Before you sign
How to compare turf companies.
Not every quote is built the same. Two estimates can look alike on price and be very different yards a year later. Here are five things to check with any company, including us.
Licensed, bonded and insured.
In Arizona, contractors are licensed by the Registrar of Contractors (ROC). A license means the company has met state requirements and carries a bond, and checking it takes less than a minute. Ask for the ROC number up front, then look it up yourself instead of taking anyone’s word for it.
Look any contractor up in 30 seconds
Arizona Registrar of Contractors license search
- Open the ROC contractor search.
- Search by the company’s name or ROC license number.
- Confirm the license status is Active and the classification fits your project.
- Open the license to review its bond and any complaint history.
What to look for
- An ROC license number printed on the estimate and contract
- License status shows Active on the ROC site
- The license classification covers landscaping or hardscape work
- Proof of liability insurance, available on request
- A clean or well-resolved complaint history
Red flags
- Can’t or won’t give you a license number
- The name on the license doesn’t match the company you’re hiring
- License shows suspended, expired or revoked
- Cash-only pricing that skips a written contract
How Turf Time AZ handles it
We’re licensed, bonded and insured, ROC #333988. Look us up with the search above. We’d rather you check than take our word for it.
Check their reviews. All of them.
Reviews are the closest thing you’ll get to talking with past customers. Read more than the star rating: look at how many there are, how recent they are, and what people actually say about the crew, the timeline and the finished yard.
What to look for
- A large number of reviews, not a handful
- Recent reviews from the last few months
- Details about the crew, cleanup and communication
- Photos of finished yards from real customers
- The owner replies to reviews, including the critical ones
Red flags
- Only a few reviews, or all posted within the same week
- Vague one-line reviews with no details
- Complaints about surprise charges or unfinished work
- No reviews on Google at all
How Turf Time AZ handles it
400+ five-star reviews from homeowners across the Phoenix Valley and Tucson. Read them on Google and see our finished projects for yourself.
See our project gallerySee your yard before it’s built.
A detailed estimate should show you what you’re paying for. A drawn plan or 3D design shows where the turf, pavers, rock and borders go, so you and the installer agree on the finished yard before anything is torn out.
What to look for
- A drawn plan or 3D design of your actual yard
- Each area labeled: turf, pavers, rock, borders
- The colors and products you picked, shown in place
- Changes discussed and updated before the contract is signed
Red flags
- A price on a business card with no drawing
- “We’ll figure it out on install day”
- No way to see colors or layout before signing
How Turf Time AZ handles it
Every estimate comes with a custom design drawn for your space. You can also try your own paver and rock colors in our 3D yard designer.
Try the 3D yard designerAn estimate with everything in it, down to the square foot.
The cheapest estimate often leaves things out, and those things come back as change orders once the job starts. A complete estimate lists each material with its measured square footage and the steps included in the work, making quotes easier to compare.
What to look for
- Measured square footage for turf, pavers and rock
- Linear feet for borders and edging
- Removal and haul-off of existing grass, rock or dirt
- Base preparation and compaction
- Weed barrier, infill and drainage
- Irrigation changes and final cleanup
Red flags
- One lump-sum price with no breakdown
- “Approximately” on sizes instead of measurements
- “Allowance” lines that can grow later
- No mention of removal, base or haul-off
How Turf Time AZ handles it
Our quotes include a drawn plan, itemized pricing and measured square footage. The price you sign is the price you pay, unless you change the scope.
Know the product and the warranty behind it.
Not all turf is created equal, and cheaper turf doesn’t mean good turf. Two lawns that look the same on day one can wear, fade and mat down very differently in the Arizona sun. The estimate should name the exact product so you can compare apples to apples.
What to look for
- The turf manufacturer and product name written on the estimate
- Specs: pile height, face weight and backing type
- UV and heat resistance for the Arizona sun
- A written manufacturer warranty, with how long it lasts
- Who backs the warranty: the manufacturer, the installer, or both
Red flags
- “Premium turf” with no product name
- A warranty that’s only verbal
- A price far below everyone else’s for the same square footage
- No sample offered before you buy
How Turf Time AZ handles it
Our turf comes with a 20-year manufacturer warranty, and we’ll walk you through the product with samples at your free estimate.
Explore our turf and materialsSide by side
Your comparison checklist.
Type in the companies you’re talking to, then tick off what each one gives you. The one with the most checks, not the lowest number, is usually the better deal.
Swipe sideways to compare all three companies
| What to check | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active ROC license (verified on the ROC site) | |||
| Bonded and insured | |||
| Lots of recent, detailed reviews | |||
| Replies to reviews, good and bad | |||
| Drawn design of your yard | |||
| Itemized estimate with measured sq ft | |||
| Removal, base prep and haul-off included | |||
| Turf product name and specs listed | |||
| Written manufacturer warranty | |||
| Price locked before work starts | |||
| Score |
Your checklist is saved in this browser only. It is not sent to Turf Time AZ.
Ready when you are
Put us to the test.
Get a free estimate with a drawn design and measured square footage, then hold it up against anyone’s. We’re confident in how we compare.