Are you planning to landscape your garden but have been thinking about doing the work in stages to save money now? Are your plans bigger than your budget and you're wondering if you could spread the project out over time to make it more affordable? Would you like to know how this could affect overall costs and if it would have any impact on the outcome?
With more than 30 years and over 550 projects under our belt we've designed and constructed every kind of garden all over Melbourne & the Mornington Peninsula. And we've certainly done our fair share of projects that have been completed in stages. (Sometimes due to budget. Sometimes due to other factors.)
This article will take you through the pros and cons of staging your landscaping project.
We have to say upfront that staging a landscaping project is not the ideal way to go about it. While it's almost always better to complete a project in one go, it is possible to do it in stages.
Some garden projects lend themselves to being done in stages. But some do not.
Clearly for example you would never install a swimming pool and then wait 2 years to build a deck or paved area around it. That just wouldn't work.
But you could, for example install the pool and build the deck or paved area but leave the lawn, paving and garden beds for another year. You can always put down a temporary gravel path for example and then pave it properly later. There are little tricks like this.
How to stage a landscaping project for budget reasons
Let's say this is your scenario.
You approach a landscape designer to design your dream garden. They give you a design you absolutely fall in love with. But when you get the quote from the landscaper to build it, you fall off your chair at the cost. It's just way over your budget. But you still love the design and can't let go of your chance to build your dream garden. It's what you've always wanted but you wonder how to make it possible.
Your first step should be to talk to the landscaper (not the designer) as the landscaper is the one who is going to make your garden come to life.
Start by explaining your situation to them. Sit down with the design and the landscapers quote and ask them if there are any ways to make it possible.
(If, by chance, your garden design was done by us, this will be easier as we are an integrated landscape design and construction company so you are in effect talking to both the designer and the landscaper.)
You should first establish your CURRENT budget and by how much the quote exceeds it. Ask the landscaper for their suggestions.
One thing they might suggest is this. If the project is for landscaping an entire existing garden in both front and back, they might suggest doing one first and the other later.
Now while you might love to do the front garden first, the reality is it's usually better to do the back garden first as you don't want to get the front garden looking great then have to trample gear and equipment all over it to construct the back garden. So do the back first and leave the existing front garden as it is for year or two, until you can get access to more budget.
Another way to approach the project might be to first consider what aspects of it would be difficult to do later. For example the retaining walls will cost $40,000. There is a paved area in front of it. Now you couldn't lay down the concrete and the paving and say you'll do the retaining walls later because then you have to run a bobcat over the paving and that would destroy it. For example you could put in the retaining walls and pour the concrete paving base but leave the paving for later. (Paving can be very expensive but concrete is hardy and will wear well until you get the time and money to lay the paving on top.)
Other ways to save costs by staging the project would be to look at things like planting, irrigation and lighting etc. You can install these after the main landscaping works are done, so long as you plan in advance for them. For example you would need to ensure you laid a pipe under any concreted area, like a paved area or driveway so that irrigation pipes can be put through them to lead back to the main controller.
Allowances can also be made in advance for lighting systems.
An unplanted garden might look a bit unattractive for a year or two but it can save you a lot to leave it fallow like this for a while.
Bottom line is that a good landscaper should be able to work with you to explore whether you can stage a project by leaving out some elements in the first stage.
If they really can't they will be honest with you and explain what is and isn't possible.
Making compromises with your landscaping budget
It's important to understand that during the process of separating your project into stages, your landscaper will have to submit new costings to you. This may entail some to and froing on your behalf as you decide, "Oh no, I really want the pond in at Stage 1, can you please add that back in". Or "OK, OK, we can leave the pergola for now and do that later."
Alternatively, this might happen to you when staging a landscaping project:
You started with a dream garden in mind and were given a design to realise that dream. You find yourself reluctantly doing it in stages to accommodate your budget. But as the landscaping works get contracted and work commences, you may start getting excited as you see things coming together. Maybe a little voice in the back of your head starts saying "Hmm, maybe I could find the money to...." It's funny how we can find solutions when our passion and emotion take over us.
Finding the money can also come about in stages, in other ways. For example, we recently undertook a landscaping project in Hawthorn for a lovely client who had just renovated her home.
Originally we presented a $350,000 quotation. She said it was too much so she took some aspects out and ended up signing a contract for $280,000. As the project evolved there were about 15 variations that ended up occurring. (A variation is a change to a contract that adds extra cost and must be approved by the client in writing in advance before proceeding.) Some of these variations were for issues that arose in the job but most of them were for things that the client actually wanted to add back in as she felt they were important. In the end, the job cost her the original $350,000. But she was absolutely delighted with her garden, and glad she found the extra money to get those important extras done.
If you do have any way to avoid staging a project, it's best if you can do that. Trying to stage a project once it's already commenced is very messy and can end up costing you more. Better if you have to stay firm on your budget, it's better to do so and work with the landscaper to only include what can be done for it.
