Case Studies Old — Softscape Gardens

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FAQs

All the best projects start with a plan. For simple projects where it’s easy to explain what you need doing, a good landscaper may be able to produce their own construction plan. But this is hard when the projects become complex and breakdown in communication can easily happen.
Alan Sargent, the founder of the Association of Professional Landscapers and the Professional Gardens Consultant and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, who acts as an independent expert when there is a dispute between landscapers and their clients says:
“Not one of the (almost) two hundred cases I reviewed when writing this article, had a professionally produced set of plans. The vast majority had little or nothing in the way of contractual documentation or had strayed away from the original agreement without proper use of other contractual methods such as Variation Orders, and NONE of those examined in retrospect had been constructed using any professional plans.”
Softscape Gardens work with independent designers in Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties, can work with a designer you trust, and even offers a design service through our sister-company Burning Bright Designs.
This question hasn’t a straightforward answer since every garden is different and depends on the scope of the work, the choice of materials, and any challenges on site. Hiring a good landscaper is an investment because it will enhance and add value to your property, thus cost shouldn’t be the only consideration when hiring a landscaper.
But you know how much you want to invest in your garden and starting from a budget Softscape Gardens can suggest what is achievable.
Softscape Gardens applies the “first arrived, first served” policy. Sometimes it is possible to move things around and carry out some kind of projects (especially if they are small and simple) even with a minimum notice, but enquiry for materials, order, and deliveries always require their time. Planning the job properly needs time. You don’t want to find out, when already started the work, that the actual price is going to be higher than the estimate.
Be very wary of contractors who offer an almost immediate start with no garden design and no contract required. They may very well be rogue traders. If a landscaper is ready to start immediately, they may very well let someone else down. And there is no certainty that they will not do the same with you.
If you are working to a deadline, start the quoting process well in advance and make sure your contractors know when the work needs to be completed.
Absolutely, yes you can. It’s perfectly possible to landscape a section of the garden, but depending on the job you want done it may affect other parts of the garden.
If you are planning on gradually redesigning the whole garden but completing the work in stages, I would strongly recommend employing the services of a garden designer and explain it to them. That way you can prioritise jobs, preventing damages to already landscaped parts of the garden, maximise the budget avoiding to pay twice for the same job.
Not all the landscapers are the same. There are good ones, mediocre ones, and bad ones. It is important to differentiate between them. Ideally, before making the first contact.
A Google search is great, but what’s even better is the “find a landscaper” tool on the APL website. All of the companies listed have been inspected, are fully insured and offer great customer service.
Select the firms by checking their websites and reviews to see if they seem like the kind of company you want to do business with. Even a good landscaper may not be the right one for you.
When you have narrowed your choices down, a quick phone call will let you know if the landscaper sounds knowledgeable and trustworthy. Expect to be asked about your ideas for your garden, your budget, and your timescale. We won’t waste your time and let you know straight away if we think we can help.
After a site visit to discuss your garden design, we will compile a quotation that includes materials, labour and everything needed to complete the project. If you have a plan specifying the result you want to achieve, it is possible to work on a budget comprising all the tasks. You will also be given a copy of the lour terms and conditions to read. If you agree, contracts can be signed, and the work can be scheduled.
In the UK, most landscaping work can be carried out at any time of year and any season has pros and cons. Persistent rain, very low or high temperatures may render some types of work not feasible or put all work to a stop until the right conditions are established again. Planting in autumn or winter will maximise the plants’ growth and reduce the need of watering.
When planning your garden makeover, try to consider which months of the year will be best for you. And if you need your garden ready for summer please think ahead, and plan to have it built during the winter months.
Depending on the type of work is carried out the garden may remain accessible in part or all of its extension or having access restricted even for you. We comply with CDM regulations and make sure that everyone on site is as safe as possible, signalling all hazards, fencing off the dangerous areas, and tidying off equipment and tools which are not in use. Your collaboration would be very important on this aspect.
If you need access to a part of your garden while its landscaping is going on, please discuss it with us before we quote the project.
Yes, if the garden is properly designed and the right materials are used. Talk to your garden designer and us about the levels of maintenance you can manage for your new garden and keep in mind that low maintenance is a lie but easy maintenance is achievable.
It’s always wise to check whether or not your project needs approval from your local planning department.
In general, landscaping works don’t need either planning permission or building control. Especially if they are limited to soft-landscaping. However, rules are different from council to council, and in some areas not all the work are permitted without a planning permission.
The final choice is always yours but please remember that we have a lot of experience in this area and that some species and materials might not be a perfect fit for your garden and lifestyle. Very often clients have a clear idea of the result they want, but they are wrong on the way to achieve it. A plant species, a material, or the way to execute a specific task which look like the right choice for the result you want, may have a very different effect when they are implemented in the full design.
If your choice is going against our advice, you will take full responsibility for the result that is not direct consequence of the implementation of the design.
Of course you can. But think well before doing it: in most cases you are not going to save money. Especially if something goes wrong. And there are a lot of things which could go wrong. The quantity of material purchased could be not enough or too much, adding the extra cost of another delivery, or even suspending the work while waiting for the next supply, or dispose of the material in excess; or the material may be flawed or wrong and require replacement. It would be your responsability to make sure the materials are covered by a warranty and dealing with suppliers is always time consuming. If we need to do this on your behalf it would come for an extra fee, while we are fully liable for all plants and materials we supply.
Always always always check out a landscaping Company before agreeing to have any work done Check the online reviews on their Google account (reviews aren’t verified) and on Trustpilot (reviews are verified), ask friends and colleagues for recommendations, and make sure the Company is a member of a trade organisation like the Association of Professional Landscapers or any other trade body which actively vet landscapers to make sure that they are honest, reliable and competent. Don’t trust online platforms which put homeowners in contact with traders for a fee (always to be paid by the trader) because they don’t vet their members at all.
When you are investing in landscaping your garden, it’s important to ask questions at the beginning of the process to make sure you have no surprise when it’s too late. We strive to give a complete list of what we need, explain all process and how and when we’ll carry out each single task, what kind of inconvenience you may undergo. But we don’t have a crystal ball and we can only imagine what your needs and expectations are. Thus, it’s very important that if you have specific requirements, you ask us beforehand how we can deal with them.

If there’s anything you need to know about landscaping costs and/or processes, please don’t hesitate to ask.

You can contact us by:
Phone 07927 265 792
Email alessio@softscape-gardens.com

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