6 Important Things to Think About Before DIY Landscaping

1.) Start with a plan - Before you start any landscaping project, have a plan in place. Draw out a sketch of what you'd like your landscaping to look like and make sure to include measurements.

2.) Research plants - Make sure to research plants that are suitable for the climate and soil in your area. Also, consider the amount of sunlight your plants will get and the amount of maintenance they will require.

3.) Utilize a variety of elements - Incorporate a variety of shapes, textures, and colors into your landscaping design. This will help create visual interest and add depth to your landscape.

4.) Invest in quality tools - Investing in quality tools will help you maintain your landscape. Consider investing in a lawn mower, green waste bin, and a variety of other gardening tools.

5.) Consider the environment - When landscaping, it's important to consider the environment. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade and reduce noise pollution. Plant flowers to attract bees and birds. Lastly, use natural elements such as stones and pebbles to create paths and walkways.

6.) Contact an experienced landscaping company - Not loving all that’s going into giving your landscape a refresh? Give us a call today and our landscapers will handle your landscaping needs with ease!

Call us today! 816-800-4003

How Outdoor Lighting Improves Curb Appeal

Outdoor lighting or landscaping lighting can brighten your home in several ways! However, knowing what lighting is best for your house or landscaping can sometimes be challenging. Check out this list of how outdoor lighting can improve your home or business curb appeal.

1.) Instantly Highlight the Beauty of your Home and Landscape

Use landscape lighting to showcase your home's best features, like stone or brick design or trees and shrubbery.

2.) Outdoor Lighting Helps Deter Crime

Using motion sensors or timers on your outdoor fixtures can help deter crime when you are home and away.

3.) Create a Welcoming and Inviting Home

When daylight is limited during the winter, adding outdoor lighting will help illuminate and warm your home. Check out the list below and discover the best lighting for your landscaping.

• Area Lighting - 360° illumination. These fixtures can illuminate any area, such as pathways or flower beds. Included in this category are well lights, which direct sunlight upwards.

• Directional Lighting - These light fixtures can be aimed at and directed to light up trees, shrubbery, and accent walls.

• Pathway and Step Lighting - Explicitly illuminating pathways, stairs, or driveways around your home.

• Wall Wash - A wide beam or flood light fixture used to light up a large portion of a wall.

• Specialty Lighting - Decorative light fixtures, such as pendants or string lights, to underwater lighting.

4.) Easily Upgrade Curb Appeal No Matter the Season

Unlike many landscaping projects, lighting can be installed all year round.

Not sure what landscape lighting is best for your home or business? Contact our experts today; we are happy to help you discover the best way to make your home shine! Call us today at 8168004003!

One Team; One Fight | Lee's Summit Lifestyle Feature

The culture for Eric Thogerson and his team at ALLCAT mirrors his military work ethic: “One Team, One Fight.”

“We’re better together. I tell all the guys, there’s nobody that can say ‘that’s not my job.’ We’re all a solid team,” Thogerson said. “When we fail, we fail together; when we succeed, we succeed together. It’s kind of the military mindset; you must know the role of whoever is in front of you and behind you. We have leaders, but our leaders go out on the job site too.”

Thogerson’s work ethic started after high school when he worked for the largest non-union construction company in the Midwest. Later, driven by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Thogerson joined the Army and was eventually deployed to Iraq.

After nearly a year in Iraq, he returned home, bringing his passion to the “One Team, One Fight” motto. Then he set his passion towards more, opening a company doing framing and home remodeling in Colorado, which led him to Kansas City, where he spent 12 years in insurance adjusting and consulting.

Then in 2020, he opened ALLCAT. ALLCAT specializes in residential and commercial construction, landscape and design, and construction consulting. Thogerson and his team take the approach to ensure no part of the construction process falls through the proverbial cracks.

As a U.S. military veteran wounded during his time in Iraq, Thogerson’s ALLCAT is verified as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, actively seeking other veteran-owned businesses and projects to collaborate and help each other grow.

“I love to work with other veterans and vendors,” Thogerson said, noting his company seeks government-based projects and veteran-owned and staffed contractors and subcontractors.

Currently, ALLCAT employs 30 and focuses on various projects, including a coffee shop, a surgery center in Lee’s Summit, and many more. They are also focused on fueling growth and expansion by adding various rockstar team members to help them reach their full potential. They recently expanded to launch a new company division, Rooted Happiness, which will deliver gorgeous potted plant arrangements to residential and commercial properties on a subscription basis.

Whether it’s construction, general contracting, landscaping and design, snow removal, irrigation drainage, or retaining walls, Thogerson said his team takes the same approach to each project. “One Team, One Fight”

As a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, ALLCAT would like to recognize, honor, and thank all who have served our country!