The Design Process

1. Initial Consultation: The consultation is a free initial meeting, usually about one hour long, for the designer and client(s) to get to know each other, discuss the clients’ goals for their garden, and for the designer to assess the project.

2. Design Proposal: If the client chooses to move forward with MB home solutions for their project, the designer will write a design proposal. The proposal lists the general steps involved in the design of their property (e.g., measurements, creating a plot plan of existing site features, design options, and final design) and the amount of time that will spent on each step.

3. The Design Process: Once the design proposal is approved and signed by the client, the designer(s) begin the design process. First, a base map (“plot plan”) is created showing all existing site features, upon which all further work is based. Next, quick sketches are drawn to show different options for laying out potential features of the garden, such as patios, pathways, planting beds, and lawn. The purpose of this part of the process is to lay out the structural elements of the design, and to create a “picture” of how the various areas of the property will be used and relate to the overall design. Specific plants will not yet be laid out on paper, however trees or larger plantings may be shown to help illustrate the overall structure of the garden spaces for the client(s). The final design will show all elements of the renovated property to-scale with a plant list. Copies of the final plan and plant list are provided to the client.

4. Bid: Once the final design has been approved by the client, a bid is prepared for installation of the project. All elements of the new landscape are laid out by category (e.g., demolition, front entry path, lawn, back yard patio, lighting, and irrigation). A description of each category is given in enough detail for the client to understand how the construction process proceeds. Costs are also laid out by category. Once the bid is approved, the project is ready for installation.