NEW VISTAS LANDSCAPING HOW THE DESIGN PROCESS WORKS

Every plan that we create here at New Vistas is a custom design unique to each individual site and the dreams and wishes of that particular client. We feel that it is important for us to meet with clients on site at their homes or businesses when we are helping them with landscape planning, whether we are starting from scratch, or updating an existing landscape. The landscape and other buildings that surround a property are an important part of the total “picture” that someone will actually “see” when the project is complete. For our fee structure, we charge for consulting, measuring, and designing. There is no charge for estimating, which usually takes longer than the first three all put together.

Consultations run $75 to 115 for an hour based on the distance from our office in Goshen- 5 minutes to 1 hour away, respectively. The additional time beyond an hour would just be whatever portion of the base rate of $75 an hour that we would use. During that time I try to be as helpful as I can, answering questions, offering suggestions, etc. If we are using this time as a data gathering toward drawings, then I would ask questions and take lots of notes so that the end design would be sure to reflect the client's wishes. I bring with me portfolio books of lots of landscaping, so that clients can point out plants and styles of planting that they like or don't like and I can show them how different plants, edgings or patio surfaces look in the landscape, etc.

Design work includes: measuring the existing site and buildings and entering measurements into the computer to create a base plan in CAD, designing the new landscaping, and preparing the scale, color plan for presentation with key and text as well as pictures of the plants put in photo sticky pages, arranged as they would be in the landscaping beds.

Design fees run from $200 for a plan around a patio to $3600 for a 2 acre property with specialty areas like perennial beds, water gardens, retaining walls, etc. Many times, given these two ends of the range, clients have a feel for where their size project might come out with design fees.

The design fees are included in the total estimate for a project and only need to be paid separately if a client needs to hold off on developing the landscape until another season.

Once the design is complete, our experienced crew can do the installation work, our clients can do their own installation, or we can do something we call “share-install”, where our crew handles the part of the job you do not wish to tackle, and you complete the part you enjoy.

For our "do-it-yourselfers" clients we have three different options for the development of plans. The client can pay for the plan separately, or have it included in a package where the plants and materials are purchased from New Vistas. Clients can pick up the plants and materials here at our shop, or we can deliver everything to them either to be left in the drive, for example or to be placed right onto the spots where they will be planted. We call this last option "staking out" and many of our do-it-yourselfers like this idea because they do not have to spend a lot of time measuring out where the edging and all the plants are to go before they start to work.

We look forward to scheduling an appointment with you. In the first appointment, it is helpful to meet with all the people who will be involved in making the final decision on the project. Since I need to be available in the morning to supervise the crew, I begin scheduling appointments at 2:00 in the afternoon. If clients cannot meet during the day, I am available to meet after supper in the evening Monday through Thursday.

Sincerely, Judy De Pue FAPLD, owner and head designer at New Vistas Landscaping