Hiring a designer can be a bit daunting. Here are some of the top questions asked by our clients. Get in touch today if you want to know any more and I will be pleased to help.
So, you know your garden needs a bit of help, or even a complete redesign, and you haven’t got the time, expertise or headspace to manage it yourself. How do you know if hiring a designer is right for you?
Here are some very good points to consider:
VALUE – The old saying goes that if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right, and this is something I really believe in. Garden materials and labour cost a lot of money – and to make sure you are spending this wisely, you need a trusted expert to help you make the right decisions and make your garden last. It may be a significant investment, but it will add value to your property, and decisions made without guidance and in a hurry, that need to be undone at a later date, can cost you a lot more.
LOVE – A garden can be a beautiful space to look at, but if it isn’t performing right for you, say it takes too much time to maintain, or there isn’t space for your children to play, or the seating area is in the wrong place, then it doesn’t work. We take the time to listen to your needs and design a space that you will be excited to step out into at the end of the day. A place that chimes with you, and brings a little bit of peace, nature and beauty into your world.
LONGEVITY – A bespoke and beautiful garden that you are able to maintain easily will add value to your property. A garden is part of your living space, one that has to hold up to all weathers and as such, spending on quality here will ensure your investment is protected.
Obviously this is a tricky question, and every project is different, but there are some basic rules of thumb that we can use when pricing a new space. Designs we have done so far have generally come out at roughly 10% of the build project. It can be more, it can be less, but that’s a rough guide.
I will be able to offer you more guidance on this at the first consultation. If you would like me to come over and have a look at your space, and talk through what might be possible, I charge £150 for that first visit. My designs generally start at around £1500, I work hard to make sure that brings you good value. It’s worth remembering that my expertise here can save you money on avoiding unnecessarily expensive materials, or buying plants that fail due to being in the wrong place.
How much should you allow for your build cost? It depends on what you already have in your space, and the complexity of your design, but typically:
Full redesign:
A courtyard or small garden – 50-100m2 £15,000 – £30,000
A larger garden – 100-250m2 £30,000 – £75,000
A large acreage – +/- 1 acre £400,000 – £600,000
1 – 3 acres £400,000 – £900,000
We also offer planting bed redesign or redesigns of small parts of your garden, such as the front only. I also offer advice on specific aspects of your garden, such as making it more wildlife friendly, or improving your Winter structure.
Get in touch and we can discuss your requirements at no obligation.
Rather predictably, I would have to say generally, NO! Builders are very skilled people, but unless they have specialist knowledge in the field of outdoor design, planting, irrigation and paving (and don’t get me wrong, some do), then it can be a false economy to enlist the wrong person. The right designer and landscaper work together to implement the right materials that will look good for years, the right plants that will thrive and flourish and the right design that will bring everything together in a way that looks, well, ‘just right.’
Your garden will be there for many years and is worth investing time as well as money into. I would advise getting the process started as soon as you can. Hiring a designer will speed the process as they can manage finding the right team to build it for you, and source all the materials you might need.
As a designer, I work all year round. My most busy period for designs is the Spring, when people generally remember they have a garden and want it sorting out! It’s worth remembering that a design can be done at any time of year, and the right team can then be lined up to start building in time for you to enjoy it when the sun starts shining. Get in touch now to discuss your project.
Probably! Use the contact me box here on my website to send me an email, include a picture of your space if you can, and we can talk about the best next step for you. You may wish to tackle your garden in stages rather than the whole lot at once, if this is the case, I can take this into account.
I am always excited to find new work, please get in touch if you have a project – large or small – you’d like to discuss.