Landscape installation brings a design to life with grading, planting, mulch, lawn areas, irrigation, lighting, and hardscape features like patios and walkways. A clear plan, realistic budget, and an installer who understands your site conditions are key to a lasting result.
Landscape projects often start with a site assessment and a master plan that maps property lines, house footprint, sun and shade, existing trees, drainage, and soil conditions. A plan helps coordinate planting, irrigation, lighting, and hardscapes so each element supports the others and future maintenance stays manageable.
Project scope and cost are commonly driven by yard size, design complexity, material choices, access for equipment, and whether grading, drainage, or soil improvement is needed. Patios, walls, and premium plants or lighting typically add cost and time.
Before you book, ask about the designer's process, how they address drainage and soil, plant and material specifications, warranty terms, a maintenance plan, a proposed schedule, and who handles permits, utility locating, and inspections when required.
Some issues can be corrected without a full overhaul. Examples include adjusting irrigation and lighting layouts, topdressing and aerating compacted soil, improving drainage with minor grading or downspout extensions, and re-leveling settled pavers. Selective plant replacement, pruning, and soil amendments can refresh tired beds while keeping healthy, well-sited plants.
Full replacement or larger redesign may be worth considering when plants are poorly matched to sun, soil, or space, when disease or pests have significantly reduced plant health, when a patio or retaining wall is failing or undersized, or when repeated drainage problems persist. Discuss options, lifespan expectations, and phased upgrades with your contractor so you can balance budget and long-term performance.
Simple plantings can wrap up in days, while projects with grading, patios, walls, irrigation, and lighting can take weeks. Design time, material lead times, weather, and utility locating can add to the schedule. Ask for a written timeline with key milestones.
Ask about licenses and insurance, design and installation process, how they handle drainage and soil prep, detailed plant and material lists, warranty terms, maintenance recommendations, schedule and crew size, who calls for utility locates, and whether permits or inspections may be needed for irrigation, lighting, or walls.