D.I.G. LANDSCAPES

We are a full service Landscape Design/Build firm serving Charleston and Coastal South Carolina.

AFFILIATIONS

5 Questions to Ask a Potential Landscape Designer

Posted on by

This time of year the garden centers are filled with homeowners thinking about how to spruce up their yards with new flowers and shrubs. Or they might even be considering an entire backyard makeover complete with patio furniture, a fire pit and an outdoor kitchen.

Regardless of the size, homeowners often turn to a professional landscape design firm for advice and guidance about what will work best for their particular green space. If you’re thinking of enlisting the help of a professional Charleston landscape designer, here are five questions you should ask.

  1. What is their horticultural experience? Anyone can head to the garden store, load up a truck with beautifully blooming plants and put them into the ground. The big question is will they look that good in a week, a month or even next summer? Professional horticulturists understand what plants work best in certain conditions. They will take into account Charleston’s hot and often dry summers and look for native plants that can withstand the heat and don’t need a great deal of watering.
  2. What is the process for creating a plan? You want to select a landscape design firm that comes to your house, walks the property and takes the time to talk with you about what you want from the space and how it will function within your lifestyle. A couple with three small children probably doesn’t want a dozen flower beds that require a lot of pruning, weeding or watering. But a family with older children might want a small vegetable garden or an outdoor space where they can entertain friends.
  3. Is there a warranty? If your backyard paradise becomes a wilted nightmare, what can you do? At DIG Landscape we offer a one-year warranty. Ask about what the warranty covers and make sure the company has insurance and proper licensing.
  4. What if I need to get HOA approval? Depending on where you live and your neighborhood restrictions and rules, you may need to secure approval from your homeowners association or an architectural review board before starting your plan. At DIG Landscape, we take our ideas and sketches and turn them into a scaled CAD-based landscape drawing that can be submitted to review boards or used in a presentation.
  5. Can I speak to past customers? Don’t just ask for written testimonials. Speak directly to previous customers so you can get an unfiltered account of their experience with the Charleston landscape design firm. Ask about the process, the customer service and how happy they were – and still are – with the final product.

If the company you’re considering doesn’t provide solid answers to these basic questions, you should interview a few more companies. Your home is your largest investment and your yard is part of that investment. You don’t want to trust just any company when it comes time to give your outdoor space a fresh look.