- A landscape designer is a garden professional that has a high degree of artistic talent along with a thorough understanding of which landscape materials are best suited for your garden.
- A landscape designer know what plants materials will work best for your garden based on your climate zone, sun exposure and soil conditions.
- A landscape designer know what hardscape materials will work best for your garden based on the style of your architecture/
- A landscape designer can increase your property value by up to 30%.
- A landscape designer can take all the stress and headache away from you attempting to design the garden yourself and will save you lots of time and money, thus giving you more freedom to enjoy life with your loved ones.
Why hire a licensed landscape contractor?
State law requires anyone who contracts to do landscape work to be licensed by the Contractors State License Board, if the total price of the job (including labor and materials) is $500 or more. Licensed contractors are regulated by laws designed to protect the public, are bonded, and must complete four years of journey- or higher-level experience in the same trade to apply for a license. Unlicensed persons, typically, are not bonded and may not have liability or workers' compensation insurance. If you hire an unlicensed person, you may be financially responsible if injuries, fire, or other property damage results.
Licensed landscape contractors are also well educated in their craft. They understand how to properly install drainage, hardscape, irrigation, planting and lighting systems. Licensed landscape contractors are also more likely to be able to read design drawings accurately and install per plan.
How much will a landscape design cost?
The following factors will affect the price of the landscape designer:
- Size of project
- Amount of work involved
- Site conditions
- Consulting - which includes plant & or other materials shopping. This is where the designer will assist you in shopping for the materials but not designing them. This is great if you have a yard that is already done and you need patches filled in or just need general guidance with out a full set of drawings. The designer may even assist with placing the materials but not installing them. The fee for this service should be hourly.
- Full Conceptual Garden Design - After the initial consultation and site analysis, your designer will prepare concept plans and related conceptual graphics to show different design options, along with all proposed materials to be used and a visit to the nursery and building materials shop to look at all the appropriate materials for your project. Design is ever changing and being able to have options, critique and voice your opinion is a must since this is ultimately your dream garden. Once the concept design has been approved then your designer will create final conceptual drawings. These drawings conceptually show the location of all the materials to be used, reused or remain.
- Install Supervision - is a process in which the designer will meet with the contractors that are bidding to explain the design and to ensure that the intent in understood. The designer will also spot all the plant materials to make sure that the right quality plant is purchased, make periodical site visits to ensure that the design is being installed correctly and per plan.
