Landscape design is one of the biggest projects you can undertake on a property. It’s also one of the most rewarding. Good landscape design can give amazing results, creating a look and atmosphere that defines a house and remains beautiful years into the future. However, for the average homeowner, landscape design is probably something of an unknown art.
While you may have a pretty clear idea in your head of what you are looking for, the practicalities of realising your dream depend on hiring professionals. There are plenty out there, but it goes without saying that some are better than others. We’re going to look at how you can find the best landscape designers in your area and create your dream garden.
Make Sure You Know What You Want.
The first thing to mention is that it’s important that you have a good idea of what you want. Obviously, experienced landscape designers can provide suggestions and improve on what you have planned, but there needs to be something there for them to work with. If you simply hire a designer without any real plan, it will be a waste of both your and their time. At the same time, you don’t need concrete blueprints. All you need is a general idea. Inspiration can be found in all sorts of places.
A good place to start is by looking around your neighborhood and making a mental note of the features that you find pleasing. By drawing on local inspiration, you’ll be able to create a landscape that fits in with its surroundings while also increasing the likelihood that your aims will be easily realized. Another obvious place to search is in magazines. There’s no shortage of publications dedicated to the topic, full of various pieces of inspiration, many of which are online. And there are plenty of TV shows dedicated to home renovation that can give you not only ideas but also some understanding of the processes involved and how easy or difficult they’ll be.
Put Together Your Shortlist
Once you’ve got a basic design sketched out, it’s time to start putting together your shortlist of companies to collaborate with. Once you start searching through sites such as signalhire.com, you’ll realise what a huge market it is. Finding a landscape designer is often distinct from finding a contractor. The designer is hired to collaborate with you and put together a design that a team of professional landscapers can implement. While they are effectively two different things, the designer and the contractor often work for the same company, reducing the need for extra labour. Ideally, you’ll want to work with a designer that collaborates closely with the contractors and has an ongoing working relationship with them. This way, you can rely on them to carry out the work as professionally as possible.
When it comes to choosing people for your shortlist, there are a few key things you should take into consideration. Obviously, keeping things within your budget is essential. Another thing worth considering is qualifications and accreditation. Good landscapers will have a list of their official accreditations, guaranteeing that they are up to the job. It’s also worth looking around for reviews of landscapers, as these give you a good idea of the work they do. Check that they have liability insurance as well. Landscaping is a serious business, and if something goes wrong, you don’t want to end up paying out of your own pocket. Finally, you may want to look for someone with environmentally friendly practices, as this ensures that the job is as green as possible.
Choosing the Best Team for the Job
Once you’ve got your potential landscape designers shortlisted, all you need to do is narrow it down to the right one for the job. As we’ve already mentioned, online reviews are a good way of finding out how much a company can be trusted. Once you have it down to one or two, it’s time to find out how much they cost. Many landscapers will be able to give you a rough quote over the phone if you describe the kind of work you want to be done. If it’s a more ambitious job, they may need to pay you a visit to survey the site and provide you with detailed information. Having a designer pay a visit is another great way of finding out whether or not you feel you can trust them.
A face-to-face meeting is one of the most important things in this regard, so be sure to ask them any questions you have about the project and get a good idea of their experience.
Preparing for Work
Once you’ve found the right team and sorted out the design, you need to start thinking about the practicalities of the work period. Big projects can take a very long time, so be prepared to have people around for potentially a number of weeks. Another major thing to take into consideration is the weather. If you’re planning on working in the winter, there’s a strong possibility that rain and even snow could make work considerably more difficult. Spring and summer are the ideal times for carrying out landscaping work, so this might be worth factoring in when you make your plans.
Your designer and contractor will be diligent about ensuring that everything is carried out properly, but there are always things that can’t be planned for. If you’ve had previous landscaping work done, you’ll be at an advantage. When a homeowner carries out a project, they often find out things about their home they weren’t previously aware of. Everything from subsidence to sections of pipe running under the garden can have an effect on this kind of work. If you’re aware of any of these factors, make sure that you alert your landscapers to their presence.
Conclusion
Landscaping is one of the most exciting projects you can carry out on your home. The sheer range of different options gives you a huge amount of freedom when it comes to designing, and the right designer can help you turn these dreams into reality. Working in collaboration with professional contractors, good designers have the potential to let you create a truly unique landscape custom-made for your own wishes. The above are a few of the most important steps and considerations when looking for a landscape designer and having work carried out. This guide should put you in good stead when it comes to getting the best designer out there and the most reliable contractors.
