Quality Construction Begins with Great Design
"There are three aspects of creating exceptional gardens. It begins with great design, but even more important is excellent installation, but the most important is good maintenance." Professor John Furtado
As designers, we can create brilliant designs, but until they are built they are only pretty pictures. A team of crafts(wo)men to take our paper concepts and construct them is what we need. Many projects can be installed by a single landscape company that does general landscape, irrigation, paving, retaining, general carpentry and even water features and lighting. However often the services of other trades people are needed, perhaps a survey or structural engineer, electrician, plumber, specialty carpenter, fencing, painting and/or concrete contractor.
The advantages of working with the same team (or for some of us, a select group of contractors) are many fold. As we refer quality work consistently to contractors, we build trust and confidence. They accommodate our schedules (perhaps an exaggeration) and understand our methods. As designers, we do not have to draw every small detail because we have a common history, saving us time and our clients money. It also allows us the confidence to speak with authority when describing the installation to our clients. If our mode of installation is to simply refer installation contractors to our design clients, the quality of the company reflects us and it’s important that is a positive reflection.
A million little decisions are made by those installing our designs. In working with the same installation team we learn to trust their judgment and know they have the same commitment to crafts(wo)manship and attention to detail as we do. Additionally, they know when to bring us in to solve an issue or consult with us on a decision.
The value of expert, talented, dependable, trustworthy, communicative contractors cannot be overstated. They are integral to successful installations, happy clients, our success and the long term realization of our gardens.
Our contribution to the team is to assure that our designs are not only creative and beautiful but well thought out, accurate and detailed with all aspects of the project considered and complete. What a great opportunity to hear from these talented tradesman (in this case they are all men) at our upcoming Annual Design Symposium, Quality Construction Begins with Great Design – March 13th, 8:30-4:30. Interested? More here.