By ddmg Design • Landscape • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

6 Quick Tips to Ensure You’re Working with the Perfect Landscape Architect

When you’re ready to renovate the landscape of your property – questions, concerns, and confusion tend to arise. Thoughts of doing it yourself loom, but can seem daunting. The work may seem doable, but the design – you probably didn’t go to school for that. Luckily, this is where a landscape architect comes into play. Large landscaping projects require detailed design. Often, this design requires professional help. This is especially true when city building codes and neighborhood homeowner’s associations come into play.

So here are six quick tips to ensure you find and work with the perfect landscape architect:

Gather Ideas

Before you contact any Olathe landscapers, it’s a good idea to wrap your head around the type of project you want to get done. Put some ideas together and formulate a rough image of what you want to see done. Discussing the design can be difficult when things stay too vague.

Budget Properly

As you formulate ideas, it’s crucial to pay attention to budgetary concerns. You will want to come up with a rough estimate of how much you want to spend on your project.

Ask Around

Get in touch with anyone you know who has paid for Olathe landscaping services in the past. See if you can round up a few referrals. Don’t be afraid to knock on some doors and ask your neighbors if you love their landscaping.

Perfect Projects

When deciding to do it yourself or hire, the primary concern should be the project. Obviously, no reasonable person is installing a swimming pool alone, but even smaller projects can turn tough without a great design. The type of Olathe landscaping company you’ll want to work with may differ depending on the scope of your project.

Consulting is Important

Even if you’re a flowerbed beautician – designing a whole landscape takes a lot more effort and artistic flair than gardening. Hiring an Olathe landscape architect can help you create the ideal master plan for your property and this step can help save you thousands in costly mistakes.

Handle the Little Stuff

If money is an issue, then make a commitment to handle the small stuff like mulching, flower beds, lawn care, and more by yourself. These little items can add up when doing a full-blown landscaping overhaul.

Olathe Landscape Architects

If you have an Olathe landscaping project you’re thinking about, we’d love to hear from you. Here at Huston Contracting, Inc., we take pride in offering premier landscaping services in the Johnson County area. We look forward to helping you create the property of your dreams. Get in touch today for a consultation.

By ddmg Construction • General Information • Landscape • • 0 Comments

Retaining Wall Installation Doesn’t Have to be Difficult

Home improvement isn’t ever easy. If something can go wrong – it will! With that being said retaining wall installation doesn’t have to be difficult. By planning and designing your wall before the first shovel of dirt is moved, you can ensure the perfect structure for your home.

It’s important to note that building a retaining wall for your home isn’t for people new to DIY home improvement. The structural component of retaining walls requires more than a little elbow grease. For this reason, many people find hiring an Olathe landscape architect useful when designing a wall.

Whether you hire a landscaper or do it yourself, here’s why retaining wall installation doesn’t have to be difficult:

Lot Lines

Retaining walls can often be large projects that take up a lot of space on your property. Before beginning a large-scale project – make sure to identify property lot lines.

Neighbors

If you’re going to undertake a large project, it is neighborly to let all around you know of the future construction.

Utilities

Utility lines are dangerous. Get your lines marked before beginning any project – retaining wall or not. Call your utility company to have this done.

Permits

Retaining walls above certain heights will require a building permit. Check with the city code before starting your project.

Soil

It’s crucial to determine the type of soil found at your dig site. Test the ground to see if it’s clay, sandy, or organic type of soil. Organic soils are not to be used for retaining wall projects. Sandy soil is the best, but clay is more prevalent and can still work on your wall.

Environment

The environment and vegetation surrounding your wall will play a critical component. Trees and bushes can be used to enhance the overall look and landscape of your retaining wall. Just remember that planting trees behind your wall once it’s installed can add pressure to the structure of your wall.

Foundation

Solid ground is essential for retaining wall installations. The type of soil is important, but compacting that soil firmly is also vital.

Wall Height

Retaining walls featuring greater heights will usually be harder to create than shorter ones. You may have to consult the code within your city if building a giant retaining wall.

Cut and Fill

Many retaining wall installations take place on a hill or slope. If you’re building in one of these areas – make sure you determine how much cut and fill will need to be taken or brought. Projects requiring cuts or fill are better suited for professionals, like Olathe landscape architects.

Olathe Retaining Wall Installation

If you have an Olathe retaining wall installation project forthcoming, you may want some professional help. If so, we’d love to hear from you at Huston Contracting, Inc.