Welcome to SUNDIAL LANDSCAPES LANDSCAPING ON A BUDGET Our firs facshee addresses how o Landscape on a Budget and we hope it provides some useful information, checklists and practical advice for those considering having landscaping work done. It has been produced, as a guide, taking into account different aspects of what is required to successfully transform your garden. We hope it at least offers inspiration and maybe dispel those fears, so often associated with an undertaking of this type. Happy Gardening! Tony Harding SUNDIAL LANDSCAPES This document is available in a PDF format - (In order to view and print a PDF document, you will need to download the free PDF viewer that s available from the Adobe Website. Most computers will already have this program installed).
LANDSCAPING YOUR GARDEN ON A BUDGET Landscaping can be expensive. For many homeowners, it is this reason that causes landscaping to become an afterthought. But landscaping doesn't have to be expensive. There are a number of expensive misconceptions that can be eliminated and many cost saving tricks to save you money in the long run. As a rule of thumb, the cost of landscaping is roughly about 5-10 percent of the value of your home. This cost estimation includes decks, patios, irrigation, fencing, ponds, and other elements you want to incorporate into your garden. Do you have enough money to execute your entire design straight away? You need to decide how much money you have on hand for each stage of your design. The main thing is that you need to set a target amount for your landscape project and then stay within the budget. Costs evidently will vary according to a design and the amount of work involved. Any landscape project requires planning. If you do not carefully plan your landscape, the process can become very costly and you might end up with something you do not want. The first thing you should know is your landscape budget. When you make your budget, it is important to remember that your costs do not end with the initial costs of building the landscape. You need to figure in the cost of maintenance and any other related and recurring costs that are a part of the landscape experience, whether all you have is a lawn or whether you have an elaborate design. Developing or creating your own landscape (with or without the assistance of a professional) is simply a matter of brainstorming, prioritising and then problem-solving. Now, brainstorming might not save you money, but it is an important process by which you let all of your ideas - from the sublime to the grandiose - come to life on a piece of paper. If you censor yourself in advance and only think in logical terms, you may miss out on a concept that could help to make your garden very special. Make two lists In your brainstorming process, make two lists: a 'want' list and a 'need' list. What do you need? Make a rudimentary sketch of your property and begin to sketch in the landscape elements you are looking for, on the sheet of paper to see how and where they would fit in. This sketch is strictly for you so that you can begin to imagine the most effective way of designing your landscape. Always have a master plan from which to work. If your budget doesn't allow, do the landscaping in stages. You may only be able to afford landscaping the front of your house; the back might have to wait another year.
Landscaping is usually a fairly big task, consuming much time and energy. But before you hire that professional, here are some tips that could save both time and money. Spend some time thinking about exactly how you want the final design to be. You need to take account of the style and function of your landscape. Do you want to include an area for entertaining? A barbeque? Is there to be an area for children to play, a fishpond or a swimming pool? An idea of the plants you want to be there will also help. Focus on the area where you spend most of your time. That s a good place to start. The style of your home must be taken into account. If you have a rural cottage, formal gardens surrounding it will look out of place. Think also about your lifestyle. Do you want to spend hours caring for many beds of annuals or pruning beds of roses? If so, go ahead and plant them, but if you d rather spend your free time at the beach, then go for an easy-care garden and landscape. Here are just some of the various landscape styles you can choose for your own garden: Formal. This style uses lots of straight lines and perfect geometrical shapes. Orderly arrangement of plants instead of random positioning is employed. Close arrangement and pruning is seen on many landscaped gardens with this style. Informal. This kind of landscaping works well with cottages. Beds with curved edges instead of straight lines and random placement of plants suit this landscape style. English Garden. This style emphasizes the harmony between the house s architecture and the garden. Formal/Informal Garden. This style often comes with a brick walkway that exudes formality. This walkway leads to the rear with a circle of plants. The arrangement of plants resembles the English garden style but it has no formal borders. Oriental. It is often the kind of garden found in smaller areas. It uses rocks, evergreens and water. A wide variety of plants create several interesting angles with this style.
