E-Scape Property Services
About
All of the staff of our company have spent almost 40 - 50 years living and breathing the landscape industry. When we say living it, we mean 5-7 days a week from 6 am to 10 pm, 52 weeks a year! You have know we love our work to be that dedicated! And we sincerely do.
Over the years we've learned in the landscape industry that no two customers are alike and no two jobs are exactly the same. That's why when we approach a job, we customize every aspect of it to the needs of the customer, given the outdoor property we are working with and a budget. Our services are never "cookie cutter" and we believe that a job is not worth doing if it is not customized to the property and needs of the customer. So we spend more time in the planning phase for your projects so that the final outcome delivers satisfaction and an improvement of your property, no matter if it is a a new landscape installation, reviving an old landscape or just adding to a beautiful existing one. We also maintain landscapes and work hard to keep your property up to your expectations AND ours!
In landscaping we encounter the impact of adverse weather daily, especially here in Southwest Florida, from sun to rain to hurricanes to winter chill, we work through all the seasons. So the weather on a daily basis and the way weather impacts a landscape job following completion, is huge factor in how our services are delivered and the outcome...the curb appeal we create for a residential or commercial properties alike. That curb appeal is really the goal in landscaping - it's the whole point of providing landscape services and more so this is the case in the Naples and Ft. Myers, FL areas, where everyone is more conscious of the landscape around us, given we can enjoy it 365 days a year and also because property values are much higher here and they are generally valued more because they are!
We get dirty EVERY DAY! No lie. We work outdoors every day - exercising and breathing fresh air. It's refreshing and provides health benefits. We get a lot of personal satisfaction in our landscape work because every bit of labor we put in IMPROVES a property in some fashion. Even one small change can make a difference in the aesthetics of a property.
Each day we meet new people - customers, vendors, other contractor's employees, etc. So we get to socialize outside our own family and friend circle A LOT and that makes the work more fun and interesting. From those people we meet we learn too and so we are constantly educating ourselves in one way or another.
Our work days in the landscape field are CHALLENGING to our minds. We do have extensive experience in this industry, but there's never a dull moment or lack of opportunity to learn something new, figure out a new or better way to accomplish job goals or perform a service or even challenge ourselves to do it better next time, on the next property.
The work we do in landscaping and the income we derive from it provides for our families and keeps them stable and thriving and that's GOLD, it truly is. As the old saying goes, "a family who works together, stays together" and since our business operates like a strong family unit, we prove that every day of our lives.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We begin by contacting the customer and reviewing their needs via phone, text or email. The next step is setting up an appointment convenient to our new customer's schedule to review the customer's landscaping or other services needs ON-SITE and provide our suggestions and ideas as well. Very rarely are we able to provide an estimate without an on-site visit due to the many factors in landscape work that can affect the services required to bring a job to completion, as well as pricing. We believe it is our job to find the best solutions for customers at the best cost while maintaining a quality of work that we take pride in delivering.
Once we have confirmed the customer's visions for a particular project and time frame for completion of work, we will provide a free estimate via written proposal or email or text - whichever they choose! Often we are able to provide options for the customers so they may pick and choose services that both meet their needs AND their budget and time frame. Sometimes customers wish to complete work in phases - and that's okay too!
With estimate in hand, new customers can then review the work we propose to complete and decide what plan of action works for them. Upon request, we will also provide references from past customers so they may get a feel for our work ethic and the quality of our services. We have many satisfiedT customers who would be glad to chat with you about their experience with E-Scape Property Services!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
The owner, William Santos, has been working in landscaping and tree services since he was 14 years old! His father, Rafael, owned a successful tree service company in Naples, FL for 45 years and trained William as a teenager to climb and prune trees and the risky business of safe tree removals. Since then William has worked for the last 39 years in landscaping and tree services for his father and since 2000 with Cara Steele, in her landscape/tree service and holiday decorating business in Naples. In 2019, William opened E-Scape Property Services alongside Cara and they are working to build lawn care services back into the expansive mix of services they already provide in the Naples and Ft. Myers, FL areas.
