Architectural Designs

We want to add to our list of landscape services with rooftop installations. How can we get business?

We are expert landscape contractors and want to become Green Roof Top plant installers. We have over 26 years in Landscape Design/Build construction. We've done Rooftop work before of various types, not Green Rooftop installs. Who and How can we get going with this in a big way. Tim

Public Comments

1. Lobby city hall to mandate green roofs, or encourage tax or development breaks for green roofs. It's in societies best interests to have green roofs for several reasons - less storm water run-off, a cooler city, more Co2 absorption, increased liveability, not to mention increased space. Every roof that's flat or near-flat should be covered with a green roof. I suspect you'll have to do part of your plantings with rockwool and hydroponic nutrients, because not every roof can handle the increased weight load of soil. Still, this is a great idea.
2. I would like to move my company in that direction too. You need to have an architect on staff or as a consultant. Green roofs weigh more then the average roof and an installation will need to have structural reinforcements and a top-of-the-line drainage system. Unfortunately our country still thinks green roofs are a leaky liability. Many insurance companies will drop a homeowners insurance due to a green roof and your liability insurance is going to spike as well. Getting started is going to be all about advertising. You will need to get a massive campaign going so that people know who you are AND so you can educate the public about green roof misconceptions. Put a green roof on your own home so you can practice, use it in advertising, and take advantage of the tax write-off. Hopefully your company is a green one, since that is your target market and you can make potential customers feel good about the Earth friendly products you provide. This will help your word-of-mouth tremendously. I've also bee thinking about getting into grey-water irrigation. This would be the same target market. Good luck, I hope you are very successful.
3. The city of Chicago, Il, now requires a certain amount of garden/vegetation space. They are also big in the roof-top gardening world. You might glean some information from their area. But, in terms of business advise, I strongly urge you to visist the national and then also your state/community Small Business Administration (SBA) web sites. In particular, you should be turning to the information about and the general form for what is called a Business Plan. The SBA also sponsors a free business advice organization called SCORE. SCORE is also an acroynm but, I never seem to remember what it stands for. What it does is match retired, volunteer folks from the business world to meet, for free, with people in their community that need small business advice. Each area works a little differently.
4. I suggest you if you sufficient finance position so you should made a online sites present your landscape services with rooftop installations. by this method you can get more glory around the world. Best of luck.