5 things to consider
Ocean Road Landscaping is a member of Landscape Victoria- Here is an extract from their pages
Engage a designer
A landscape designer, such as those at Ocean Road Landscaping, will assist you to identify your needs and uses of the outside space you are planning to have landscaped plus take into account the site conditions. This is very important because every garden is different due to it’s position in regards to the weather, the relationship between the outside space and inside view and the people who are going to use the space. What works for your neighbours or friends may not necessarily work for you. Having a landscape designer develop a landscape plan for you will ultimately save you money and the end result will be far more successful.
Set a realistic budget
A beautiful landscape costs money and takes time, it’s only on television that it happens over a weekend for a little bit of money! Start with your wishlist and work back from there. If you include everything upfront, a designer can include all of these things in your plan and then break the construction down into manageable stages. But be realistic, the more construction required, the more expensive the project will be. Items like swimming pools, retaining walls, dry stone walls cannot be achieved within a $10,000 budget and if a landscaper suggests they can do it for this – be skeptical, you do get what you pay for!
Consider a project manager
If your project is a large and complicated project consider retaining the landscape designer as the project manager. They are intimately familiar with the project and they are aware of what your needs are. It will cost you extra but will save you headaches, time and money.
Landscape Contracts
Always have a contract in place – would you build a house without one – this is the same principle. A professional landscaper will have a contract that clearly sets out what work they will be doing, how much it will cost and the payment stages.
Deposit
The deposit should be no more than 10% up to $20,000 and 5% for projects over $20,000. This is the law. Payment requests after the deposit can be for larger sums and should match up to works or materials that are commensurate with what has been received. For example it is not unusual for a landscaper to invoice for a large proportion of the project cost when all the materials are delivered to site.