Cara Steele's journey in education and training in the landscaping field was a little different before she joined forces with William. Cara's first experience in landscaping was performing mulching services at 19 years old on the Eastern Shore of Maryland as an avid 4-H volunteer for the Patuxent River 4-H Center Foundation in Upper Marlboro, MD. Cara and her former boss with a crew of volunteers would provide mulching services to customers in exchange for donations to the 4-H Center to support it's mission of educating youth. At 22 years old she met her former husband, Derek, who was employed as a landscaper and was running his own small landscape business as a side job. In 1994, Cara and Derek opened their own full service landscaping service in Upper Marlboro, MD and operated that business until their move to Naples, FL at the close of 1997. Fast forward to 2000, Cara opened for business in Southwest Florida as Landscapabilities PLUS, delivering a wide of variety of landscaping and tree services as well as handyman services. Shortly thereafter Cara trained to become a Certified Landscape Lighting Professional and expanded into outdoor landscape lighting system and maintenance. In 2001, she trained with and became an owner of a holiday and event decor service in association with the franchise Christmas Decor, which is now nationally recognized as a premier outdoor decor service. Most of Cara's education in the landscape industry has been through hands-on learning and constantly educating herself through Cooperative Extension and University of Florida publications and research. However, Cara also holds two college degrees as well - a B.S. in Accounting from the Univ. of Maryland and an A.A. in Business Administration from Prince George's Community College in MD. This formal education has served her well, both in her own business, as well as in her work with William's brother, Ralph, from 2008 - 2019, both in the office and the field, in his lawn/landscape and tree service business in Naples, FL.
It is said that often field experience in an industry is equivalent to formal education and this has proven true for both William Santos and Cara Steele throughout the years - now you be the judge!
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
No, since with landscaping services each property is different and our customers' needs vary with each job and even seasonally. All estimates are based on the property, project they desire to complete and timing of the landscaping needs. However, we work tirelessly to meet our customer's needs and their budget to the best of our ability and market prices of materials.
How did you get started in this business?
Please review the above education/training question. You will find the answers there!
What types of customers have you worked with?
We have worked with residential and commercial customers, condominium and homeowners associations, mobile home parks, shopping centers, office parks, hotels, realtors, property managers, home watch personnel and more. Our customer base has also included local government like the Collier County, FL Parks & Recreation Dept. Additionally we have also performed services for other contractors as subcontractors for home builders, general contractors, foreclosure (REO) and other landscape and trade contractors, including some work as a subcontractor for another landscape contractor maintaining properties from Naples to Port Charlotte for properties of the former Suncoast Schools Credit Union.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
We have had the pleasure over the years of responding to the emergency tree service needs of customers who experienced the paths of five major hurricanes in just the past few years. Our staff members have been involved locally in clean-up of damaged trees and debris during Hurricanes Wilma and Irma in the Naples, FL area and Hurricane Matthew in Daytona Beach, FL. In 2019, we traveled to Wilmington, NC and assisted countless homeowners dig out from under Hurricane Florence for over a month. Hurricane Michael then hit the panhandle of Northwest Florida while we were still working in NC and so we headed back to Panama City, FL and helped homeowners there sort through the massive damage to residential homes and landscapes there.
You can only imagine the gratitude of those customers who needed a contractor who cared enough to safely rescue them from the destruction of these hurricanes and keep the process cost effective in a time of crisis. We are proud to have had the opportunity and experience to meet those needs!
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
Find a contractor who will listen to your needs and offer a solution with options you can choose from a list or alternative plans. Get a written estimate for their services and timeline for job completion. Ask for references from their past and current customers for projects similar to yours. Don't be afraid to ask questions or for education on services you are not familiar with or don't understand. Expect communication about your project to be open and in a manner convenient to you (phone/text/email/in person) at a time that meets your schedule.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
- What end result do you expect from this project or ongoing service?
- What ideas do you have to offer toward the project or service?
- What warranties or guarantees can the contractor offer?
- What services can the contractor provide to help with maintenance after the initial project is completed?
- Are there any new risks or liabilities that will arise for me if I complete this project at my property? (ex. Some people love Oleander trees in their yard but these trees might be an allergen or even poisonous for neighbors. Another example is installation of a species of tree that has aggressive extending roots that may damage your home foundation or your neighbor's home.)
- Will the work involved in the project damage existing landscape or structures and if damage can't be avoided, will the cost of damage repair be an additional charge?
- Consider whether you wish to be present when work is done and the economic impact of having to miss work, etc. and that weather delays and such can extend work days of the project.
- What is the cost of the project? Would there be any costs involved that might vary as the project moves forward or unexpected costs that could arise?
- Would this project raise (or possibly even lower) my homeowner's insurance costs? (Only your insurance agent should be answering this question.)
- Do I need a permit to complete my project and if yes, the cost and process of obtaining one and who will pay for it?
- Will I need to pause any regular services I already use for my home while the project is completed?
- Will my contractor need access through or over a neighboring property to complete the project? (ex. Heavy equipment might only be able to move to a rear yard area by crossing the property next door.)