Will it cost more to landscape in stages?
While it can save you some money NOW to stage a landscaping project it is isn't as simple as cutting the project and budget in half. I.e. 50% now and 50% later
When you do stage a project, there are some unavoidable costs that will mean the two "halves" of the project will end up costing more by doing them separately than if you had done all the work at the same time.
Warranty insurance is a good example where each "half" of the project requires its own warranty insurance to be taken out, therefore you're paying for it twice.
Admin costs are another item that get factored into contracts and will cost more in two 'halves'. Paperwork for big and medium sized projects can be around the same to do.
Delivery costs to site when they need to happen twice instead of once are doubled. Also delivering and picking up a skip to take away all the construction rubble after the work is done, is also doubled.
So beware of thinking that staging a project is a simple task of cutting the quote in two clean slices. There will always be complications and unexpected extras.
If you are aware of this and despite these additional costs you want to proceed with staging then it is an option to discuss with your landscaper.
How rising costs may affect staging
Sadly the years of low inflation seem to be over. We are all getting used to rising costs of living.
And this applies to materials and labour for landscaping projects. They are definitely on the rise too.
As are some other things, such as warranty insurance, which jumped a massive 43% in one go in recent years.
So if you are considering staging a landscaping project over say a 2 year period you will need to factor in a likely price rise on the second half of the project.
Your landscaper's quote is generally only valid for 30 days anyway so Stage 2 will need to be re-quoted when the time comes to do it.
The bottom line is that if you delay the second half of a project that is currently costed at $150k, it might jump to as high as $200k by the time you are ready to go in 3 years time. You might want to consider this against the possibly smaller extra cost of borrowing additional money now to get the project all done in one go.
How to make small compromises that might still give you your dream garden
Another alternative to feeling like you are being forced into staging your dream garden project is to keep your overall design concept but look for alternative ways to execute it. You can do this by using alternative materials or methods.
This way you can still have your dream garden but it can be made more affordable.
For example, could you swap out that more expensive concrete pool for a more affordable fibreglass one? Could you look at a deck instead of a paved area or vice versa? Could you live without the pergola?
Or for your paved areas, could you consider swapping out paving for exposed aggregate concrete? It's 3-4 times cheaper than paving. Could the garden path be gravel instead of paved?
Could you look at different ways of doing your outdoor kitchen that makes it more affordable.
Ultimately if you can sit down with your landscaper/designer and ask them for suggestions on how to make things more affordable you might come up with solutions to keep your dream garden alive. A good landscaper should work with you to help you achieve your goals.
How the relationship between designer and landscaper can influence things
If you are considering engaging a separate landscape designer and landscape construction company, be aware that the two may not have a close working relationship.
Your designer might simply recommend or refer you to a landscaper they know but may not have worked with a lot before. Or in some cases their operating basis may be to simply put their designs out to tender or engage contractors to build them, which is even less likely to form a close relationship.
But at Whyte Gardens we are both a design and landscaping company. What this means is that our designers work closely with our landscaping crew every day. They have done so for years. Each has a good understanding of what the other does.
What this means is that our designers are more aware of the costs of landscaping, including many key design elements, than a landscape designer who works solo might be.
What that means is one of our designers can easily query a potential cost of an element before they add it to a design. With a designer who works in isolation, they often have to finish designing the project and hand it over to a landscaper for quoting before they know the real cost of what they have designed for you.
Naturally this can lead to upsets for clients who might feel they have been misled somewhat in the process.
When you engage an integrated landscape design and construction company, this is less likely to happen, meaning you are more likely to end up with a design that more closes matches your budget.
Achieving your goal of a dream garden
Like anything in life that is worthwhile, there can sometimes be challenges along the way to achieving it. One of those can be budget.
Splitting your landscaping project into stages can sometimes be a solution to budget issues. But you need to be aware of the costs and the challenges you might encounter along the way. Always best to go into something with open eyes on the pros and cons of it.
The key is to keep looking for solutions. If you have a determination to achieve your dream garden and a willingness to push ahead until you find those solutions, you may yet end up with the garden you always dreamed of.
In such cases it's important to find a partner willing to work with you to find those solutions. At Whyte Gardens we have decades of experience at helping people realise their dreams. Our integrated design and construction model allows us to be more practical in helping you find a way to make your dream garden become a reality.
In the end what we want the most is to help you create a garden that brings you true joy and happiness.
You might also find these articles helpful in assisting you to understand budgeting challenges associated with landscaping.
Additional articles covering costs of Landscape Design and Construction in Melbourne...
How to calculate an accurate budget for landscaping
How to compare quotes from different landscapers
How much will it cost to get my new garden landscaped?
Always remember that if you have any further questions in regards to any aspect of landscape design or construction you can always reach out to me personally by phone or email. I will be more than happy to answer them for you.
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