How to deal with landscape firms/contractors?

8 years ago

Hello all,

What is the best way to deal with landscape firms/contractors as far as procuring the landscape design and actual landscape work is concerned?

I am considering this approach:

1) Send a RFP (request for proposal) to multiple landscape firms/contractors/architects for developing a detailed landscape plan to be submitted to my local municipality for permitting. Choose the proposal that best meets my budget and criteria.

2) After #1 above is completed, submit another RFP to multiple landscape firms/contractors for executing on the detailed landscape plan approved by the municipality for permits. Choose the proposal that best meets my budget and criteria.

Does it make sense to split the project into the two phases described above? Or would I be better off sending a single RFP for design AND execution from a single firm/contractor? Which approach would yield the best cost savings with minimal headaches? Thank you.

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Comments (4)

PRO
KD Landscape
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
@kharvel: If you choose Route #1/#2, I think it is imperative that you select landscape architects and/or design firms whose work you are familiar with. Not only should you be familiar with their work, but also be impressed by it. Shot-gunning requests to a handful of architects from an internet search may take more of your time on the back end, wading through a lot of nonsense. I know landscape architects and designers whom I have immense respect for and some who I would not let design a small bed around my mailbox. Pick a couple of landscape architects or experienced designers and interview them. You will get a feel for them and vice versa.

Normally, you would share with them what your anticipated budget for the project is, what you hope to accomplish and a timeline for design services. Once you agree on fees, you should plan on seeing a conceptual plan for discussion and then a final plan with revisions (if any). All design firms work it a bit differently, but they can give you a design budget with hourly fees. The scope of work will drive the cost of the design. A design including water features, masonry walls, pergolas and significant grade change is going to take more time than a planting plan for a small boulevard.

Once you have a final design, then you can bid it out to a couple of landscape contractors, whose work you should also be familiar with. The landscape architect or designer might also do the work, but since you have paid for the design you own it and can choose to get an RFP from whomever. Or perhaps they can refer you to a contractor they feel would be a good match for you. But like choosing the l.a. or designer, it is important that the contractor have a firm grasp on how to implement the plan. And you should also be comfortable with each other.

That being said, Route #1/#2 is probably the more time consuming avenue, but by separating design and contracting you avoid a mess, trying to sort out who is giving you what. It allows you to focus on design and them move on to focusing on the implementation of the plan. This will probably be the route with the fewest headaches and the route I would recommend.

_____ ______ ______

However, if you choose to send out an RFP for design and installation to multiple design/build firms to do both functions it will be a dizzying amount of information to sort through and assess. You will also be reviewing a difference in design philosophy on paper from different perspectives. The municipality will be reviewing concepts that might be complex in scope and difficult to assess as non-professionals.

You avoid that scenario when you hire someone simply for the purpose of design because you are discussing it during the process and they are informed on the front end so they can solve for your needs, wants and circumstances.

_____ ________ _______

Regardless of which method you select, I might leave you with a few tidbits for thought:

1. The least expensive contractor is rarely the one you want working at your home or in your municipality. Awarding the project to "low bidder" is almost always a recipe for disappointment, especially when implementing a sophisticated plan. They are the contractor who is 'slamming it in at breakneck speed' to get paid. You may think you had bad design because you received sloppy installation.
1. If the project is driven by budget and not excellence you will not attract the best designers/landscape architects, unless you get a young, hungry one. All projects have budgets, but it's better to achieve excellence over time than be underwhelmed by staying within a budget that's not realistic. Front-end discussion of budget is part of the process.
3. Hire the most qualified people you can afford. Being cheap and being great are almost always mutually exclusive.

4. See #3 above.

I hope the above helps you along with your thought process. Best of luck to you on your project!!
PRO
Yardvaark
8 years ago
That's a lot of good of good advice from K & D. Some people think that all designers and contractors are capable of the same quality of work but it's not the case.
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JSL Landscape Design Build
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A good designer or design/build firm will want to "interview" you as well. Sending out an RFP before you make any kind of contract is not a good way to introduce yourself as a potential client. It comes across as if you are a faceless government bureaucrat. People buy from those they know, like and trust. Allow the prospective designer contractors to be able to present themselves along those 3 factors. An RFP does none of them. Check out if there are any local firms here on Houzz. See how many reviews they have. Type their names into Google - then decide on several to reach out to based on what you see on their websites. Look at their portfolio.
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Revolutionary Gardens
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
If it's not commercial work, an rfp blast can be a great way of weeding out the designers who are most likely to work closely with you to ensure that your landscape is tailored to you - in other words, the designers you're most likely to WANT to hire. An rfp for residential work says "I view your service as a commodity and I want to invest as little time as possible in the process." That's not a fit for me. I (and many other designers) would politely decline to play.

How to deal with landscape firms/contractors?

Comments (4)

KD Landscape

Yardvaark

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