4 Reasons Why a Landscape Designer is Important to Project Success

We've all done it... spending time pondering the "I wonder what it would look like if..." question when it comes to our landscapes. Probably even have a handful of sketches laying around, too, right? We all do this and it's just a part of who we are. At JDM Landscape, we celebrate DIY, but, when it comes to putting dreams into action, our belief is you really need someone who can work with your ideas, or bring ideas of their own to the table, and who also has a deep understanding of the local area, horticulture, soil biology, engineering, art, etc. It really takes all of these disciples and then some to pull together a winning design.

Here are 4 reasons why a landscape designer is important for making a project successful.

1. Site Analysis If you think about it, every piece of land is unique both in its own qualities but also in how it relates to the larger ecosystem. You can't take a cookie-cutter approach from what you read in a magazine and expect success. A professional landscape designer will have the skill to understand the big picture and how one choice affects another, in addition to being able to define the elements in smaller areas of focus. In other words, a landscape designer can help you make the most of your landscape in a way that works for your terrain and in a way that also complements the surrounding area.

2. Construction Planning While a lot of ideas can be translated from paper to reality, not all ideas are actually buildable or sustainable. Working with a landscape designer will help ensure your ideas not only have the ability to be built but also to be sustained. He or she will know how to specify the plans such that the construction crew can order the correct types and quantities of supplies. Furthermore, landscape designers often have access to a much greater library of materials and vendors to work with. This translates into more creativity and potential savings vs. shopping at the big box gardening/home improvement store.

3. Budget Creation

Understanding what things cost is very important. We are all quite familiar with how much any development project cost. The design processes requires unhampered imagination and creativity in the beginning, but once the direction and aesthetic is defined it is necessary to bring the project into the reality of money. A professional landscape designer will be able to reasonably provide a project budget range or ball park budget through experience or be able to guide you through the pricing/bidding process, so that you can determine whether to build the project all at once or to phase it in over a few years.

4. Contractor Liaison We've all seen it happen... You had a vision and then when it came time for implementation, something went wrong in translation and the end result did not match up with expectations. Having a landscape designer in your corner who can act as a liaison between you and the contractors is HUGE in preventing this sort of disappointment. Landscape designers are fluent in contractor language and will work on your behalf to make sure the design is executed as specified so you get exactly what you are expecting.

At JDM Landscape, we provide these services as well as project management. We are a true "design & build" firm which means we both design and construct landscapes. Not only does this save our customers money overall, it provides a seamless experience between concept and reality. Have some ideas swirling around in your head? Contact our design team and let us create a landscape you can enjoy for years to come. 559-476-7236