Design Process Steps

Initial consultation

After you have initially spoken with one of our designers, and established a fee based on the scope of your project, an appointment is set to discuss your ideas, needs, wants, and desires. This is the initial consultation. The designer will have the opportunity to evaluate the site, and provide some design ideas to get the project rolling. This consultation typically takes approximately 30-60 minutes.

Inventory and Measurement

An inventory is taken of existing elements of the project area. This will typically take place during or following the initial consultation. The designer will take note of topography, sun and shade conditions, moisture, accessibility, etc., and make a list of existing plant material if applicable. Measurements are taken to create a scale base plan to work from. Walkways, fences, gates, existing plant material, and other necessary elements are located. Lastly, the designer will take some photographs to refer back to in the next stages of the process. The amount of time this step takes varies with the scope of the project.

Site Analysis and Design

The designer takes all the ideas and information gathered in the previous stages and begins to analyze it. Decisions are made about how things should be arranged, based on existing site elements and discussions at the initial consultation. A preliminary plan is created. It may be necessary, on a large project, to meet with the client at this point, to assure that things are going in the right direction. The plan is then adjusted to achieve a finished design. Names are assigned to the new plant materials, if necessary. When the plan is ready for presentation to the client, a proposal is drawn up outlining the elements of the plan, plant materials and other materials to be installed, and a proposed cost. Average turn around for a design can range from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on the time of year, and again the scope of the project.

Final Plan and Proposal

An appointment is made with the client to review the design. The designer will go through all elements of the design, go over the process used to install them, and the proposed cost to install the project.

Approval

After any revisions are done, the client can accept the proposal and authorize LandOne to proceed with the installation. This is done by returning a signed proposal along with a deposit. The required deposit is equivalent to 1/3 of the stated cost on the proposal. The deposit is needed to reserve a space on the schedule.