Landscaping is a complicated business. You might assume that a decent outdoor view only takes a little know-how and elbow grease. Yet dig a bit deeper and you’ll have to consider structural integrity, practical and efficient use of space, ease of maintenance, repairability, environmental impact materials, curb appeal, theme, elements, and much, much more. This is where the landscape architects come in.

Landscape architects are worth every penny you pay. They help you create beautiful outdoor spaces and home exteriors constructed with quality, sustainable materials; efficiently use the available space; suggest or maintain aesthetic themes; and ensure structural integrity. Overall, landscape architects increase your home’s curb appeal and your lot’s market value significantly.

Professional landscape architects can alter a home’s ambiance and raise the market value. They can play a crucial role in enhancing the aesthetic value, making a home ‘your home’. However, they can be overlooked as many have wrong assumptions about their capabilities.

What is a Landscape Architect?

According to the CSLA, or Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, landscape architects specialize in designing, planning, managing, and stewardship of the land. Landscape architects deal with almost every outdoor element, such as urban design, site planning, stormwater management, restoration, outdoor public spaces, green infrastructure design, and private or residential master planning and design. They aim to create environment-friendly, socially impactful, and aesthetically pleasing locations.

What do Landscape Architects Do?

Landscape architects are versatile experts who can tackle every kind of outdoor construction planning. Here’s a brief look at the most common services they provide:

  1. Site Analysis: A landscape architect can generate information regarding your lot. This includes geological and land surveys, soil tests, and environmental assessments.
  2. Legal Research: They can provide counsel on local construction laws and generate documents that can be submitted to the HOAs or local building departments.
  3. Conceptualization: Landscape architects can design exterior spaces, including flower beds, swimming pools, and patios. They can provide designs that consider complicated requests such as retaining walls and drainage systems.
  4. Creating Detailed Plans: Landscape architects can generate incredibly detailed plans that cover the most minute detail for contractors’ use.
  5. Selecting Materials and Plants: They can help you choose the correct materials for your exterior construction projects while prioritizing your preferences. They can also select plants to adorn your property with.
  6. Budgeting: A landscaping architect can research your project and provide a cost. They can develop a detailed budget that you can use to negotiate with contractors.

In addition, landscape architects can also work on other projects, such as strata landscaping and maintenance, spring planting, and deck paving.

Why Should You Hire a Landscape Architect?

A landscaping architect brings their insight, skill, and knowledge to the table and helps you understand the designing process so that you know what you’re paying for. A good landscaping architect will bring up subtler aspects of designing an exterior space that you won’t notice. Here are 9 reasons why you consult one:

  1. Handling Large Projects: Landscape architects can tackle large and complex construction projects and provide rapid feedback.
  2. Technical Knowledge: Landscape architects have comprehensive knowledge of outdoor space construction and understand construction techniques.
  3. Experience: They have experience in designing a wide array of outdoor spaces.
  4. Legal Processes: They have extensive knowledge of the laws and legalese of the areas they operate in. As a result, they can take care of any legal documentation they may have to procure.
  5. Preferences and Considerations: Landscape architects are able to accommodate your preferences in the project or present viable alternatives. They can alter their project plan if you have any qualms or requests.
  6. Aesthetic Sense: A landscape architect has a keen eye for detail. During consultations, they will take note of your choices and craft a theme for your lot. They can also suggest plants, statutes, artwork, or other elements to liven up the space.
  7. Environment-conscious: Landscape architects plan a project with the environmental impact in mind. They will ensure that carbon emissions and waste production remain low during the project construction. Landscape architects will also use materials that are environmentally friendly or biodegradable.
  8. Diverse Applications: Landscape architects don’t only specialize in large and complex urban constructions. They also take on smaller, custom projects such as deck paving, spring planting, garden redesigning, and more.
  9. Management: The biggest reason for hiring a landscaping architect is project management. They can form a plan for any construction project, find the relevant contractors and personnel, provide a realistic timeline and budget, and then execute the project accordingly.

Professional landscaping architects will consult you and provide proper feedback to enhance your vision for your property. They will handle every aspect of the project while constantly updating you. In essence, they will handle all the troubles and provide you with a better result than DIY efforts.

New Wave Earthworks: The Best Landscaping Services

New Wave Earthworks is a landscaping and construction company with a unique perspective on design and construction. We always communicate with you during every step of the planning and construction and listen to your ideas and suggestions. 

Our founders are incredibly skilled professionals with nearly a decade’s worth of experience, and they pay attention to every small detail. If you need expert service for any outdoor space projects in Greater Vancouver, Aldergrove, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and the Tri-Cities, you can rely on us. Call us at (604) 855-2603 today!

Conclusion

Landscape architects are essential for making the most of your space and enhancing its beauty. They can do the heavy lifting for you and handle the legal headaches. Most importantly, they listen to you and improve upon your project, procuring the perfect outcome you want. So, hiring a landscape architect is a good idea, no matter how big or small the project is.