Our Quality Standards — What We Commit To on Every Project

Quality in landscape design and installation isn't a feeling — it's a set of specific technical commitments. Here's what we commit to on every JHL project.

PA HIC License #PA035784

Pennsylvania's Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration requires background checks, insurance verification, and compliance with PA's home improvement contract law. Our license number — PA035784 — is public record, verifiable with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

What it means for you: you're working with a contractor that's legally accountable, carries required insurance, and can be held to state-mandated standards for home improvement contracts.

ICPI-Certified Hardscape Installation

The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) is the industry's technical authority on hardscape installation — concrete pavers, segmental retaining walls, and related systems. ICPI certification requires training and testing on:

• Base preparation methodology (excavation depth, aggregate compaction, geotextile use)
• Drainage engineering (slope requirements, outlet design)
• Pattern installation and edge restraint
• Maintenance standards

When we say we're ICPI Certified, it means our installation team has been tested against this standard — not just that we claim to follow it.

Base Preparation Standard

The single most important determinant of hardscape longevity is base preparation. Our standard:

For all patio and walkway installations:

• Minimum 8-inch compacted crushed stone base for residential patios (10-12 inches for Chester County clay soils with frost exposure)
• 3-inch lifts compacted with vibratory plate compactor
• Geotextile fabric between native soil and aggregate
• Coarse aggregate leveling course
• Minimum 1% positive slope away from all structures

We document base preparation in project photos delivered to the client upon completion.

For retaining walls:

• NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association) engineering specifications followed for walls over 4 feet
• Compacted crushed stone base below frost depth
• Drainage aggregate backfill behind full wall height
• Perforated drain tile at base with positive outlet to daylight
• Geogrid reinforcement at NCMA-specified intervals for retained heights over 4 feet

Licensed & Insured

JHL Landscape Design carries:

• General liability insurance (minimum $1M per occurrence)
• Workers' compensation insurance for all employees
• Vehicle insurance for all company vehicles

We provide certificates of insurance upon request before project start.

Warranty

We stand behind our installations. Our warranty covers:

• Hardscape structural defects: 5 years from installation completion
• Plant material: 1 year from installation (subject to homeowner watering requirements)
• Drainage systems: 3 years from installation
• Lighting systems: 2 years from installation (excluding bulbs)

How We Handle Issues

When a problem arises — and occasionally they do, in any construction business — we come back and fix it. We don't argue about what caused it. We assess, we determine the right solution, we schedule the repair. The goal is a completed project you're proud of.

That's the commitment.

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JHL Landscape Design | PA HIC #PA035784 | ICPI Certified | Licensed & Insured West Chester: 701 S Franklin St, Suite 101, West Chester, PA 19382 Newtown Square: 12 Smedley Ln, Suite 101, Newtown Square, PA 19073 HBA Member | BBB A+ Rating