Fequently Asked Questions
A: An estimate is an approximate price for completing a well-defined job. If we receive a complete and accurate set of landscape plans, detailed construction documents, and project specifications for a project that we are interested in and qualified to work on, then "yes" we provide an estimated price for completion of the project at no cost to the customer. Most of the time when people ask us if we give free estimates, what they really mean is do we design landscapes for free. Our estimates are based on a plan and a detailed set of specifications, which are the end product of the design process. It is impossible for us, or anyone for that matter, to give a meaningful price without a plan that was generated through the design process. To do so would be merely guessing. APLS Inc. charges for assistance in conducting the design process and in generating plans and specifications needed to develop the landscape.
The answer to the above question is "no" for the same reasons other professionals (e.g., doctors, lawyers, architects, webmasters, financial planners, consultants, etc.) do not provide their services for free. A qualified landscape designer has many years of concentrated education and experience behind his/her counsel. The landscape design process is both time consuming and exacting. It requires skill, creativity, and the ability to communicate effectively with others using several different types of media. A professional landscape designer asks questions about the site and the client that an untrained person might not think to ask. These questions are the basis of the design process, and the key to the development of a good landscape is the design process.
In order to be effective, designers must form a partnership with their clients; all parties must be committed to the project, and trust each other. Such commitment and trust is easier when the designer is formally working for the client, (i.e., under contract). Free plans generally do not have the client's best interests at heart; they are usually at best a guess as to what the salesperson thinks they can get the potential client to buy - this is salesmanship, not design.
A: Landscaping plans are far more involved than just deciding which plants to purchase and where to plant them. It's a holistic approach to landscape design, which entails utilizing a bevy of landscape ideas, including hardscape, decks, patios, walkways, swimming pools, and ponds, as well as plants and other gardening additions. If your goal is a beautiful landscape, then solid landscape plans, and the services of a landscape designer, are definitely worth the investment and time they require.
One of the most important reasons it's important to develop landscaping plans before you visit the local nursery is that there are more aspects to landscape design than most homeowners realize. The possibilities are literally staggering. Gazebos, ponds, flower gardens, vegetable gardens, landscape lighting, decks, patios, retaining walls, pathways irrigation, swimming pools, spas, trellises, awnings, and fencing are just scraping the surface of what your options are when it comes to landscape design.
It's a long list, and hopefully it gives you a general idea of what goes into solid landscaping plans and the things you'll want to consider incorporating into your general design. Remember, landscaping isn't just trees and bushes. It's an extension of your home. And if it's done correctly, with the help of an experienced landscaper to provide you with landscape ideas and make sure they are implemented correctly, your outdoor landscape can be an area of your residence you'll want to spend time in just as much, or more, than your indoors.
Whether you hire a landscaping contractor to implement all your landscape plans for you, or are just looking for some consultation before you start a landscaping project yourself, talking to a professionals about landscaping plans is an absolute must. Not only can we provide you with valuable landscape ideas, but we can offer you sound advice as to how to install, integrate, and design your landscape to enhance your enjoyment of it. Take irrigation, for instance. It might seem like a minor aspect of landscape design, but installing an irrigation system that makes use of sprinkler systems, drip irrigation, automated timers, and incorporates all these into proper garden placement and design, can take the work and time out of maintaining the landscaping almost altogether.
That's just an example of what landscape plans can do for you. From elaborate pavers pattern design, to lighting options, to attractive pathways and sitting areas, a landscape designer can transform your yard from a boring, laborious time drain, into an impressive and attractive addition to your home.
A: APLS INC. charges for its design / consultation services based on the design area SQ.FT.
We can draft full Color Renderings of both the Hardscape and planting plan, detailed hardscape plans, planting plans, lighting plans, Irrigation plans
Our Fee Structure:
$100 Per Hour Initial Site Evaluation and Client Meeting. Credited to your design fee if you choose us to design your project.
$150.00 Site measurement fee if you don’t have a site plan available. (Refundable)
Non Refundable Material Cost: (No Materials if we simply email the plans to you.)
