What typically fails in the first year after hiring a landscape company?

The first year is when weak points surface. In Salt Lake and Davis Counties, the most common problems are plants that don’t establish, irrigation leaks, and grading errors that cause puddling. Plants often fail due to transplant shock, poor soil prep, or inconsistent watering. Even with the right species, improper watering schedules—too much or too little—stress young roots. Irrigation heads can clog or shift as soil settles, and drip emitters may plug if filters aren’t cleaned. Grading issues are another early signal; standing water near foundations or low spots in lawns point to compaction or improper slope. Hardscapes rarely fail structurally in year one, but you may notice sod seams browning, joint sand washing out, or mulch beds settling unevenly. The best way to catch and correct these issues is through a one-year warranty walkthrough. A good contractor will schedule this visit, inspect for problems, and make fixes before they become long-term headaches.