DESIGN PROCESS
We strongly believe high-level design is the foundation to any landscape project. Seeking assistance from a talented Landscape Architect or designer in the early stages of your project is crucial. Protect your investment and feel confident about your design before spending thousands on construction. Why hire a Landscape Architect?
STEP 1: complementary, 1 hour design meeting at your home
To begin the process, James will drive to your project for a initial site meeting. Together, we can discuss site potential, design styles preferences, color palettes, textures, plant species, lighting, budget and more. We’ll also take 15 minutes and fly the drone above your project, scanning your property with a technique called orthomosaic mapping. This info is beneficial later if you decide to hire us to create construction documents or a 3D model of your home.
If you have any inspirational landscape images, magazine clippings or internet links, please feel free to bring them to this meeting. This will give us a better understanding of your aesthetic tastes. James will also bring photo books and a laptop to share design ideas. If you have existing survey information, that’s also very helpful.
STEP 2: complementary SCHEMATIC DESIGN
Toward the end of the initial meeting, James will start sketching your ideas into a rough Schematic Design and begin site analysis, looking for basic site opportunities and concerns. We’ll evaluate topography, sun exposure, soil PH and more. We’ll explore several ideas in this phase to achieve the various design solutions of your choosing. James will also bring his camera to take photos of notable locations such as views, utilities pipes and electrical outlets.
If requested, we’ll then draft a design proposal including any professional services requested.
STEP 3: DESIGN Development
In Design Development, we’ll fine tune your design, choose specific plant species, materials and dimensions for construction documentation. The design deliverables can be, but are not limited to construction documents, ( 24”x 36” pdf sheets), project specifications and 3D Animations of your home. See more information about professional services.
On-site, interactive 3D presentation of residential design. In real time, we can fly around the home, change trees and plants, update materials on the house, etc. If you prefer, we can also communicate on Skype, Phone and Email.
STEP 4: Construction DOCUMENTS
This stage finalizes the design development drawings and specifications to a level of detail that will enable contractors to build your landscape project. A final set of drawings will be drafted including information needed from your city, county or HOA.
The design submittal timeline usually looks like this.
1) Complementary on-site meeting:
2) In the next few days, James will email a complementary schematic design of your site, highlighting your “dream garden” ideas received earlier that week at the meeting.
3) Once you hire us, we’ll get to work on a Preliminary Site Plan. This will give us a better idea of the exact dimensions for plantings, fire pits, your existing picnic table, etc. This step should take about 1 week.
4) We’ll then send you a PDF of the Preliminary Site Plan, serving as blank template to sketch ideas.
5) Once we receive your feedback on the Site Plan and Schematic Plan, James will start refining the design to construction level of detail and deliver an electronic 50% submittal PDF Site Plan. This step takes 1 or more weeks depending on the size of the project.
6) The client reviews the Site Plan(s) and makes redlines.
7) We’ll get back to work and once the Site Plan and dimensions are finalized, we can begin creating other sheets such as a Lighting Plans, Irrigation Plans and Construction Details. This step takes 1 or more weeks depending on the size of the project.
8) We’ll create a 100% Bid Set PDF.
9) The client reviews the Site Plan(s) and makes one final round of redlines.
10) Once approved by you, this 100% Bid Set PDF will be used for permitting and construction.
We offer 2 rounds of revisions with every submittal. So, you’ll have at least 4 total chances to change the design during the design process. 95% of the time, it only takes 2 revisions, but once in a blue moon a client will request 10+ revisions, so we have to make that rule to be fair to all parties involved. Revisions past 2 rounds will be billed at an hourly rate. It’s very rare, but we’ll do a good job communicating with you if this situation arises.
Permitting
We’ll work with you to make sure building permit from your local authority. If requested, we offer Permitting Assistance as an additional service.
City of Bellingham - Do I need a permit?
STEP 5: SENDING PLANS TO CONTRACTORS FOR BIDDING
Once you’re ready, we can email the whole design package to several local landscape contractors of your choice.
STEP 6: CONSTUCTION ADMINISTRATion
When you’re ready to start building, we’ll forward these PDFs to several local landscape contractors of your choice. We typically recommend sending the plans to several contractors to get the best price. As with all steps of this process, we’re available to help you along the way through construction if the contractor you choose.
Design-Bid-Build Advantages
Competitive Bids
You’ll receive the most competitive bids since contractors are competing to win the project.
LANDSCAPE Architect Involvement
Landscape Architects have a professional duty to create a design on behalf of the project owner. Since there's no financial agenda on the construction side, this method will assure the highest quality and most objective design deliverables.
CLIENT HAS MORE Control
This method gives the owner more control in the project with the ability to hand select local artisans and contractors.