Questions to ask a landscape designer before hiring them

If you’re considering working with a landscape designer, finding the right fit — and avoiding surprises midway through the project — is largely about knowing which questions to ask upfront and being familiar with the range of services these professionals provide.

Before googling and calling multiple landscape designers for a quote, write a wish list for your garden remodel, establish your priorities and budget, and decide which parts of the process you’d can manage to complete yourself.

With your list complete, look up or get referrals for three to five landscape designer who would be happy to come around and provide you a quote based on what you want. Treat your meeting as an informal interview by asking these questions before deciding which designers you will trust your garden with.

1. What services do you offer? First and foremost, determine what services a landscape designer offers to see if he or she is the right person for your project. 

Generally speaking, landscape designers fall into one of three categories, depending on the services they offer:

Design only. Some designers specialize only in the design process. This typically includes a site analysis and discussion of a client’s needs, a preliminary design, revisions based on your feedback, and a final detailed master plan for your garden. This detailed planting plan and construction document is then handed over to you (or a landscaper of your choosing) to take it from there.

Design-build. Others offer the design service described above, as well as overseeing plant purchase and all installation. Subcontractors are needed for permitting and hardscape installation — sometimes the landscape designer is also a registered contractor, and other times they have landscapers on their team or ones to recommend and oversee.

Full service — design-build and maintenance program. For the highest-touch service, some landscape designers will offer all the above, plus oversee ongoing maintenance of the garden.

2. Can I see examples of your past work? Consider the style of the designer in relation to the garden you want. If you want a modern, clean-lined city garden, have they designed any before? Or if you are looking for a cottage-style garden, do they have the plant knowledge to deliver?

Alternatively, if a designer’s portfolio doesn’t include the particular style you’re looking for, check out his or her credentials for evidence of the training to make the vision of your garden a reality. Certification from accredited landscape design courses and memberships in professional organizations are both good indicators.

3. What ideas do you have for our garden? After you’ve shared your wish list and budget with the designer, and the designer has had a chance to view your property, ask what vision the designer has for your landscape.

Designers have different mediums of presenting their ideas for your landscape, ranging from a collage-style mood board with inspiration images for plants and hardscape materials to a two-dimensional, to-scale drawing created with a CAD program or by hand.

This is the time to speak up about what you like and dislike in the design or if you see anything that’s missing from your wish list — for example, more space for tool storage, room to grow vegetables or an area with shade. Following this meeting, a designer will draw up a revised design drawing based on your feedback.

4. What is your process? A designer’s process depends on the services he or she offers (see question 1). Get to know the process — and whether you or the designer is responsible for overseeing each step — from the beginning so that you’ll know what to expect once the project is underway.

If you’re hiring a designer who specializes in design only, ask yourself whether you have the time or experience necessary to oversee the project completion or if the designer has contractors to recommend.

5. What is the estimated cost? Clear communication regarding the estimated cost of the project and your budget is essential. Ask your designer for a range of cost for both the design and the installation. Most installation estimates are drawn up by a contractor based on the cost per square metre of installing areas of hardscape outlined on the plan for the yard.

A key question to ask your designer, how are changes in scope handled during the design and installation process? Given that unanticipated design changes often come up mid project, it’s important to be clear on whether a designer will charge additional fees for the time it takes to change the design plan or installation.

As a responsible client, you also need to be honest with a landscape designer regarding your budget for the project. If a look you like is over your budget, good designers often have creative ways to stretch your budget and give you the best garden for your space.

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6. Are there any ways to reduce cost? Walkway, retaining walls and decks are generally more expensive than planted garden areas, so the more hardscape there is in the design, the more it’s likely going to cost to install. Plus, the materials used for hardscape can vary widely for both the product and the installation.

It’s best to have a conversation with a designer when you are discussing the initial plan about ways to reduce the cost of the landscape to stay on budget. The designer will have ideas about where you can save money without compromising style, and what elements are worth a splurge.

7. How long will installation take? The time it takes to design and install a landscape depends on a number of factors: size and scope of the project, availability of subcontractors and other installation specialists, ordering and delivery times for materials and plants, dry weather for laying hardscape, and unexpected setbacks during installation.

Instead of asking a landscape designer to have the installation done by a certain date, ask for an estimated range for the project to be completed. As eager as you may be to enjoy your new landscape, keep in mind that skilled installation of hardscape and careful planting takes time.

8. When will the garden grow in? The time it takes for a garden to grow in depends on the scope of the design, what types of plants are proposed and how mature the plants are when they’re planted.

A smaller area with ornamental grasses and perennials can grow in within a single season, but larger and more complex designs with trees and large shrubs can take years to reach maturity.

Ask your designer which plants make sense to splurge for immature specimens (like focal-point trees or shrubs needed for screening) and which plants can be purchased small and fill in quickly (like most ground covers, vegetables and ornamental grasses).

9. How much maintenance will it take to keep the garden looking good? Different styles of gardens and plants require very different levels of care. Be upfront with your landscape designer about how much maintenance you are willing to commit — either your own time or that of a hired gardener — going forward.

Once you’ve invested in hiring a landscape designer and installing a garden, you’ll want to keep your landscape alive and flourishing for years to come. If you don’t have the time and energy to do it yourself, ask your landscape designer if he or she has recommended maintenance gardeners or specialists to take care of the garden going forward.

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This article via Houzz does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.