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Would I want my Daughter to Marry a Landscape Architect?

This is Part II of a two part column

What is Landscape Architecture?

How Are Fees Figured?

Like our brethern-architects, fee structures depend on the amount of work that is required. On residential projects, fees are often 20-25% of the cost of construction, depending on the total cost; LAs correctly argue that this should not be seen as an additional budget burden, because frequently fees are more than offset by knowledgeable specification, bidding, and design.

Some clients benefit from a more streamlined interaction with an LA. For the motivated client, a simple walk around the grounds, with clipboard in hand, is sometimes all that is needed. In this case, your LA can comment on the overall structure of any design, identifying focal points and other issues. She can also suggest plant materials that would be suitable. When we do this work here, for example, we charge hourly and give the client a written report. I imagine other firms offer a similar program.

It's worth mentioning, though, that the 'walkabout' method doesn't really get everything from your LA that she can provide, such as design development for plantings as well as hardscape; it also does not give you specification for lighting, or any other material. Still, it's a cost-effective way to bring professional outlook to your project.

Fees on larger projects, of course, would be a lower percentage, minimizing at around 4% for projects in excess of $10 million.

How Do I Actually Pick the Perfect LA?

This part is really simple and I imagine the answer will be surprising: pick a person you like. Sure, you want to know that he can do the job, and you want to know he has millions of ideas. But if you are choosing a designer for a residential project be aware that it is a very intimate process and simply liking each other is essential.

How to you decide this? Just walk around and talk. She should ask you questions and let you do the talking, eliciting your hopes and desires. A good LA will offer to take you on a field trip, so that you can both see other projects and comment on them. He will also encourage you to save magazine or newspaper clippings, because this is another window into what you like.

Does this mean that portfolio doesn't matter? No! Portfolio does matter, but only to the extent that it proves your candidate can do a job and see it to the end. Don't expect your candidate to show you projects similar to your own because they are all different.

And remember about the issue of style: a good designer is comfortable in a range of design vocabularies. An architect, for example, can design a 'mediterranean' look, or an 'advant-garde' look. There's really no such thing as an 'office style'. We have done formal gardens, we have done English gardens, we have done an entire range.

[And a small aside here- if you have a budget in mind, don't keep secrets! Some people feel that if the designer knows the budget, she will spend all of it. But this isn't the case. It merely makes the process more difficult for both of you.]

How Does The Process Work?

Once you decide to hire an LA, how do you proceed? The design process isn't much different for any scale of project, and is generally a fairly linear process:

• An initial meeting to discuss the project



• Presentation of rough ideas, usually at least three alternatives



• Presentation of a refined concept



• Preparation of construction and bid documents



• Assistance with bidding, and with construction



• Provision of Maintenance Specifications

In Part 3, we'll look at each of these steps in much more detail.

But for now: any questions?