The idea of hiring a professional landscape designer or a patio designer can be daunting to those who have never worked with one before. You may think that hiring a professional to plan your backyard design will be costly, and in some ways, you would be right. In reality, if you opt to plan your landscape and patio design on your own instead of hiring a professional, you’re likely to make some costly mistakes. Hiring the right patio professional will save your time, money, and a whole lot of headaches along the way. 

In this article, we will cover the do’s and don’ts, the ins and outs of hiring a patio design professional. 

What is a Patio Design Professional?

You may be familiar with a similar term, “Landscape Architect” or “Landscape Designer,” but they are often related or have a bit of an overlap. A patio design professional will fulfill both the role of a landscape designer and exterior decorator. 

Why You Should Hire A Pro

Hiring a patio professional helps you navigate the murky waters of planning a realistic and manageable design. They will also help you find the right outdoor furniture and accessories to match your lifestyle and budget. To get a sense of what you are investing your money in, here is a list of the general duties and services you will get from a patio design professional.

• Research of municipal guidelines (before the design process) to make sure the proposed solution is a viable option
• Signed design agreement that outlines the included elements of the plan within an agreed budget
• Computer-generated landscape design based on exact measurements of your property
• 3-Dimensional Rendering
• Specifications of products to be used
• Multiple meetings with your designer to keep the process on task to the agreed specifications
• Estimate of Project Cost
• Construction contract
• Engineering as needed
• Pulling city permits
• Final walk-through with the designer and project manager

1. Questions to Ask Before You Hire

Here is a list of questions you should ask before selecting a professional to create your patio, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

• When can you start?
• When will you be finished?
• What time will you knock on my door each morning?
• What time will you quit for the day?
• Are you going to work every day?
• Can you finish before (insert any major holiday or significant family event)?
• How much will it cost per square foot?
• How long have you been in business?
• Who will be assigned as project supervisor for the job?
• Who will be working on the project? Are they employees or subcontractors?
• Does your company carry worker’s compensation and liability insurance? Always verify this information by calling the agency. A copy of an insurance certificate does not let you know if the policy is still current. Even if the certificate has an expiration date, you cannot tell if either party has canceled the insurance. If licensing is required in your state, ask if the contractor is licensed and call to verify compliance with the law. Not all states offer or require licensing. Check with your local or state government agencies.
• What is your approach to a project such as this?
• How many projects like mine have you completed in the past year?
• May I have a list of references from those projects?
• May I have a list of business referrals or suppliers?
• What percentage of your business is repeat or referral business?
• Are you a member of a national trade association?

2. Discuss What You Want with Your Design Professional

It is critical to have a clear vision of what you want the outcome of your landscape designer’s work to be. Do you want a new garden design from the start, a garden makeover, a pool built, or do you want to add stone paving or steppers?

It will be beneficial to understand your brief as possible before approaching a landscape or garden designer. Understand the size of your garden, how much light it receives, the soil conditions, where water flows from and to, and how wind influences it. Please clarify what you want from your outdoor area, how you want to utilize it, and your overall design aesthetics.

Prepare a detailed budget and timetable to submit to the landscaping team. In this manner, the team will inform you whether or not what you want to achieve with your garden design is feasible from their perspective.

3. Do Your Homework

Take the time to study landscaping businesses online and check for feedback from past customers who had a great experience. Request suggestions and guidance from family, friends, and coworkers, but always conduct your research.

Remember, the personnel of this firm will be working in and around your house, so learn as much as you can about them and determine whether you can build a healthy connection with them during the process. Please don’t be hesitant to request a tour of the company’s gardens to see the style and quality of their work for yourself.

Consider the type of garden you want when creating your brief for your landscaping. Visit Pinterest or Houzz to get ideas and grasp the aesthetics you want to see in your outside environment.

Find a landscape design team with a similar aesthetic. It’s pointless to hire a landscape design firm that mainly creates traditional gardens influenced by European settings if you want something modern with Australian indigenous.

4. Make Sure You Understand What You’re Getting Into

It would help if you established a strong working connection with your landscaper. Take notes on your discussion and write down your aims and ideas to present to them when you meet in person.

The greatest garden designs result from tight coordination between the gardener, the installer, and the customer. So, make sure you and the designer have a shared vision of what you want the end product to be, and then move from there. They should be available and able to speak with you at all times.

You must establish a strong working connection with your landscaper. Take notes on your discussion and write down your aims and ideas to present to them when you meet in person.

The greatest garden designs result from tight coordination between the gardener, the installer, and the customer. So, make sure you and the designer have a shared vision of what you want the end product to be, and then move from there. They should be available and able to speak with you at all times.

5. Three Lists You Should Make Before Hiring a Contractor

Before you commit to hiring anyone, it’s essential to make sure you do a personal inventory of what you do and don’t want to achieve in your yard. Three questions can be turned into three lists that you should ask yourself before proceeding further.

The first list should be everything that you want to remove from your patio area. Ask yourself, “what don’t I want in my yard anymore?” Look around and start writing down what won’t make the final cut—old plants, dead shrubbery, outdated furniture, or even removing an unwanted hot tub or grill. Make a list, make your peace, get rid of the old.

The second is created by asking yourself the opposite of the first question, “What do I love and want to keep?”. Don’t feel like you have to get rid of everything you ever owned because you are renovating. If you have an old faithful grill that is ugly but gets the job done, don’t be ashamed to keep it. Just make sure you incorporate these elements into the planning stages with your designer.

The third and final list is your wish list. What do you want to add to your yard during this process? What is your dream vision for how it will look or how you will spend your time outside? Take into account plants, gardens, pools, hot tubs, patio tables and furniture, televisions, and maybe even an outdoor kitchen! The possibilities are endless.

Make a list of everything, even if you have no idea how it will all go together. These lists are not required to be perfect or definitive. The goal is to provide some explanation for you. Choosing a landscape designer will be a lot easier if you have your three lists and your budget in mind.

More Than Just Casual Living

We know you have your choice of landscape designers in Arizona and are excited at the opportunity to work with you on your next project. Let us transform your outdoor space into a personal paradise. Whether it’s a simple re-design of your landscape plants or a total transformation of your backyard with a pool, pergola, and outdoor kitchen, our patio design professionals are up for the challenge! Contact us today to find out more.

Visit our All American Outdoor Living showroom for more than casual outdoor furniture in Scottsdale, AZ