A Landscape Architect Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew

1. A landscaper and a landscape architect are not the same thing
They are two very different professions. A landscape architect creates the design and a landscaper builds it. A landscape architect is professionally trained and needs to have a degree. A landscaper doesn’t require a qualification, neither does a landscape designer, although training and qualifications are available.

A landscape architect comes up with a design in collaboration with the client, then drafts all the details and organises quotes for construction through a tendering process. They can then help with all the red tape with councils, and will oversee the build to make sure the design intent comes to fruition.

Find a landscape architect on Houzz near you to navigate the design, planning and permission processes

2. External work needs to be tackled with the same care as internal work… and that costs
We pride ourselves on the outcomes we achieve, but with a team of designers and a long process to go through, costs do add up.

Gone are the days of sketching up a landscape on a pad of paper and handing it over to a landscaper to price. Australia has some of the most complex red tape when it comes to approvals and getting things built. This means that from start to finish there can be schematic concepts, landscape plans, construction detailing, permit drawings and engineering to get a design built, all of which takes time.

Many clients find the costs a shock at first, but the advice I give is that any external building or construction needs to be tackled with the same care and finesse as building a house. Landscaping is very labour-heavy. It often takes months to complete a project, so you can understand the kinds out outlays involved when you have teams of three to five people on site for that amount of time.

3. It will probably take longer than you think
Most of our jobs take six to 12 months to complete, and some even longer, depending on complexities and the scope of works. If your property has an easement or an overlay, for example, planning drawings will normally need to be completed and submitted to council. This process alone can take two months to complete, and then the project still needs to be quoted and built.

We’ll often get calls in early spring from clients who want a new garden or pool by Christmas. Unfortunately, on most projects, this just isn’t possible. As they say in the gym business, “Summer bodies are built in winter”. The same can be said for landscapes. The behind-the-scenes work needs to be done during the colder months to have it ready to enjoy in summer.

And another thing on pools…
The sooner you contact us the better. Many people don’t realise that those amazing pools they see on design websites and in magazines were generally designed by a landscape architect. It’s a landscape architect’s holistic approach that ensures the pool is incorporated so beautifully into the landscape.

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The one thing I always get asked is…
“What’s it going to cost?” My answer – “How long is a piece of string?”

The best example I can give is the building of a decorative timber screen. At the end of the day, a timber screen is a timber screen. But the material selections for that screen can have a massive impact on the overall cost. Recycled timber costs around $15 per lineal metre, timber-yard merbau costs around $4 per lineal metre, and doing something clever like using vegetable stakes as a cladding costs around $1.50 per lineal metre. So a 10-metre long screen can range from $500 to $5,000, even before you’ve factored in labour and construction methods. The same principle applies to virtually all aspects of landscape construction.

My golden nugget of wisdom
Contrast is everything. We try and create interesting juxtapositions in every project we do, such as juxtaposing clean, hard architectural lines against soft, flowing plant palettes. This creates a visually exciting yet balanced space.