What kind of company is North West Landscapes Ltd?

In this short video, David explains what his company delivers to you, the client

Cut your Landscape Maintenance Costs Down to Size!

How we created this business

Full interview transcript:

"Hi, my name is David Laitak, and I'm from Northwest landscapes. I've worked in this now 25 years. Service is a really really big part, not letting people down.

It's about delivering what you said you were going to do, and being honest and being upfront with people. We've always prided ourselves on our service and it's been second to none. People book calls in for particular days if they're having an opening day at a school, because they know they need their place to look really really sharp on that day A couple of hours before, we will come, tidy round, give it a bit of a blow if it's been a windy day, you know, clean up. Because, service is everything, for everyone.

I built this business on a couple of key words what me dad instilled, back then, back in the early days when we first started out with a small van, with a small mower.

The watchwords we live by

Words like truth, honesty, promises turning up, doing what we said we were going to do at the appointed time to do it. And doing a really good job. Pride, some of these words you don't really hear a lot of now, they seem old fashioned. I still build my business around, all these words, integrity, great words and still mean a great lot to us today.

We were asked to tender for a hospital, and we were called in with six other contractors for this particular job. They asked me what I was going to do different for them? Why should they pick me?

I said, the specification that you specced, we were going to do over and above that. We will also there to improve the hospital site.
Since then, that was a one year contract, we've now been there seven years. We’ve got jobs there on our books; small schools, primary schools, other schools as well. I can honestly say, hand on heart. You know, I did tell him many many years ago that we were going to do the job, the first time and do it right. That client’s been on my books now for over 20 years, and clients still recommend us to this day.

Investment to do the job right

North West Landscapes has always invested in new kit, new time for the lads, new uniforms, courses, training, hands on approach. Equipment -It's never ending in my job. It just keeps going and going and going. I've invested in a whole new range of tree surgery stuff from climbing harnesses, ropes, wood chippers -the latest timberwolf wood chipper. Chainsaws; we have a great range there's over 12 different chainsaws, there's a chainsaw for every tree if your like. What we've done, even down to the Ransomes Highway III, it’s right where it's at now, right at the front of grass cutting technology.

Because that machine’s more productive, it saves time, we can pass that cost savings on to you. So if you've got two football pitches with this machine doing half the time, that means we can cut the two football pitches, technically, for the price of one. There's nothing we can't really do in sports grounds and sports grounds maintenance.

Changing contractors - people worry needlessly

People do genuinely feel changing contractors is a big issue, people just go on with contractors that maybe they’ve had for years. Because it feels easier than to change contractor, maybe the site doesn't look as good as it should, but they think, oh well we just kind of put up with it for now. If you do change there's great ways you can improve your whole grounds and landscaping around your properties. I know it sounds cliche, but no job too big, too small. We do have small hand pedestrian mowers for small jobs, we also have large, big machines for big jobs. I think we're at a level now where we can do everything. I mean, everything when it comes to landscape, maintenance, and tree surgery.

About Us - North West Landscapes, a Family Company

North West Landscapes is a family company set up in 1981 as an equal partnership between David and his father, Cyril. Cyril, half Chinese, worked on the Liverpool docks for over 30 years. As redundancies loomed in 1979 against a background of decline, Cyril saw this as an opportunity to break free and run his own business, building a better future for his family.
With the local economy facing difficult times with rising unemployment, David's dad was determined to make a living and a future for his family.

The business started from a small mower, bought from a catalogue, paid up over several months. You can hear how the business began in the Radio Merseyside interview presented by Roger Phillips, below. It's the period of the famous Alan Bleasdale series, 'Boys from the Blackstuff'. A time of a collapsing local economy.

High Standards, Commitment. Delivering what we said we would do

Cyril believed in keeping your word, doing what you said you would do, and taking pride in a job well done. Over 28 years has seen North West Landscapes develop into a successful, dynamic and committed company with impressive levels of landscape management. Our watchwords are integrity, ingenuity and seeking the best solutions for our clients. Best solutions combine excellent workmanship, efficient, flexible and unobtrusive service delivery allied to competitive costs and sustainable ecology.