Good landscape design is not priceless. Bad landscape design and planning (or absence of ) is priceless…it has no value!
Not all landscape projects require computer generated or hand drawn landscape architecture plans. The resources allocated to the design and planning stage should correspond to the investment of resources dedicated to the project and scope of work.
In the initial consultation, many of these questions could be answered by phone; however, information regarding infrastructure, drainage, and additional architectural development need to be considered. For instance will hardscaping/stone work be involved? Will that involve storm water, wetlands or permits? Will it involve engineering etc.? Check out our pervious post on Why You Should Pay for a Professional Consultation.
Always good to have some idea of a budget. While it is impossible to calculate a budget before any landscape design and development takes place it is good to establish a threshold of pain. For us that means at what point a client may say, ”I’m never going to spend that much money on my landscape.” While discussion of a ballpark is somewhat helpful, it’s a little to vague. If a prospective client says “ I have no idea of a budget”, I may say “is it between X & Y,” they may say “that’s more than I can afford.” That means right there…they have a budget or at least a threshold not to exceed.
There is no substitute for honest, frank, forthright discussions about…everything we hope to achieve. Landscape design development is a joint effort. It should be an exciting, joyful stress free process. There may be surprises and unexpected issues or events, hopeful more positive than negative. A realistic goal for us is to achieve, “you and your team have exceeded my expectations.”
That’s want we are looking for! That’s success!
—
Jay Archer
President, Landscape Ecologist
Green Jay Landscape Design
914-560-6570
