How to Choose the Right Landscape Designer for Your Project, Part 2
We deep dive into the second in our three part series on how to choose your ideal landscape designer.
In this post, we’ll talk about all things budget related.
If you haven’t read our other two posts on this topic, please click one of the links below, or click here to read our overview post.
The top factors you should consider when choosing a landscape designer:
Part 1: Vision - Will they be able to understand your vision?
Part 2: Budget - How do they factor your budget into the design?
Your Project
You’ve spent a ton of time dreaming and scheming about how your ideal outdoor living space will look and feel. You know which elements you must have, and you know how much you want to invest in your project.
Depending on what these elements are, there are a lot of different types of designers out there for you to choose from. Is your project straightforward or complex? Do you have complicated grading or drainage on your site? Do you have an existing landscape or is your home a new build?
Landscape Architect vs Landscape Designer
Before we dive in, there are a few distinctions to make to ensure you’re seeking out the right type of professional for your project.
Landscape Architect: These pros have Masters degrees in Landscape Architecture. Their design focus can be pointed in any direction from residential and ranch properties to large improvements like parks and commercial spaces. They drive the overall vision of the project and may bring in partner designers or other in-house teams to dial in the details. Typically, if you have a big or highly complex space you may want to consider working with a Landscape Architect.
Landscape Designer: These pros come in all shapes, sizes and experience levels. They are not usually required to have a specific degree in their field, but they may have professional certifications and other credentials that can give you more information about their experience level and expertise. They may work on residential or commercial properties of all sizes. Most of the time when you reach out to a landscape company about a design, you will reach a landscape designer.
BUDGET
The Target Budget Range
It’s hard to know what your project will cost when you’re starting the process, but you should have a good sense of the general range you’re comfortable spending for the project as a whole. And before your designer begins drafting your project, you should nail down a clear budget target range with them.
If you are looking for competitive price bids on a project, you are probably not in the market for a designed landscape, because it’s impossible to price a design before it’s drawn. BUT your designer should be able to provide you with pricing guidance based on their previous work for the elements you want to include.
Before proceeding with a design, make sure you and they are clear on what your target range is, and that you have determined that it’s reasonable that they can design your project for you within that range. They will not likely be able to nail the budget for you on the first try, but it will most likely land in the ballpark of your target range.
Yes this is a little scary, but it’s called a design process for a reason - your designer should come armed with suggestions for you to dial in better on budget to help you land where you want to be.
The Design / Budget Balance
How budget is handled is probably the most varied aspect of the design process from one company to another. As you interview and assess different designers, ask them how they address the balance between design and budget. This will be different from company to company - designers and clients all come to the table with differing points of view on how this should be handled. Just make sure that you feel comfortable that your philosophy and your potential designer’s are in alignment.
At Oak Canopy, we provide budgetary information with the initial round of design, so that you have the most information possible as early in the process as possible. We have found that working on the design and budget as one allows our clients to feel confident at the end of the process that they have a design they are thrilled with that they can also afford to install. On top of that, they have had a window into the budget from the beginning, so expectations are met and uncertainty is not part of the equation.
The Value Add
Are you rigid on exactly what you want and nothing else? Do you want to explore what your choices may be to achieve your goals? Be sure to discuss this with your designer to ensure you’re in alignment with them on communication and design features.
Most homeowners are not spending their free time researching the latest landscaping materials, practices and techniques, but your designer is! Learn how they implement this knowledge and how it may apply to your project. Your designer will inform you on choices you may have for how you can achieve your goals, and should be thinking about all of the ways that the pieces of your project can come together to maximize efficiency and value.
In our collaborative design process, we will talk through your design iterations in detail so you understand the benefits of the design layout and material choices, and then provide you with alternative options as desired so you know that you’re always making the best decisions with no regrets.
Let’s get started!
When you’re ready we would love to speak with you to turn your dreams into reality!
We understand the importance of getting value for your investment, and don’t want you to have the hassle of working through the complex process of designing and installing a custom outdoor living space on your own. We partner with you for the entire process:
Creating a custom design through our collaborative design process
Management of every detail of your installation: permitting, inspections, contractor scheduling, timeline management
Plant and material care and maintenance information, watering schedule and strategy, support and advice as needed
You’ll be surprised at how fun and easy it is to create the outdoor living space of your dreams!
