We offer both design/build and strictly design services in our office for client’s ease. Whether you are ready for a project now, or maybe a couple years down the road, our design services bring a client’s vision to life!
Initial Consultation
The process begins by a phone conversation or email, in which general inquiries are made and an appointment for a one hour consultation is set. At the initial consultation, the project is discussed to obtain more information and general measurements are taken to give a better estimate on budgetary pricing for either an installation or for an estimate of design time fees. Once a design/build or design contract is signed and a deposit made, we will then go back to the site and take detailed measurements and gather other site information needed to start the design. We use general measurements taken at the initial consultation to quantify materials and labor if we are just giving you installation pricing.
Design
Back at the office, the design involves taking all the information and client’s desires and creating an aesthetic solution that meets the client’s objectives and budget. The time required for the initial design varies depending on size and complexity of the project, but it usually takes from several days to 2-3+ weeks depending on how many projects we are working on at the time and the scope of the design. It’s important to note that our busiest time of the year is the spring, so we recommend residential clients who want something installed in the spring/summer months, to contact us about design over the fall/winter to get on our schedule.
Presentation
Once the initial design is complete, we present the design to the client. This often includes an explanation of our rendered plan and model, photos of the proposed plantings (if specified), material option photos, and pricing for installation (if contracted for strictly design). We also provide a 3-D design model to help clients visualize what their completed project will look like. This meeting can take place on-site or in the office and allows for discussion time and revision considerations if requested. This meeting usually takes 1 to 2 hours.
Final Plan Approval
After presenting the plan, requested revisions are made and the pricing revised to reflect the changes. Once all revisions are completed and the clients give the thumbs up, we will send your finalized designs with invoice (for strictly design) or we will continue to the next step of construction documents & installation (for design/build) . It’s important to note that a signed design/build contract with deposit is needed to get on the calendar for installation. *If any changes are desired by the client before or during installation a change order will be prepared reflecting the change to the plan and price.
Project Installation
Once a design plan is approved by the client, we are able to get started with the permitting and construction documents for our crew. Based on our project and time of year schedule, the installation phase of the project may occur a few weeks to a few months after the initial design approval. The deposit paid when signing the installation contract holds the clients place on our project schedule. We’ll be in communication with the client to keep them updated as we move through our project queue. Once we begin installation we try to work efficiently and effectively. The amount of time needed to install a project is all relative to its scale. For example, a more simple landscape project may only take a few days to complete, while a pool project with water features, decking, landscaping etc may take 3-4+ months. It’s important to note that the weather, time of year construction starts, and other unforeseen occurrences out of our control (such as material delays) are contributing factors to how fast we are able to complete the installation.
