Hire a Landscape Designer: What You Need to Know and Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Your Exteriors Expert

Rahim encourages clients to remain flexible throughout the course of the landscape design journey, but at the same time always acts as an advocate for their priorities expressed at the beginning of the project. “If a certain program or aesthetic has been paramount throughout the design process and there is a moment where they begin to question their previous decisions or wonder if they should introduce another element, we go through a few steps,” says Rahim. “First, a good designer listens to the concerns of their clients—even if the concerns seem out of left field, there is usually an embedded issue they are having that may suggest the design needs adjusting or clarifying.” From there, Rahim demonstrates how the revisions would affect the original design, budget, or goals. ”We try to incorporate adjustments that target the heart of their concerns that we have identified in step one,” she says.

Discuss your budget early on

Be candid when discussing the cost of a project with your landscape designer or architect. Always share your budget from the get-go so that you can kick off this professional relationship with ease and openness that can even spark a trusting, long-term collaboration for future landscape needs. “Sometimes clients withhold budget to test how much they can get, but then the design comes back as being much more than they anticipated and they forgo the entire project,” says Quincy Hammond, founder of AD PRO Directory landscape design firm Quincy Hammond Landscape Architect. If the budget is mentioned upfront, before plans are hatched, “a knowledgeable landscape architect can make informed, cost-effective suggestions on everything from the design perspective to strategies for implementation. There is nothing more heartbreaking for a passionate designer than to design something that never gets built.”

Be realistic

A vision is great, but it’s also important to think through the time and effort that will be required to execute it and stay flexible as you work with your landscape designer. As Houchard says, “Someone might say they want seasonal color, but they don’t necessarily want to be changing things out three times a year. Can you use perennials or flowering shrubs instead? Or maybe you love the idea of something formal, but you don’t want to pay to maintain acres of boxed hedges. Some of this is about maintenance, but this is also why the design process is so important.”

Look for good vibes

As you speak to potential landscape designers and landscape architects, use your instincts to help figure out if they’re a good match for you. Remember, depending on the scope of your project, you might be spending quite a bit of time with them. “Ask yourself, Do you feel comfortable around them? Are they someone that’s trustworthy? Is there a good connection between you—do you like them? If they’re overseeing the installation, they might be in your home for a month or more. So make sure you’re going to look forward to corresponding with them and not thinking, Uh-oh, why are they texting me again?” says Monji.