Have a terrace built

Hi,

the house is "finished" (ok, you're never really finished), now it's time for the outdoor areas. The driveway is done, the ideas for the terrace are also well thought out, now all that's missing is the landscape gardener (general statement: planning, execution, yes, we do it all, no problem)...
Candidate 1: Yes, I'll come by on Thu, have a look, but I'm booked for the next 3 months work-wise. No problem, that's enough. Comes by, makes a very flawed offer, no response to follow-up questions.
Candidate 2: Yes, I'll come by on Fri, have a look, will make an offer by the week after next, but the execution probably won't happen this year. As I said, that's enough. Comes by, discusses individual points. Offer - doesn't come (2 weeks overdue)
Candidate 3: That won't happen this year anymore. No problem - I just want to have the planning finished this year, it's enough for me if I can sit on the terrace next summer. Continuation Candidate 3: I can have a look... I'll get back to you the week after next.
Is this normal? Or do you already absolutely need a garden architect in order to get an offer from a craftsman?

Shaking my head
I.

Why not build it yourself? Creating a terrace is not difficult at all!

For a landscape gardener, the installation of a terrace is a small job. It's hardly worth it when the order books are full of jobs that bring in three times as much.
Besides, I think landscape gardeners somehow aren’t good at writing quotes. At least that was the case with the ones we got to know; our experience was similar to yours.
For a simple terrace installation, I would approach a paver; perhaps there are smaller companies near you? Maybe also approach the company that is currently paving next door: they can then tack on the job right afterwards ;)

Why not build it yourself? Creating a terrace is not difficult at all!

If only nothing had to be cut into a slope plus the popular 30x30 slabs from the hardware store didn’t have to be laid. Such handy 100x25cm slabs + partly angled cuts + block step staircase... Not realistic as a DIY solution, professionals should be able to do it better and more durable in a fraction of the time I would need.

For a simple terrace installation, I would contact a paver, maybe there are smaller companies near you? Maybe also talk to the company that is currently paving next door: they could then tack the job on at the end ;)

That wouldn’t be bad in principle, but next door all the houses are already a bit older, and nobody is paving anymore. And you probably have to wait another 20 years for the last building gap to be filled... As part of our own paving work, it might have been possible, but we were busy with other things, and the terrace sketch was not yet mature. Well, candidate 3 has time until Wednesday to take a look, otherwise candidate 4 or the garden architect will come on board, because at some point I have no more desire to have to chase after the craftsmen.

Regards
I.

Hello,
we searched in Franconia and had exactly the same experience... The one who worked great at the neighbor we chased for weeks. We booked three weeks for October in February. Otherwise, he was fully booked. The rest either didn’t show up at all or were there but no offer in sight. We are now getting the materials ourselves and otherwise agreed on an hourly wage. We never got a proper offer. But he wants someone on site and preferably to help as a laborer. Now my dad and I are doing the laborer work ourselves to save some money.
We don’t want to pave alone either. We have no idea about such things and prefer not to redo the driveway every few years or have a crooked fence.
The father of a very good friend is a landscape architect, and the situation with offers is no better there. Except for big lucrative jobs or the "house and yard gardener."
What I never understand is the empty promises. If they have no desire, time, etc., why don’t many companies just refuse outright.
Many homeowners here are affected and annoyed by this.

Hello, I awarded something like that a few years ago via the platform with the hammer in the name and was very satisfied. However, your tender must be very detailed to avoid misunderstandings. It is sufficient to post it 4-8 weeks before the date, 6 months beforehand would be too long. Best regards.