

Birds

American Cranberry Viburums
Red-Twig Dogwoods
Crabapples
Serviceberries
Bunchberries

Butterflies

Butterfly Bushes
Anise Hyssops
Asters
Pentas
Passionflowers

6. Be Sure to Add Variety

When planning out your garden ideas, make sure your garden has plenty of variety. And not just a variety of colors. You want different heights and shapes in your garden as well!

Use a tree near a bed of flowers to offer dramatic height. Be sure to add some color in your areas that contain a lot of greenery.

And, of course, make sure your lawn is in tip-top shape! If you’re having trouble, try our premium lawn care services.

7. Make Your Garden Smell Amazing

Here’s a list of some of the most fragrant flowers you can plant this spring.

Honeysuckles
Stocks
Koreanspice Viburnums
Muscaris
Hyacinths

Take Care of Your Beautiful Spring Garden

By following these garden ideas, you’ll be the envy of all your friends and neighbors. And be sure to contact us if you need some help – we’ll be sure to get you that amazing spring garden in no time!

Don’t Try This at Home: Annual Professional Pressure Washer Tasks That Are Best Left to the Experts

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Owning a home comes with a lot of benefits — if it didn’t, you wouldn’t have committed to spending upwards of 40 years to pay it off!

For starters, paying your mortgage every month means you’re building equity. Unlike paying rent, which is putting money into another owner’s pocket. You’ll also likely pay less each month than you did when you were renting.

You can add a deck, a pool, change the cabinets — you can do anything you wish without getting anyone’s permission.

But, let’s face it — it has downsides too.

If you’re water heater or HVAC breaks down, you’re responsible for getting it fixed.

Plus, you have to take care of your property. Some things you should do on a regular basis like your landscaping. Others are on an annual schedule like cleaning your gutters and pressure washing your exterior.

Contrary to what you may think, some of these annual tasks aren’t DIY. There are quite a few of these tasks you should hire a professional to take care of.

Today we’re looking at 5 reasons why you should hire a professional pressure washer company instead of doing it yourself.

1. You’ll Likely Save Money

You can rent a pressure washer from any place that rents equipment. This could be from a specific tool rental place or even some home improvement chains.

But do you even want to?

Here’s the thing. From the onset, it doesn’t seem like it’s expensive. But here’s how they get you: the add-ons.

They’re going to charge you per the hour or the day. They’ll hold you to this, too. They’ll also upsell you the solution and anything else they can to squeeze a few more bucks out of you.

A professional pressure washer company will charge you one flat rate depending on the job. That’s it.

You can always buy a pressure washer. But is it worth spending upwards of $500 for something you use once a year?

Another plus to hiring a pro is that they’re fluent in water conservation techniques. Pressure washing uses a lot of water if you’re not careful.

2. They Know How to Use the Equipment

This may not seem like an important detail, but it is.

Remember when we mentioned rental companies charge you per hour or per day? What happens if you struggle to get the pressure washer working and by the time you figure it out, it’s nightfall?

You get to add another day to your rental. Lucky you!

3. They’ll Protect Your Property

Not only will they know how to use the equipment, but they’ll also know how to protect your patio and home’s exterior.

They won’t apply too much pressure and ruin a finish. They won’t pressure wash something they shouldn’t. You can rest assured they’re going to get the job done right.

4. It’s Safer

If you’re planning on pressure washing your roof, you need to be on top of ladder safety procedures.

It’s not only ladders or slippery surfaces you have to worry about. The equipment itself is powerful and intense. If you’re not used to handling one, it can become dangerous.

5. It Saves Time

This goes without saying but hiring a professional will save you a lot of time. It will also save you from headaches you don’t want or need.

Find a Professional Pressure Washer Company You Can Trust

This article only scratches the surface of reasons to hire a professional pressure washer company over DIY. We didn’t even mention the quality of the pressure wash or how a professional knows how to correct a mistake!

If you’re already convinced it’s best to leave pressure washing duties to the pros, you need to find one you can trust.

If you’re in Fort Bend or the surrounding counties, fill out our contact form. We’ll walk you through our pressure washing services and get you scheduled!