11”x17” Prints – Black and White $1.50 per copy, Color Print $5.00 per copy
18”x24” Color Print - $30 per copy ($10 per square foot)
24”x36” Color Print - $60 per copy ($10 per square foot)
24”x36” Black and White Prints - $6 per copy ($1 per square foot)
DVD/CD with PDF or JPEG of Drawings - $30
Extra Web Conference $100 Per Hour (1 Hour Minimum)
Computer Generated Perspectve view of you project $300.00 Ea
PDF ONLY (No Materials)
Up to Sq Ft. | PRICE | COST |
10,000 | $.05 | $500.00 |
15,000 | $.05 | $750.00 |
20,000 | $.05 | $1000.00 |
25,000 | $.05 | $1250.00 |
30,000 | $.05 | $1500.00 |
40,000 | $.04 | $1600.00 |
Since there are so many variables that can affect the amount of time it takes for a designer to conduct the design process and arrive at a plan of attack for developing the plan, we say that not much can be accomplished in less than one week and even this would be unusually fast. Between one and two weeks would be more typical for our average projects.
A: We collect a retainer to cover the initial costs of our design services. We feel it represents a solid commitment to the design process on the part of the client, and this is necessary for success of the project. Furthermore, it shows that the client has confidence in us and our abilities, which is also important for success. If the retainer were ever to exceed the cost of the design fees, then the excess would be credited towards completion of the project, or returned to the client.
A: At APLS Inc., it is practically impossible to go through the entire design process and produce a plan that the customer does not like. The reason for this is that the design process cannot go forward without constant input and effective communication between the designer and the client. The preliminary drawings/plans produced during the design process are based on existing site conditions and information given to the designer by the client. The design process would never get beyond the preliminary plan stage without the approval of the client. The preliminary plan stage is where any remaining problems are resolved. The final plan is based on preliminary plans (modified, or not) which have been approved by the client. If an impasse developed between APLS INC. and a client, then the client would be expected to compensate APLS Inc. for the designer's time and expenses, if the client were the cause of the impasse. However, if APLS Inc. designer were solely responsible for the impasse, then the customer would not be expected to pay for services from which they did not benefit.
A: Sometimes a landscape plan is produced that a client cannot afford to install. This can happen for a number of reasons. The client may have withheld accurate budgetary information from the designer. The designer may not have paid attention to the budgetary information provided by the client. The client may have requested, or demanded, specific features which were inherently expensive and beyond their means. The client may have wanted a designer to put together a "dream" landscape regardless of cost just to see if it's affordable. Since pricing a project is about the last step in the design process, it is very easy to be over budget without knowing it until the very end. Such a situation does not negate the honest efforts of the designer any more than a dry well would negate the efforts of well drillers.
Obviously, one of the objectives of the design process is to try to develop a landscape that the customer can afford. Sometimes this is not possible. Unfortunately, some people want more than they can afford. The good news is that the design process eventually points this out, and can prevent a customer from starting a project they cannot complete. The design fee is a small price to pay to avoid a much bigger problem.
If the designer produces a plan in accordance with the needs and wants of the client, then the client is obligated to pay for the designer's time and incurred expenses at the previously agreed upon rates. If the designer fails to pay attention to the desires of the client, then the client is not obligated to pay for design services.
The important thing to note is that the client must be honest and up front with the designer about their finances. It is often uncomfortable or awkward discussing budgets early in the design process. For some it's like putting the cart before the horse. But a successful landscape plan demands realistic budgetary figures from the clients early on. Many clients give mixed signals. For instance, a client may request a swimming pool, gardens, deck extension, and a split-rail fence around their yard and then tell the designer they have a ten thousand dollar budget. This is unrealistic; they know it and the designer knows it. If the design process moves beyond this point it is with the understanding that such a project will cost far more than ten thousand dollars.
There are other ways to handle over-budget projects. One way is to phase the project. Most projects can be separated into distinct parts. These parts can be completed when the client can afford to do so. Another way to handle an over-budget project is to change it. Sometimes this can be as simple as using smaller plants or less expensive varieties. Less expensive construction elements can also be substituted for those originally specified. Rarely is a project so far out of line that it can't be salvaged; the design process simply won't allow it.
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