Let There Be Light!
"Landscape Lighting: the finishing touch"

Landscape lighting is the finishing touch on many landscape projects today, from highlighting specimen trees to outlining the edges of swimming pools. In fact, E.G. Rall, estimates over fifty percent of their clients opt to have it installed. If you've just spent thousands making your yard look fabulous, you want people to see it. Besides aesthetic reasons, lighting also adds hours to the time you can spend enjoying your yard, either relaxing on the patio, entertaining friends or swimming in the pool. And lastly, homeowners install landscape lighting for safety reasons, to move safely throughout their property and to deter thieves.
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The Newest Technology in Eco-Friendly Lighting Systems: Unique Lighting System's Itellii-System

Staying true to their environmental concerns, E.G. Rall is now using the newest technology in outdoor low voltage lighting systems. Unique Lighting Systems' Itellii-System combines the advantages of a line voltage system with the ease and safety of low voltage. They are the first and only lighting manufacturer to make and promote these intelligent, inspired and resource minded products. The Unique Lighting System is eco-friendly, saves up to 25% on energy cost, contains longer lasting bulbs, excellent system dependability and has a 15 year or lifetime warranty. For more information on this state of the art new technology, contact E.G. Rall at rallinfo@egralljrlandscape.com or call 610.239.7460

Forecast: Snow!
How and When to Protect Your Property:
Critical Information for Our Commercial and Residential Clients

You should have your snow removed every day. If you use a contractor, frequent talks with them to determine the best times to visit your property are recommended.

Mark the date and time you did snow removal at your property. Also have your contractor do the same. If you are sued for a slip and fall, you can use the dates and times the property was serviced as a defense with your homeowner's policy.

Some homeowners think that shoveling a path through the sidewalk is sufficient. Not only is it not sufficient, but also one snowstorm after snowstorm will make shoveling harder to complete. The snow not shoveled will be packed down, and heavy. Also, you will find it hard to find someplace to put the snow. A good path clearing should be at least 42 inches wide. Designate yard or driveway space in anticipation of a big winter of snow.

When there is a blizzard, it could snow day and night. You will want your snow removed so your tenants can go to work in the morning to avoid slip and fall suits. Also, research your city ordinances about required snow removal. In Boston, Massachusetts, landlords must remove the snow and slush from their sidewalks within 3 hours of a storm, or they will be fined every day of non-compliance.

Make sure the path to the trash cans or dumpster is cleared. If not, people will not put their trash there any more. When it snows, they will leave it at the nearest convenience to the trash cans.

Again, check your local ordinances on snow removal. Some cities charge a substantial fine for shoveling your snow on the street or your neighbor's sidewalk area.

Hire Someone Else to Shovel the Snow

Your back is killing you, your legs feel like jelly, and your head is throbbing from a head cold. I think that is when it is time to call it a day. A shovel full of snow could average 7 lbs., not including the weight of the shovel. Add to that the exertion of throwing the snow over your head into the front yard.

Do you have any form of asthma or bronchitis? If there is one snowstorm after another, and you have a full time job, why are you out there shoveling snow and throwing down ice melt? Hire a company whose job it is to make sure your sidewalk and driveway is always clear when you leave for and come home from work. It's a tax deductible property expense.

Give clear directions as to when you want the snow removed from your property. Talk about what to do if it rains, and the sidewalk freezes over.

This is a high-risk time for people to fall on your property. Protect your investment by having someone remove snow and ice, regardless of when it snows or rains. You can still go by yourself and throw down some salt and sand.

If your back goes out, you are sick, or have to stay at work for overtime, having a contractor will save you the aggravation of doing it yourself. Also, your contractor can hire people to do this work even if one of his employees take sick.

If you live on the property, have your contractor shovel out your car, too. Again, why shovel and sand your property in your business suit before you have to go to work?

When hiring, follow these handy tips:

1. Request bids as quotes, instead of estimates - which are subject to change.
2. Get several quotes, but remember; the least expensive is not always the best. Consider types of snow removal services offered (shoveling, snow blowing, etc.), as well as frequency, and whether price quote is for area size, per inch of snow, etc.
3. Ask the contractor whether there would be any additional charges to those quoted. For instance, is there an extra charge for the use of sand or salt? Is there an extra charge for clearing during a storm?
4. If the price seems too high but you would like to pursue the chance of hiring a particular service provider, ask if there are other price options or package deals.
5. Check out references, licensing/certification/insurance, and other credentials to ensure they are still valid.
6. Get everything in writing; verbal agreements are worthless.
7. Above all else, keep expectations reasonable. Remember - Pennsylvania's winter snow accumulation can be significant. Due to increased snow fall, traveling is made more difficult. It may take the contractor longer to get to you. And once there, snow removal efforts may take longer.

Going Green!
Join us and help make a difference in our environment

We at EG Rall Jr. Landscaping have committed to going green. We purchase our electricity from wind energy services, we are recycling all office paper, magazines etc. and using recycled copy paper. Lastly, we are implementing the process of emailing all proposals and invoices vs. printing out and mailing to our clients. These changes don't take long to implement, so make some of these simple changes in your home or office today. These little changes can make a big impact on our environment.

Remember, it's not too early to begin planning for those Spring jobs! We're happy to come out and help you plan your spring landscape, patio or pool construction. Just give us a call or drop us an email.

Sincerely,

E.G. Rall Jr. Landscape Design
A Division of J. Rall Design Assoc. Inc.
www.egralljrlandscape.com