How to Reduce the Cost of Landscaping a Garden
How to reduce the cost of landscaping a garden
The Design
As a landscape consultant, I always suggest researching the most able company locally to you. Qualification and experience are essential, this coupled with a sensible portfolio of work, of course, will lead you in the right direction. Choose a company that is able to offer more than a pretty drawing of your garden; their services should include a full specification, and surveys both topographical and structural if required. The drawings should also include full section drawings and detail so the landscaper should understand exactly what they are constructing and how. The planting, irrigation and lighting planning are also very important.
What are your paving options?
There are no limitations on paving, whatever is chosen your designer should be sympathetic to the surrounding vernacular and the project itself. I personally prefer natural stone as this is softer on the landscape, biophilic and much warmer than porcelain. If the project required natural stone, we would always try and use stock items. If you want a custom dimension, there will be a 3-month lead-in time and the cost could be as much as triple a standard stock item.
Are there some common mistakes?
Yes, quite often the Design is overlooked as a time-consuming waste of money, it isn’t! it is the most essential element of any construction project. The Design forms the rules and precise nature of what is needed to be built. You wouldn’t let the builder loose on a new house built without an Architect… would you?
Are there some build options that are cheaper?
Of course, there are cost savings, value engineering is the industry term for this. Don’t let it be confused with cutting corners, as all elements of your project should be constructed correctly. The easy option is to use a cheaper material and stay with standard sizes – this almost defeats the point of using a designer as their job is to get creative … Why have what everyone else is having – set your own trends, it’s your garden. Furthermore, designers can overcome this and make sensible use of standard materials.
Is decking the best option?
The best option for a sloping garden is to have decking. If you insist upon a paved terrace, first, you must consider the groundworks. Concrete foundations, retaining walls, tonnes of aggregates and a whole heap of labour. In comparison, by the time the groundwork is done, you could have completed your decking terrace… The choice of materials for the design in most gardens is key to the cost.
Where not to scrimp.
The first port of call here is to get the right advice which leads the clients to the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) these are the right people from the get-go. To qualify as a member, they need to be from within the industry, have the right qualifications, and experience and conform to all laws, bye-laws and Health and Safety regulations – Including The Deck building guidelines regulations and best practice. They also get independently inspected too so if you use the right company, your project gets done right the first time and not the second, this in itself is a substantial cost saving.