FINDING THE RIGHT LANDSCAPER A good landscaping job will prove an excellent investment both in financial terms and in terms of enhancing the pleasure you gain from your home and garden. If you are not undertaking the work yourself it is important to find a landscaper you feel comfortable working with and who will take your budget into account with the best design for you. To get the most accurate quote, you need to be as specific as possible about what you want and what budget you have to work with. Remember that any changes you make once the work has commenced may well affect the final cost. Ask the landscaper for the most detailed quote possible, and how certain they are that they can keep within your budget. Also ask to speak to previous customers of theirs. This is especially important if they are offering a low price. It could be that they have offered a low price because you are one of their first clients or that they have no other work on. Ask them about what jobs they've done. Do they sound proud of their work, or excited? Ask them about where they learned to landscape, e.g. courses, training, working for other companies etc. Are they experienced, knowledgeable? Do they work alone or with a team? and how experienced will they be? How will they tackle your design? Ask them about any particular conditions, timescale, payments. What would they need from you? What happens if things go wrong? If a landscaping quote does seem expensive, get several quotes to compare. Many landscapers will also be happy to phase the landscaping work to fit in with your budget, as it can be false economy to compromise on what you really want. After all, a landscaped garden is something you will want to live with for many years to come. If you've shown each potential landscaper the same design and explained to each clearly what you want, it should be easier to choose between quotes. Look for how the quote is broken down and does it contain detailed information about the materials to be used? Can you afford it? What is your gut feeling about them. Do you trust them? Do you like them? What will it be like having them around for a week or so? Are they professional, creative, enthusiastic? Don't choose someone you have doubts about. A landscaper offers creativity, inspiration, knowledge and experience, with all aspects of your project expertly handled from design to completion. Their understanding of locality, soil and nature, coupled with an in depth knowledge of plant groups and growing patterns ensures a
design which will offer variety, style and appeal all year round. A good landscaper will marry all this with your own ideas to produce an outdoor living space unique and special to you. Don t be tempted to immediately opt for the cheapest quote, as a cheap estimate can be subject to spiralling unpredicted costs and/or poor quality of work. Hiring the right professional to do a quality job can save time, money and stress, involved in corrective work. A low price combined with a high standard of work is of course possible, but you might be wise to closely supervise the project to be confident you are satisfied. Poor landscaping can be very costly and time consuming to rectify. Choosing a reputable Landscaper provides you with the confidence and guarantee, of a job well costed, planned, and completed to the highest possible standards of service and excellence. Satisfaction guaranteed! CHOOSING THE RIGHT MATERIALS Choosing the right materials can dramatically affect, not only the look of your garden but also your budget. The materials you choose should always complement the existing features that are already prominent within the garden. This should take into consideration the style of the house and its surroundings. The range of materials available and their cost is staggering. You can pay anywhere from 10.00 per square metre for a super economy paving slab up to 120.00 per square metre for reclaimed natural Yorkstone Flags. However, for a good quality, mid range paving slab, you can expect to pay in the region of 20-40.00 per square metre. This will still give you a fantastic choice of materials from suppliers such as Marshalls, Bradstone and StoneMarket, who will all be happy to provide you with the appropriate samples. The same applies to Driveway materials. Whilst there may not be quite the same range of choice available, as for patios, there is still a vast selection out there. Again, the prices will vary tremendously but, as for patios, samples can always be obtained. Natural Paving Being a natural product means that no two stones are the same and this can result in a wonderfully random riot of colour, bringing a unique look to your garden.
Indian Sandstone, Travertine, Slate and local stone (Purbeck and Portland), to name but a few, will come in many varying sizes and with a price range to match. The other main advantage of natural stone is that the original colour will never fade. Reconstructed Paving It is hand crafted, with moulds taken an original stone pattern, for an authentic appearance. It is generally of a consistent shade and thickness and is therefore easier to lay than natural stone. The slab itself is of a concrete construction and dyed to a given colour. There can be a tendency for the cheaper paving slabs to fade in time but this process can be slowed down, if they are sealed. SUMMARY What should I do first before contacting someone? It's really important to first sit down and answer the following questions: What do I want out of the garden? Is it for children to play in? To grow vegetables and flowers? Barbecues, socialising and romantic dinners? Do I enjoy gardening or do I want low maintenance? What do I want in it? Am I looking for radical changes or minor tweakings? Do I want a new lawn, play area, shed, water feature, patio, raised bed, archway, steps etc? What do I want it to look like? It's crucial to be clear about this before you get people in to do quotes. You can design your garden yourself (with the help of masses of books and TV programmes). However, if you intend a full landscaping transformation, it is well worth investing in a professional independent designer who will specify sizes, materials, plants etc. When you then ask potential landscapers to quote on this exact plan it will ensure quotations that can be compared like for like, and potentially save you hundreds.
Do I get lots of quotes? Invite several landscapers to quote for you. Make sure that you have your clear design and ideas ready so that they can give an accurate and realistic quotation to you, that you can compare with others. Be clear about what you want and when you want it done etc. Watch how they respond to you, and how they talk about the potential job. Are they enthusiastic? Are they professional? How do they go about working out the quotation? Have they got a tape measure! What should I ask them? Ask them about what jobs they've done. Do they sound proud of their work, or excited etc? Ask them about where they learned to landscape, e.g. courses, training, working for other companies etc. Are they experienced, knowledgeable etc. Do they work alone or with a team and how experienced will they be? How will they tackle your design? Ask them about any particular conditions, timescale, payments etc. What would they need from you? What happens if things go wrong? Who do I choose? If you've shown each potential landscaper the same design and explained to each clearly what you want, it should be easier to choose between quotes. Look for how the quote is broken down, into labour and materials. Do these figures seem reasonable? What is your gut feeling about them? Do you trust them? Do you like them etc. What will it be like having them around for a week or so? Are they professional, creative, enthusiastic? Remember you can always ask the landscaper for a contact number or address of a previous job, so you can see how it turned out, and ask the customer how the job went.
New Government Legislation on the paving over of front gardens The government have recently challenged the traditional right of homeowners to be able to cover their front gardens with asphalt. This came about as a part of the water-saving initiative and a move to reduce flooding. The measure is included in a document published this week by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that puts forward proposals aimed at improving water efficiency and conservation in England. New legislation will result in only areas that provide better drainage than hard surfaces, areas made of gravel or porous paving and bricks, as areas not requiring planning permission. This is all part of the government plan to limit water loss and consumption by individuals. Environmental secretary, Hilary Benn, has warned of the problems climate change is causing and the fact that droughts and flooding could become worse and more frequent. What s happening? The Government is changing householders permitted development rights to allow them to pave over their front gardens without planning permission, only if the surface is porous, such as by using permeable paving. Why? The Government has identified the need to more effectively manage surface water run off in built up areas. How will this affect you? If you are increasing the size of an existing driveway or if you are creating a new driveway, the householder will have to apply for planning permission to use non permeable surfaces, such as black top, concrete and non permeable CBP (concrete block paving). What if I am replacing an existing driveway? If the surface is already non permeable and you are not increasing its size, then you will not require planning permission. Does it affect back gardens? No, only gardens/driveways at the front of the property, adjacent to the road.
When will this come into effect? The Government will introduce legislation in late 2008.