It is nearly impossible to communicate through a questionnaire what we are able to cover in a short conversation. And, even after spending all that time filling out a questionnaire, the ability to effectively communicate detailed notes about specific elements of the project is difficult (if possible at all). Want to leave a small section in a specific spot in the yard for Charlie, the family dog, to do his business? Just let us know and we have Charlie covered. Have an annual Thanksgiving day football game that you want to leave open space for? No problem. Is there an old swimming pool buried in a section of your yard that we should avoid? Point it out on screen during your meeting with a designer and we will steer clear of it. All of these are real world examples of design elements we have easily worked through with our clients, and are good examples of the types of components that are difficult to capture without one-on-one conversations with a human.
In short, we not only get to know the project…we get to know you.
Nice to Meet You!
We like to call this meeting our virtual handshake. During the initial consultation, our goal is to learn more about the project you have in mind and recommend a design solution that is the best match. We typically spend 15-20 minutes together and wrap up by outlining action items and next steps in the design process. We always provide the opportunity to meet with us through a virtual meeting platform, but have no problem with a phone call if you prefer.
You’ll love your new landscape.
The final step and another personal touchpoint (AND the most fun part!) in the design process is to present the completed design concept to you. We prefer to do this in a third virtual meeting where you can hear the why and how directly from the designer, allow us to answer any questions that will come up, and provide feedback on changes you may like to see.
Revisions aren’t fun, and it can sometimes be uncomfortable to tell someone you don’t like what has been created. Rest assured, we expect there to be slight modifications of nearly all designs. It is, after all, your unique space and it should be exactly how you want it. One of the strongest value-add initiatives we are able to perform for you at this stage is to make the revision process easy and comfortable. If the changes are minor, the designer may even elect to perform them in real-time during the meeting – a major value proposition considering many other landscape design service providers elect to charge a hefty fee for these changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about our landscape design services? Browse through this collection of questions that we respond to most frequently to see if there is a quick answer available. If you don’t see your particular question listed, drop us a line and we will show you exactly what we mean by our delightfully personal service approach!
How long does it take to have a design prepared?
Our typical turn-around time to get a design in your hands is two weeks after our initial consultation. Small scale designs can be turned around in less time, and large-scale projects may require additional time. After the preliminary design is presented, any requested changes are made within three business days and resubmitted for your review.
Can we make changes to the design if we don’t like it?
Absolutely! We have developed a detailed design process that is intended to capture your vision as best as we can the first time around, but revisions are commonplace and welcome. Our intent is to leave you with a plan that you will love for years to come, so don’t be afraid to ask to see what the design would look like with changes! Other organizations typically charge for revisions at a point in the process, but we do not feel this is appropriate and stand behind our work with a satisfaction guarantee that includes UNLIMITED REVISIONS.1
1 – To qualify for unlimited revisions all action items requested by SCAPES must be fulfilled.
How will the design be submitted to me?
Design images and any additional documents are shared via a Google Drive folder. This helps expedite the delivery process and ensures you retain access to the design documents for the foreseeable future. Hard copies of the designs may be available upon request – just let us know how we can help and we will do our best to accommodate!
Can we see what the design will look like at night?
Yes! Landscape lighting is a powerful tool to add increased aesthetic, function, and safety to outdoor living spaces and our design programs have the capability to show lighting incorporated into a design. Most of our design packages have the option to include lighting as a project add-on. Feel free to reach out if you would like to see what designs with lighting look like or questions on how to add it to your project.
Do the actual plants and materials look as they appear in the design?
The software programs we use to create your design are industry-specific and industry leading. There are a lot of software programs on the market, and they are not all equal or specific to the landscape industry. The programs we implement were selected for their quality of graphics, accuracy of material and measurements, and efficiency of use (to help keep costs down for you). With that being said, we attempt to clearly communicate during the design presentation that the images are “visual representations” of the proposed landscape investment, and some variation in appearance may occur from what you see in the images.
How do I know how large the plants are going to be when fully grown?
One of the advantages of using landscape specific design software is the feature of being able to size plants. Shrubs and perennials, which are relatively “quick” growers, are shown in the design at their full, mature size. For trees, we typically illustrate their size in the ten-to-fifteen-year range as they may take fifty or more years to fully mature – an unrealistic timeframe to show for most landscape designs. This provides an accurate representation of what you can expect your landscape to look like in the years to come. In addition to this, our designers are highly skilled in plant selection. Wrong plant in the wrong place is one of the most commons mistakes in landscape design and leads to unnecessary levels of maintenance. To combat this, we strategically select plants that will work well with each other at their mature size.
Flexible, Affordable Landscape Designs
Get ready to fall in love with your beautiful new outdoor living space! We’re so confident you’ll love our work (based on your ideas, of course) that we guarantee it by offering unlimited revisions to your design.