Four Things To Consider for Your Next Landscape Project

The big questions to ask yourself before you start.

You've been thinking about this for years. You have inspiration, ideas and goals for your new landscape. Now your dream is about to come true, and you're ready to have a landscape company start creating a new outdoor space.

Before you get started, we've come up with a few prompts to help you prepare for your first consultation and questions to factor into your overall project.

Start with why.

Why do you want a new landscape? This is the most critical question to ask yourself before you start the process. Are you looking to enhance your space or fix an issue?

There are various issues that your backyard could have, like drainage issues, patchy grass, and an old wooden deck that could break at any moment. Or you could just want a change, to create an oasis to get you outside more.

Ask yourself these questions to figure out why you’re ready. Because your initial consultation is like an interview to understand what you want out of your landscape. You're the one who is leading the design for your space. A landscape company is there to help the process and create your dream space.

Create a wish list.

You've reached out to schedule a consultation with a landscape company, and you're preparing for that visit. Make sure to have a wish list of the things you want in your landscape and prioritize that list with your must-haves first.

Consider your lifestyle and how a new landscape can help. Think about the elements you can add to your landscape — like an outdoor kitchen to host family and friends or a spa pool for a relaxing atmosphere. Need some inspiration? See more elements you can add here.

With so many landscape options available, many of our clients feel a bit overwhelmed at the beginning. Prioritizing your wish list can help organize your thoughts for your landscape design. It's also important to understand your must-have elements vs. your nice-to-have features. Then make sure you let your landscaper know the non-negotiable items and work around the rest.

What influences the price?

There are a lot of aspects to a landscaping project that can impact the price. Consider the following when creating your budget.

The materials used in your landscape will impact the price. Features like big stone slabs, types of pools, and the plants you choose will also affect the price. There are three ways materials influence the cost of the project.

The amount of material needed.
The type of material you choose.
The cost of the materials you want.

Current landscape conditions and topography will determine how much work needs to be done at the beginning of your project. If your landscape is on a hill, has rocky terrain or boggy peat soil, all of this impacts what material will be needed and the amount of work that needs to be done to change your landscape — which can easily change the price.

Access is a significant factor in price. You can't control or change the access to your property if big machines are needed. Trying to work around accessibility to your property can easily add 30% or more to the cost of your landscape project.

Don’t forget landscape maintenance!

Your landscape project doesn't end after the construction is complete. When designing your landscape, you should also consider maintenance and aftercare. Will you hire a professional maintenance company to look after your lawn and garden, or will you take care of it yourself? Aftercare should be factored into your overall budget for your landscape project.

Maintenance can also impact what changes you want to make to your landscape. Think about what you would consider low and high-maintenance and how much work you’re willing to do when the project is complete.

Our purpose-driven process

At Vandenberg Landscapes, we feel it’s important to focus on understanding and listening to you. Because your outdoor space is an extension of your home, it should be designed with you in mind.

The Flokstra family had this to say about working with us. “We chose Vandenberg because of the feeling we have with them…because you have to feel good about the people you’re working with!”