How to Choose a Landscape Architect

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Making improvements to your property is a big investment, and it's less stressful when you have the right designer to help you with the process. Here are some ways to choose the right landscape architect for you.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Garden Hoses
Garden Rakes
Garden Shears
Garden Spades
Garden Trowels
Gardening Gloves
Hoes
Gardening Magazines

Step1

Look for a landscape architect who is experienced in the kind of residential design that you are seeking. Landscape architecture encompasses a wide range of activities, from planning new regional park systems to designing stone garden urns, and most professionals specialize. Make sure yours has a track record with projects of the same scale as yours.

Step2

Ask friends and neighbors to recommend a landscape architect. Make sure you get details about why they recommend this person. If you are looking for planting expertise, a landscape architect with a great talent for designing swimming pools might not be for you.

Step3

Know the difference between landscape architects and other related service providers. Landscape designers, garden consultants and master gardeners can advise you in their areas of expertise, but make sure that they have experience in construction oversight, local regulations, site engineering and building techniques - and make sure that they have professional liability insurance if you need these services and assurances.

Step4

Hire only as much expertise as you need. If you want only a planting plan for your existing flower bed, a master gardener might give you better value. If you don't know what you need, hire a landscape architect to help you find out.

Step5

Check with your state's American Society of Landscape Architects chapter and look in design magazines for names of designers.

Step6

Interview a few landscape architects on the phone. Ask whether you can see examples of their work to ensure that you like their style. You can ask to see a brochure or portfolio, ask whether they have any projects published in magazines or books, or see whether they can direct you to finished projects that you might visit.

Step7

Invite promising designers to come to your property to give you an estimate.

Step8

Establish a clear understanding of what you expect from a landscape architect and make sure you communicate this to those you interview. Choose someone with whom you can communicate easily.