The landscape of your dreams is something you’ve probably been thinking about for awhile as you glance out your back window or walk through your yard envisioning a better, more beautiful, and more useful space.
When it’s time to bring that vision to life so you can start transforming your outdoor space, you’re probably wondering how the landscape design and installation process works so you can understand the time involved and other factors. There are certainly quite a few things that happen between signing off on a landscape design plan and sipping drinks on your new patio.
Let’s look at what’s involved in landscape design and installation in the Chicagoland area so you can be better prepared for what’s to come.
Understanding the Landscape Design and Installation Process
The landscape design and installation process may seem stressful since there are so many components to figure out.
But, above everything else, it should be an exciting and fun process. The landscape partner you choose to work with should be helping you along the way so your only worry is your finished outdoor space.
Here are some of the key components, showing how the whole process should work.
The Landscape Design Process
Thinking about how you can fit all of the things you want into your outdoor space can feel pretty overwhelming.
We get it. There are so many options out there. Where do you even start?
Breaking it down can help you factor all of your wants and needs into the picture. We like to look at five important elements in the landscape design equation to help you figure that out:
- Functionality – In addition to being beautiful, your outdoor areas should function in a practical way so it meets basic design standards.
- Reliability – Your landscape should be well-designed and installed using quality standards to ensure long-lasting enjoyment and use.
- Useability – Your outdoor space must be useful to meet your basic needs, so that you’ll actually be able to spend time in it doing what you enjoy.
- Proficiency – Your space should end up better than it was before.
- Creativity – Your backyard should inspire you. It should have a creative flow to it so you find new ways to interact in it everyday.
To ensure these bullet points are met, your landscape designer should ask you a couple basic questions up front, including asking what your needs are, how you want to use your space, and what your priorities are. This discussion should happen during the initial consultation with your landscape design/build professional.
Then the landscape design process itself can take three to six weeks. The level of design can impact how long it takes to create. A larger project with a bigger patio, a pavilion, and a fireplace could obviously take toward that longer end of the range compared to something simpler.
Landscape Budget Discussion
When you are planning a landscape design and installation, naturally your budget will come up for discussion.
Having an idea of the necessary components and space requirements that come about during the previous discussion about your functional needs and priorities will help dictate your landscape budget.
Leaving out information or adding areas later might add additional steps and time to your process, impacting your overall budget. Changes that happened during the installation can add up to an additional week for each one, depending on the complexity of the change.
Permits Are Part of the Process
After the design and budget part of the landscape design and installation process comes the permit phase.
Depending on your municipality, this can take two to four weeks to complete. Working with a landscape professional who knows the local municipalities can help keep this part of the process moving along.
The Landscape Installation Process
Finally, the part you’ve been waiting for: the landscape installation process. This is when you see your vision come to life.
Most projects take roughly two to three weeks from start to finish. The installation will be as short or long as the project requires within that window after the design and permit phases are complete.
Find the Best Landscape Design and Installation Partner in Chicagoland
Now that you understand the landscape design and installation process, it’s time to get your project started.
Being prepared is always better than jumping into a major landscape renovation or design/build project blind.
As you begin your journey, you might find yourself with more questions about what you want to include in your landscape, how much it will cost, and how long the project will take. That’s fine. Give KD Landscape a call. We can walk you through the process and help you prioritize your needs so you end up with that Chicagoland landscape you’ve always wanted.
Ready to see how KD Landscape can transform your Naperville, Elmhurst, and Hinsdale, IL landscape into something beyond your expectations? We’d love to share our design and installation expertise with you and deliver a custom space that stands out. Get started today with a free consultation. Together, we can prepare a plan that works best for you. Then you can enjoy your new space for years to come.
