HOW MUCH WILL THE LANDSCAPE DESIGNER CHARGE?

If you think that hiring a landscape designer is going to cost you an arm and a leg it won't! In fact the cost of trying to design your landscape by yourself in the long run will cost you more than hiring a designer. Remember this...

"TIME IS MONEY"

There is no such thing as a FREE DESIGN! There can be discounts but nothing is ever FREE.

The following factors will affect the price of the landscape designer...

• Size of project.
• Clients needs and budget.
• Site conditions.

There are 4 main types of design services

• Consulting - which includes plant & or other materials shopping. This is where the designer will assist you in shopping for the materials but not designing them. This is great if you have a yard that is already done and you need patches filled in or just need general guidance with out a full set of drawings. The designer may even assist with placing the materials but not installing them. The fee for this service should be hourly.
• Conceptual Design - which includes measuring the site and performing a site analysis, doing materials & other research on your project, creating 2-3 concept drawings (b&w or color), meeting with you to go over the concepts etc.
  
• Construction Documentation - which includes finalizing the concept drawings and making the design ( hardscape, planting, irrigation etc.) more detailed so that the licensed landscape contractor can accurately bid from and install the drawings.
• Construction Administration - which is a process in which the designer will meet with the contractors that are bidding to explain the design and to ensure that the intent in understood. The designer will also spot all the plant materials to make sure that the right quality plant is purchased, make periodical site visits to ensure that the design is being installed correctly and per plan.

The fees for conceptual design, construction documentation and construction administration should be one lump sum number or hourly rate that is written in your contract.

Look at your contract very carefully (read it word for word) as there should be a section titled fee schedule, which will indicate 1 of 2 methods that the designer is using to charge you.

1. Hourly - $x per hour.
2. Lump sum amount - $x.

I generally estimate the number of hours it will take me to work on the project from meetings with the client, to measuring the site and creating the drawings etc. These hours multiplied by hourly rates add up to a whole number. That whole number + 10% for reimbursable costs (gas, printing etc.) is the lump sum number that I charge the client. The designers hourly rates will vary based on what tasks the designer is performing. For example in my business I am the owner, project manager, landscape designer, drafts person, director of marketing, accountant and office manager. Thus each of these tasks SHOULD have it's own hourly rate.

"Typically you should budget roughly $500-$2000 for a front yard design and $1500-$3500 for a back yard design (assuming that you have a small/medium sized property)".