Roots Restoration in Chattanooga: Full-Service Landscape Design and Maintenance

Roots Restoration is a full-service landscaping firm that handles both design-build projects and ongoing maintenance for residential properties across the Chattanooga area, with a focus on native plantings and erosion control that work with the region's climate and topography rather than against it.

What Roots Restoration actually is

The company operates as a design-and-build operation, meaning they create landscape plans on-site and execute them rather than handing off designs to separate crews. This eliminates a common friction point in landscaping: the gap between what a designer envisions and what a contractor can realistically deliver within budget. Roots Restoration carries licensing through the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association and maintains general liability insurance required for residential work in Chattanooga's hillside neighborhoods, where improper grading and drainage can cause foundation problems.

The firm specializes in two areas that matter in this specific market. One is working with Chattanooga's steep grades and red clay: they design retaining walls, terraced planting beds, and drainage solutions that prevent both erosion and pooling water. The other is selecting plants suited to the Tennessee Valley climate, which means prioritizing species that tolerate humidity, occasional ice storms, and the region's alkaline soil without constant chemical amendment.

Services and pricing structure

Roots Restoration divides work into two categories: design-and-build projects priced by scope, and recurring maintenance on monthly or seasonal contracts.

For design-and-build, they charge a consultation fee of $150 to visit the property, assess the site, and produce a scaled plan with plant selections and hardscape details. This fee applies toward the project cost if the client moves forward; if not, it remains separate. Full landscape installations (bed prep, plantings, mulch, hardscape elements like pavers or walls) typically run $3,500 to $12,000 depending on square footage, plant density, and whether hardscape is involved. A basic 200-square-foot perennial bed costs around $1,800 to $2,200 installed. A terraced retaining-wall project with plantings on a steep lot can exceed $10,000.

Maintenance contracts break into two models. Seasonal contracts (spring cleanup, summer deadheading, fall leaf removal, winter prep) cost $80 to $150 per visit depending on lot size and complexity. Monthly maintenance, typically April through November in Chattanooga, runs $120 to $250 per month for residential properties under half an acre. These prices cover weeding, deadheading, light pruning, and mulch top-ups but not major pruning or tree work (they refer those jobs to certified arborists).

Verify current pricing by calling directly, as material costs fluctuate seasonally.

How Roots Restoration compares to other Chattanooga landscaping options

Most Chattanooga landscaping splits into two tiers: big maintenance crews focused on weekly lawn mowing and edging, and smaller design-focused firms. Roots Restoration sits between them.

Companies like TruGreen (chain-based, serving Chattanooga) excel at recurring lawn and shrub maintenance on a predictable schedule and often bundle multiple properties for cost efficiency. They are the logical choice if your primary need is biweekly mowing and routine trimming. However, they typically do not redesign beds or handle the drainage and grading issues common to Chattanooga's topography.

Local boutique designers like the design-only firms in the North Shore area will create elaborate plans but charge $2,000 to $3,500 for design alone, then leave implementation to the property owner or a separate contractor. Roots Restoration avoids this handoff problem by managing both phases.

Large general contractors who take landscaping as a side service to new builds or renovations often treat landscape as an afterthought and may not account for Chattanooga's specific drainage challenges. Roots Restoration's focus on site-specific solutions makes them stronger in hilly neighborhoods like Missionary Ridge, Signal Mountain, and Lookout Valley, where standard suburban approaches fail.

Who Roots Restoration suits and does not suit

This firm is the right fit if you own a property with slope issues, poor drainage, or an existing landscape that is failing because plants were chosen for appearance rather than climate compatibility. If your lot is flat, your soil is already amended, and you need only reliable biweekly mowing and basic upkeep, a maintenance-focused service will be more cost-effective.

Roots Restoration also works well for owners who want to reduce watering and chemical inputs over time. Native and climate-adapted plants cost more upfront but require less irrigation and fertilizer after establishment, which saves money on utility bills and is important to property owners in suburban areas where water restrictions occasionally take effect during dry summers.

It is not the cheapest option for a single one-time project. Their design-and-build model assumes either a long-term maintenance relationship or a property owner who values correct installation enough to pay for expertise baked into the initial phase.

What the first visit involves

Call to book a site consultation. The owner or lead designer visits your property, typically within a week. Bring photos of other landscapes you like, notes on problem areas (wet spots, erosion, sun exposure at different times of year), and realistic budget expectations. The designer will walk the site, take measurements, assess drainage patterns, note existing utilities, and discuss plant preferences.

You receive a written proposal within five business days that includes a scaled plan drawn to your property's actual dimensions, a plant palette with common and scientific names, estimated quantities, and a line-item cost breakdown. Proposals are valid for 30 days; material price fluctuations are noted if the work stretches beyond that window.

If you hire Roots Restoration, work typically happens in two phases: hardscape and bed prep in fall or early spring (when the ground is workable and after spring freezes have passed), followed by planting after soil temperatures stabilize. This phased approach prevents the common failure of spring plantings that freeze before they establish roots.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Roots Restoration operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and takes consultations and maintenance jobs year-round. There is no office walk-in location; all interaction is site-based or by phone. Work is scheduled by appointment only.

Chattanooga's terrain means winter months (December through early March) are slower for planting but ideal for drainage improvements and hardscape installation. Summer scheduling fills quickly; book design consultations by late May if you want fall planting.

Roots Restoration holds appropriate insurance and licensing for work in Chattanooga's most restrictive neighborhoods, including Signal Mountain and areas with homeowner association deed restrictions on hardscape materials. If your property sits in a restricted community, mention it during the initial call to confirm compliance.

The firm's depth in handling Chattanooga's specific topography and plant ecology puts it ahead of generalist crews for properties where landscape failure has been tied to poor site selection or drainage, making it a practical choice for problem-solving over time.