Large & Small Scale Site Master Planning (Design & Site Planning Services)
When Paradise designs develops a landscape design for a property, we are effectively planning all the various spaces in the landscape, hence the term "Master Planning". Whether the property is a small back yard garden, a hundred acre park, or anything in between, Paradise Designs will work with clients to achieve a Master Plan that meets all of their goals. A Master Plan will establish and describe the character of all the spaces and their relationships to each other. At the Master Plan level, spaces are defined and described by the shape, size, finish materials, and the elements found in or around them. Also included in the Master Plan are general planting concepts that reinforce the spaces around them.
At the Master Planning stage of design there is often much dialogue between Paradise Design and our clients to finesse the spaces of the Master Plan to meet specific goals, so the design goes through revisions. For this reason, elements such as the detail design and specific planting design are addressed in the next phase of design, Construction Documentation, after the Master Plan has been fully approved by our client. The final Master Plan is an illustrative, rendered drawing that serves as the framework for the upcoming construction documentation phase.
Detailed Construction Cost Estimating
Paradise Designs uses bids from past construction projects to project the construction cost for current and future projects as accurately as possible. The cost projection is used to check that a design is within a client's budget range, or to help establish construction phases that fall within that budget. A ballpark cost projections can be prepared with the completion of the Master Plan. A more detailed and specific cost projection can be prepared after construction documents are finished and all materials and finishes are known.
Paradise Designs can complete permit drawings and applications to secure permits necessary for the completion of a landscape project. Depending on the location and scope of the project, permits that may be required include SEPA, Tree Removal, Right Of Way Use, Building/Construction, Grading, or Land Use Review.
Construction documents are the technical drawings that are given to a contractor for use in bidding and construction. They transform the illustrative Master Plan into a how-to set of documents that provides the necessary information to build the elements of the design so the end result looks like the vision established by the Master Plan. A typical construction document set often includes the following drawings:
Demolition Plan - defines existing site conditions that are to be removed or protected.
Layout Plan - tells a contractor what to build and where.
Grading and Drainage Plan - provides a contractor with finish grades and elevations, and methods to deal with surface water and drainage.
Planting Plan - the planting design for a project is done after master planning is complete and landscape spaces are clearly defined. The design is always site specific and tailored to meet our clients' styles and goals.
Lighting Plan - the lighting design is often done after the planting design is complete to highlight specific planting and to accommodate plant locations
Construction Details - details define the way landscape elements are built or installed by specifying materials and construction methods all the way down to the nuts and bolts used.
Once construction drawings are complete, Paradise Designs guides our clients through the bid process to get the best construction value for their money. Based on past performance and experience, we will recommend qualified contractors to ask for competitive bids to install the project. Sometimes a contractor we haven't worked with comes highly recommended by a client or other reference. If we are unfamiliar with their work, we will meet with them to see if they are suited for a project. Once bids are returned, we compile the bids and review them with our client to select the contractor that is best for their project, based on a number of criteria. We will also negotiate construction costs with a select contractor, bypassing the bidding process.
Paradise Designs involvement doesn't end when drawings are completed and given to a landscape contractor. Throughout the duration of construction, Paradise Designs staff monitors the progress of the construction with frequent site visits. If a contractor encounters something unexpected during construction, we will work with them to provide an appropriate solution to our client. We also use our time at the construction site to assess the contractor's work, and make sure that the landscape design is being built per our drawings and specifications, and up to our clients' standards and expectations.