The key ingredient for a successful landscaping project, small or big, is... careful preparation. If you want to create the outdoor space of your dreams, you better make sure you are well prepared and have done your homework in order to avoid the common pitfalls of such a project.

Here are some important guidelines that will help you prepare and ultimately save time, money and unnecessary stress for your home landscaping project.

Give Yourself Plenty of Wiggle Room

As good as your preparation may be, there’s always some unforeseen snag or circumstance that will cause delays and potential budget increase. This is why adding contingency in both time and budget to your plan is not a luxury when dealing with a landscaping project.

Be realistic about the actual snags that you may encounter, especially when dealing with multiple contractors, and find out about any local laws and bylaws which may require you to obtain a permit before actually beginning the work.

objectives

Clearly Define your Objectives and Priorities

It’s very easy to get carried away with the endless possibilities of a landscaping project. Thus the importance of this basic first step. Clearly defining and documenting your objectives will translate your vision of the outdoor space of your dreams into a concrete and actionable plan.

Objectives will vary based on your situation. Are you planning to sell your property and wish to enhance your curb appeal? Are you looking to create a sensational driveway or poolside deck with interlocking paving stones? Are you the welcoming type and want to create inviting patios and walkways throughout your property to host your friends and family?

Regardless of your objectives, it’s important that they are clear in order to avoid any nasty surprises when communicating and dealing with landscaping contractors and architects. The result will be a design and solution that truly reflects your vision of your outdoor space.

Find your Inspiration

The great thing with a landscaping project today is that it’s really easy to find information and images to inspire you for your dream outdoor space.

Take the time to search the Internet, browse through the many landscaping magazines and take advantage of our FREE consultation. We will answer your questions, share our know-how and even help you with the budgeting and the planning.

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Don’t Go Digging for Trouble

Most landscaping projects require some form of excavation. It’s important that you know what kind of underground services are present in your landscaping project zone: waterlines, pipelines, sewage, cables, etc.

As overwhelming as this may seem, don’t worry, there’s an easy and free solution: Info-Excavation. Simply fill out their online form (https://www.info-ex.com/en/) and they will take care of the rest.

Info-Excavation will contact the necessary companies, which in turn will send a locator on site to identify the underground services by means of paint poles or flags. And yes, it’s absolutely FREE. Excavation companies, in order to protect their underground network, prevent potential damage and avoid any accident while excavating, finance this service.

Don’t Go Digging for Trouble

budget

What’s your Budget?

Unfortunately, we can’t avoid this topic. Proper budgeting is one of the most – if not the most - important planning aspects before undertaking a landscaping project. As previously mentioned, the possibilities for a landscaping project are endless, which makes budgeting that much more difficult.

Once you have a number that you are comfortable with, take the time to review this with us and also talk to your financial advisor. After all, your property is also part of your financial portfolio and you are planning to make a significant investment towards this.

We also recommended that you request a comparative market analysis in order to measure the profitability of your renovation investment. Most real estate brokers will provide this service for free.

If your budget is too small to accomplish your dream outdoor space, you don’t need to forego the project entirely. Consider your priorities and attack your project in phases.

Invest in a Landscape Design Plan

Once you know what you want and what you can afford, it’s time to draw up a detailed plan. A good plan will include the timeframe for each job to be completed; the people responsible for the job, the materials required, contingency and if necessary the permits that are required.

Sounds too complicated, don’t fret... As part of our service, we can provide you with a detailed plan.

Landscape Design

By following these few preparation steps, the actual renovation process will be easier and, before you know it, the outdoor space of your dreams will become a reality!