What to verify before hiring any xeriscape contractor
Whether you use this request line or find a provider another way, confirm the following with any xeriscape contractor in writing before any agreement is signed or work begins:
- Provider legal business name
- Written scope of work
- Written, itemized pricing
- Schedule and start window
- License or registration information where applicable
- Insurance documentation (commercial general liability)
- Workers compensation documentation where applicable
- Warranty terms, if any
- Change-order process
- Rebate responsibilities and ownership of the application
Questions to ask before turf removal
These are the most important planning questions for any Albuquerque xeriscape rebate project:
- Is this address in the ABCWUA service area? (Rio Rancho is not — it has its own City Outdoor Rebates program.)
- Has ABCWUA application, initial inspection, and approval been completed before any turf is removed?
- Does the design use plants from the ABCWUA Xeriscape Guide plant list?
- Is spray irrigation in the conversion area being converted to drip, bubblers, or hand-watering?
- Does the design include at least 3 inches of mulch between plants?
- Who is responsible for collecting and organizing itemized zero-balance receipts for the final ABCWUA inspection?
ABCWUA rebate timing: approval before removal
The most common and costly mistake on Albuquerque xeriscape rebate projects is removing turf before ABCWUA has completed its initial inspection and issued a Notice to Proceed. Removing turf before ABCWUA approval can disqualify the entire project from the rebate. ABCWUA currently lists its xeriscape rebate at $3.00 per square foot for qualifying turf-to-xeriscape conversions in its service area. The Water Authority controls all eligibility, inspection, approval, amount, available funding, and payment timing — no contractor or request line can guarantee approval. See the full ABCWUA xeriscape rebate guide for the step-by-step requirements.
Contractor vs. designer vs. installer in New Mexico
New Mexico regulates the title and practice of landscape architect separately from landscape designers, caretakers, gardeners, and general contractors. In practice, Albuquerque xeriscape projects are completed by a range of providers — some are licensed landscape architects, some are designers, and some are installers whose crews specialize in turf removal and planting. The right type depends on your scope:
- Full design + installation — plant selection, drip layout, hardscape, grading, and installation by one provider.
- Design only — a planting plan and irrigation layout you take to a separate installer.
- Installation only — you provide an approved plan; the installer handles removal, drip, planting, and rock work.
When you submit a request through this site, the request is reviewed for service area, scope, and current provider availability. The matched provider confirms what they offer for your specific project before any agreement is signed.
What this site is and is not
Albuquerque Xeriscape is a free consultation request line. It is not the installing contractor, not a licensed landscape architect, and not ABCWUA. When a request fits the service area and current provider availability, it may be routed to an independent local New Mexico xeriscape designer or installer. Before any work begins, the matched provider confirms their business identity, scope, written pricing, schedule, license or registration where applicable, insurance documentation, and rebate responsibilities.
There is no service guarantee, response-time guarantee, or rebate guarantee. If no provider is available or the project does not fit current routing criteria, the request may not be routed. Provider identity, scope, written pricing, schedule, and documentation should be confirmed directly with the matched provider before any work begins.