Have you been given the wrong advice?

Is it possible you have been given the wrong advice?

Fact, opinion, viewpoint, how do you know you are getting the right advice?

Interestingly, when I ask Google, "How do you know you are getting the right advice", no AI answer came up!

Really, it all comes down to your judgment.

I think we can do better than rely on the Hunger Games phrase, "May the odds forever be in your favour" 

Where does Good advice come from

This time, when I asked Google, it did come up with something I agree on:

Using the above, what I offer you is 'experience'.

Over 30 years in the landscaping industry have taught me many lessons, and I continue to learn. I have gathered through hindsight a wealth of experience. I have a passion for helping others avoid going down paths that either not the best way to achieve something, or worse, lead to disaster. This is why my blogs are called Insights.

So today, I want an honest look at my industry and see if I can share something with you that leads you on the best path possible to creating a garden you love.

Let's start with design

Over the years, while beginning conversations with people looking to engage our services, I have heard on several occasions, "How do I know your designer won't run away with what they like designing, and I end up with a design I don't like?" - This fear is valid. I have met designers who have, well, 'tickets on themselves'.

When you meet a designer, there are questions you can ask to see how they will conduct themselves while working with you.

"What happens if I don't like an idea you come up with?"

"Can I send you images of what I'd like to see in my design?"

"Can I mix up cottage-style planting with native?"

Watch for the reaction you get and how comfortable they are in answering the question. If you get something like, "Well, er, there is some flexibility, but ultimately you are engaging me to create an amazing garden for you, so trust the process," - alarm bells should be ringing.

There are two types of reasons you choose a particular designer: one is that you want someone to help you create the vision you have and expand on that vision. nd secondly, you choose a designer because they do a particular style, and that is what you want. If the latter, then you may want to involve yourself less and just allow them to create another in the style you like, for you.

I once asked a client why she chose me, and she said, "You listen." So I asked, "What do you mean?" She said, "I interviewed two others, and when I said I didn't like something they suggested, they began to tell me why I had to have it. But when I asked you, you gave a different suggestion." - I will note here so you know my 'opinion', I think a garden that is created that is true to the personality of the client, is one they will resonate with the most. So, that's why we Ask-Listen-Suggest, so we create something personal.

All designers are much of a muchness

As designers, part of our job is to sell. Yes, we sell to you!

When I tell a prospective client, "We would love to work with you. How about we get started?" I am selling you on us designing with you. In selling, you put your best argument forward on why you should be chosen.

But don't let charm be the guiding factor of why you engage someone. All designers are not the same. When someone says, "I can create your ideal garden", get proof!

Part of getting the right advice is seeing the proof. Can the designer show you an example of their designs for a project with similar complexity to yours? Can the designer show you projects that have actually been built from their designs? Can they explain how they know how to help guide you on your landscaping budget as you go through the design process? Can they share a past client who can verify what has been said?

There are many other Insights on the website you can read, so you know what is important to understand.

Look at who is advising you

I have often heard from a prospective client, "Oh no, we don't need a building permit for decking."  When you hear someone advise you on something like, "You don't need a building permit for a deck under 20m2" - Ask them, "Where could I source that in writing?" That's when you will see a different tune being played.

If someone says to you, "You can build anything you like outside of the easement area; no permit is required", call the council and ask them for information on this; you'll be told that the information is wrong by the way.

Or one of my worst pool situations was when, the pool builder told the owner, "Oh it's totally fine to install the pool now, the landscaping won't be affected" I told the client who were designing for and about to go to landscaping contract, that he was lying to them, but they didn't listen and the pool was not only 700mm out of where the design stated, all the pool pipes ran where a set of steel arbors were supoised to go and now couldn't. The moral is, align your trades and don't listen to just one.

misinformation online

Online misinformation is everywhere. See the following example:

Just to buy the average timber decking boards is around $100-120/m2. Then you need stumps, screws, bearers and joists, concrete, and let's not forget labour and waste and clean up costs. 

Then, as mentioned earlier, you will likely need a building surveyor at approximately $2500. You will need a draftsman or landscape designer to create the drawings for the building surveyor. And you may even need an engineer. So $320+ is not achievable even remotely.

We all dislike being 'sold to' in this way with unachievable costs. It's like advertising a price without GST. Are you allowed to buy it without GST? If not, then why advertise it that way! Because they are trying to entice you.

Be careful where your advice is coming from. This even includes a pool company that has you sign a contract with lots of unknowns. You can suddenly find yourself paying a whole lot more for the gas run, engineering, etc.

Learn to ask, "What other costs could come up as we move forward?"

summary

Experience cannot be replaced. Make sure you are gathering information from reliable sources based on experience. Read more Insights to gather a better understanding that will aid you in making the right choices.

Thanks for reading!