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1. What designs and plans do I get to receive?
2. Do you prepare full colored renderings so I can visualize the
design?
3. How do I pay for the landscape plan?
4. How long does it take to design my plan?5. Why should I use JSL Landscape/Virtual Garden Designer insteadfirm?
5. How can Virtual Garden Designer be less expensive than my local
landscape architectural firms ?
6. Why should I use your online services compared to someone
locally?
7. When should I use a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA) instead
of a Masters Landscape Architecture?
8. Will Virtual Garden Designer come up with their own ideas or will you listen
to my ideas and desires as the sole criteria?
9. What if after receiving my plan I want to make revisions?
10. Where will I find a copy of my property survey from which my
landscape plan will be based?
11. How can you design a planting plan without being familiar with
the plants that grow in my area?
What designs and plans do I get to
receive?
Answer: You will receive 2 copies of the landscape master plan (typically
24" x 36" sheets) and at least (1) photo-realistic image of a what your house could
look like from one particular viewpoint. These will be sent via U.S. Postal
system.
Do you prepare full colored renderings so
I can visualize the design?
Answer: We provide sketches of certain features that are done to help our clients visualize and
important part of the design. We find that producing colored perspective renderings are often
a waste of the client's money as the designs often change as revisions are made, thus making
the original rendering obsolete.
How do I pay for the landscape
plan ?
Answer: Once you have completed the online registration, you must have a PayPal
account in order to make payment online, otherwise, we can accept checks sent via the Postal
Service. Payment method is chosen during the registration process.
How long does it take to design my
plan?
Answer: Typically 3 - 4 weeks once we have received all necessary
information from you. Project complexity and your availability to review the plans is a
determinating factor in the turnaround time. These plans are not something we crank out like
cookies, but we do go as quickly as possible while maintain our design integrity
and quality.
How can Virtual Garden Designer be less
expensive than my local landscape architectural firms?
Answer: We are less expensive than most or all landscape architectural firms
because you don't need to hire a registered landscape architect for a residential project. We
don't work on commercial projects so we don't need to "stamp" our plans certifying they are
suitable for the general public. We are trained and experienced virtual equal to that of a
registered landscape architect but charge the fees of a landscape designer. For projects that
do require a registered landscape architect, we have partners standing by.
Why
should your online services compared to a local landscape design firm?
Answer: #1 reason is the ease and convenience of working over the internet
without having to arrange to meet people or go to someone's office. Because things are done
online, communication is accelerated and you can respond 24-7 compared to normal business
hours. The other reason is that you may not feel comfortable about people you have
interviewed or they are not what you are looking for. Don't fall for the "Free" landscape
designs that many contractors offer. They are just sales tools to get you to sign a contract
and don't spend enough time focusing on your needs like a designer would.
When should I use a Registered
Landscape Architect rather than a Masters of Landscape Architecture?
Answer: Only if you are required to because of the type of project you
have. A Registered Landscape Architect is licensed to prepare plans for a wide variety of
projects. Cities, Counties and States often require that a licensed Landscape Architect
prepare plans for their parks, trails, parking lots and other public use areas because of the
concern for public safety and liability. Someone with a Masters in Landscape
Architecture has the same academic training as a registered landscape architect but is simply
not licensed by the state. They could have the same design abilities and have chosen to use
their skills on residential projects rather than commercial projects.
Will Virtual Garden Designer come up
with their own ideas or will you listen to my ideas and desires as the sole
criteria?
Answer: We will first listen to your needs and wants and then weave our
creativity into an overal design approach. Our questionaire flushes out these types of
questions so that your personality, your tastes and desires are reflected in the final design
and not something forced onto you by a pompous designer who thinks they know better than you!
:)
What if I want to make revisions after
receiving the landscape plan?
Answer: Revisions are to be expected but sometimes we prepare designs
that are "good to go" at the preliminary stage. However, the more complex the design, the
more variations are possible to the layout as well as the more time you spend mulling over
something, you are bound to have revisions at least minor in nature. To allow for this, we
have built into the process the Preliminary Design Stage which allows you to make one
set of revisions before the plan is finalized. If you have further revisions, we can
certainly accomodate that at $50 per hour design time.
Where will I find a copy of my Property
Survey or a Site Plan from which my landscape plan will be based?
have some kind of legal plot showing the boundaries of the lot and often
including the footprint of the home and other structures. IfAnswer: Most all
properties you do not possess such a plot map or site plan, your town's building
department from where building permits are issued should have a copy.
How can you design a plan without being
familiar with the plants in my particular area?
Answer: In addition to the hardscape elements of the plan, pools, patios, decks
walks and other hard surfaces and materials form the layout of the design. Secondary to the
hardscape elements are the plants which are designed to compliment the feel of the design,
add texture, color and dimension. As professional designers, we have access to many plant
databases that are based on the USDA Plant Zones System. By design criteria based on zone,
height, flower color, form, evergreen, deciduous, etc. we have choices to make before
the final species is selected for a particular area within the plan.
By providing you with a selection of plant species to use for any particular
area, we will have kept the personal preference aspect open for you to choose among the
various suitable species on the planting plan. In this way, you have more control over the
final plant selection as well as availability in your local area nurseries.
Check out the Free Landscape Design Ecourse
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