Landscaper in Chattanooga
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June 14, 2026
A Chattanooga landscaper does work no national lawn-care app can replicate: an on-site read of a specific lot, plant choices suited to the region’s soils and four-season climate, and a crew that returns through the year. Chattanooga is one of Tennessee’s largest cities, with a population of roughly 186,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and the surrounding Hamilton County and tri-state market keeps demand steady for both new-landscape installation in the suburbs and renovation of established yards in the city. Local landscapers understand the conditions that shape a Chattanooga project, from the ridges and valleys of the surrounding terrain to the clay soils and humid summers that influence planting and drainage choices.
The market covers several kinds of work. Some firms concentrate on design and installation, building planting beds, retaining walls, patios, and irrigation from a plan. Others focus on recurring lawn maintenance, mowing, edging, fertilization, and seasonal cleanup. Many Chattanooga companies handle both, plus hardscaping, grading, and drainage correction, which the area’s sloped and clay-heavy lots frequently require. For homeowners and property managers, the result is a competitive field where buyers can weigh a one-time installation against an ongoing maintenance contract.
Licensing for landscaping in Tennessee turns on the kind of work and its size. Routine landscaping and lawn maintenance generally do not require a state contractor license. Larger landscape-construction projects can fall under the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: when the total contract for landscaping or construction work reaches $25,000 or more, a contractor license in the appropriate classification is required. Landscape architects, who prepare certain design and grading plans, are licensed separately by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. A company that applies pesticides or herbicides on a commercial basis must be licensed and charted through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture pesticide program. No single blanket license covers every landscaper, so the requirement depends on the scope of a given job. Because the Chattanooga metro crosses into North Georgia, a firm based across the state line should hold the appropriate license in the state where the work is performed.
Taxes and consumer protections also apply. A landscaping business collects Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax plus the local option tax; in Hamilton County the combined rate reaches roughly 9.25%, and how labor versus materials is taxed can vary with how the contract is written, so an itemized invoice is worth requesting. Tennessee’s consumer protection framework, administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), handles complaints about deceptive trade practices. For landscape-construction work, the state’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) can apply, giving those who furnish labor or materials a defined window to file a lien, a timeline worth understanding when scheduling payments. Verifying a firm’s registration through the Tennessee Secretary of State, and confirming any contractor license through the Board for Licensing Contractors at tn.gov, helps ensure a company operates within state requirements.
Top Landscaper Providers in Chattanooga
1. Big Sky Landscapes
Address: 1406 E 51st St, Chattanooga, TN 37404
Phone: (423) 488-8905
Website: https://www.bigskylandscapes.com
Services: landscaping, hardscaping, irrigation systems, drainage solutions, design and installation, commercial landscaping and maintenance
Description: Big Sky Landscapes is a landscape contractor based at 1406 E 51st St in Chattanooga, serving the city and surrounding area. The company has been recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing business and emphasizes attention to detail, sustainable practices, and reliable service. Its work covers landscaping, hardscaping, irrigation systems, and drainage solutions, with specialties that range from custom patios and native-plant landscaping to efficient irrigation systems and French drains. The firm serves both residential and commercial properties, including commercial landscaping and maintenance, and handles projects from design through installation.
2. Grass & More Outdoor Services, Inc.
Address: 8153 E Brainerd Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: (423) 802-3194
Website: https://grassandmoreoutdoor.com
Services: landscape design and installation, hardscaping (pavers, retaining walls, fire pits, outdoor kitchens), lawn care, irrigation systems, landscape lighting, artificial putting greens, synthetic lawns, pet-friendly artificial grass, sport and game courts
Description: Grass & More Outdoor Services, Inc. operates a Chattanooga location at 8153 E Brainerd Rd, alongside a Dalton, Georgia location, and describes a combined experience of more than 25 years in the landscaping and turf industry. The company offers landscape design and installation, hardscaping including pavers, retaining walls, fire pits, and outdoor kitchens, lawn care, irrigation systems, and landscape lighting. It also specializes in synthetic turf, including artificial putting greens as an official Tour Greens dealer, synthetic and pet-friendly lawns, and sport and game courts for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and other uses. Its service area covers Northern Georgia and Eastern Tennessee, including Chattanooga, Cleveland, Signal Mountain, and Ooltewah.
3. Thompson Brothers Landscaping, LLC
Address: 2029 County Line Rd, Rock Spring, GA 30739 (serves the metro Chattanooga area from Northwest Georgia)
Phone: (423) 595-1692
Website: https://www.thompsonbroslandscaping.com
Services: landscaping design and installation, hardscape design and installation, retaining walls, paver patios and outdoor kitchens, excavation, new construction landscaping, outdoor lighting, sod installation, lawn maintenance, irrigation systems, water features, stone work, planting
Description: Thompson Brothers Landscaping, LLC is owned by Doug Thompson and Scott Thompson and is based at 2029 County Line Rd in Rock Spring, Georgia, from which it serves the metro Chattanooga area and Northwest Georgia. Its services include landscaping and hardscape design and installation, retaining walls, paver patios and outdoor kitchens, excavation, new construction landscaping, outdoor lighting, sod installation, lawn maintenance, irrigation systems, water features, stone work, and planting, along with association and condominium maintenance programs. The firm’s service area covers Chattanooga and surrounding communities including Ooltewah, Collegedale, Cleveland, East Brainerd, East Ridge, Hixson, St. Elmo, Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and Red Bank in Tennessee, plus Rossville, Fort Oglethorpe, Ringgold, and Rock Spring in Georgia.
Frequently Asked Questions About Landscaper in Chattanooga
Q: Does a landscaper in Chattanooga need a contractor license?
It depends on the scope of the work. Routine landscaping and lawn maintenance generally do not require a state contractor license. When a landscaping or landscape-construction contract totals $25,000 or more, the company must hold a license in the appropriate classification from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Landscape architects are licensed separately by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, and any firm that applies pesticides or herbicides commercially must be licensed through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture pesticide program.
Q: How much is sales tax on landscaping work in Chattanooga?
Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax, and Hamilton County adds a local option tax that brings the combined rate to roughly 9.25%. How tax applies to labor versus materials can depend on how the contract is structured, so it is worth requesting an itemized invoice that separates materials, labor, and tax.
Q: Does it matter if a Chattanooga landscaper is based in Georgia?
The Chattanooga metro crosses into North Georgia, so some firms that serve the city are based across the state line. The work itself should be licensed where it is performed. For a project in Tennessee that reaches the $25,000 threshold, confirm the company holds a Tennessee contractor license through the Board for Licensing Contractors, and ask any firm that applies pesticides commercially whether it is charted for that work in Tennessee.
Q: What landscaping issues are most common on Chattanooga lots?
The region’s ridge-and-valley terrain and clay soils make grading, retaining walls, and drainage frequent concerns, and many local firms offer grading, French drains, and erosion control alongside planting and lawn care. Humid summers also shape plant and turf selection, so design that accounts for slope and drainage matters for lasting results.
Q: What should I confirm before signing a landscaping contract in Chattanooga?
Request a written scope of work, a clear price, and a payment schedule, and confirm any required contractor license through the Board for Licensing Contractors database at tn.gov. Because Tennessee’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) can apply to landscape-construction work, structuring payments around defined milestones offers protection for both sides.
Q: How do I file a complaint against a Chattanooga landscaping company?
Complaints about deceptive trade practices or contract disputes can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Disputes involving a licensed contractor can also go to the Board for Licensing Contractors. Keeping the signed contract, payment records, and photographs of the work strengthens a complaint.