Subject: Hired Landscape Architect - Now What

From: [email-masked] (mark)
Date: 13 May 1995 20:18:05 GMT

I have contracted a Landscape Architect (Zen Associates - Concord
Sudbury, MA) to create a master plan for our newly constructed home.
I have high hopes for the project and feel comfortable with the folks
at Zen. My questions involve - how best to work with Landscape Architects?

  o Do you folks find it "annoying" to have a home owner/arm-chair
    gardener/designer sending: changes, scetches, plant preferences
    etc.

  o Is it best to let the LA start with a clean slate or should the
    homeowner provide a "dump" of their thoughts on the LA

  o What is a resonable % of a homes value to invest in the landscape.
    Including hardscape, stone work, plantings, etc. Excluding pools,
    driveway, structures, etc. 

Thanks in advance. All other suggestions welcome.

Mark

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From: [email-masked] (BlairAl)
Date: 24 May 1995 00:23:49 -0400

Like any professional, find one that you are comfortable with and let them
know how YOU want to work.  They will tell you if it is not a deal,
especially now that the market is so strong...and they may not NEED the
busniness.  LA's are like other designers, many are excentric andothers
not so.  Most creative designers are very particular about their end
product.

A word to the wise though, you usually get what you pay for.  I am a LA
and have found that I can only stomach about half of my fellow
professionals because many of them have their heads up in the air and not
considerating the clients pocket book.   Would also suggest that they be
members of a professional society such as ASLA.  Ask about it!

good luck!