Landscape Install

[CFD192]

Here is what I have....I have a lady who wants her yard completly redone and uodated. I have a few ideas of what to do. I was wondering if someone had a few common questions to ask the home owner. Do you have certain questions to ask them or not. We asked her if she had any ideas of what she wanted done and she said, " she was kind of leaving that up to us." So with that I was wondering if you hardcore landscapers out there have any common questions you ask on every landscape install? I have done a few smaller jobs and most of the time the customer already knew what they wanted. I just would like to have a few questions to take with me when we meet to go over yard to ask her. So that way, I don't forget something I should have asked about. This job is a big job and I don't want to sound like a fool. Thanks!

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Right now it seems you have a wide open starting point. Do you have any idea in what direction your customer wants to take this? When she says re-done, does she mean new sod, new trees, a patio, landscape lighting? Are there certain goals she is looking to achieve? What would she like to do with her yard? Does she have any photos or website images she has seen that she would like re-created on her yard?

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[CFD192]

all she told me in our phone conversation was "back yard needs some plants or color of some kind." she has a few trees in front and back yard and says they need something done to them, and front yard needs updated. Attached is a photo of property which has plenty of landscaping just not proportional to house in my view!

[cruzgardening]

Originally Posted by CFD192

Here is what I have....I have a lady who wants her yard completly redone and uodated. I have a few ideas of what to do. I was wondering if someone had a few common questions to ask the home owner. Do you have certain questions to ask them or not. We asked her if she had any ideas of what she wanted done and she said, " she was kind of leaving that up to us." So with that I was wondering if you hardcore landscapers out there have any common questions you ask on every landscape install? I have done a few smaller jobs and most of the time the customer already knew what they wanted. I just would like to have a few questions to take with me when we meet to go over yard to ask her. So that way, I don't forget something I should have asked about. This job is a big job and I don't want to sound like a fool. Thanks!

you need to look at the architecture and show her a couple of plans and see which one she likes, I do minor landscape jobs but i do Garden design i take pictures and i have a program called Realtime Landscaping which is really good i can create a quik design and show it to my clients before we install anything. think about what kind of clors your clients likes, what plants they arleady have and what look they might be going for.

i would ask what mood they want to get when they step outside, in the front i think she wants her Landscape to actually be more attractive... from what i see the front is rather monotonous and im sure she will like it to be more vivid or lively you can add a nice curvy walkway and borders on the side also borders close tot eh side walk but up to the client.

if you don't have a program or can't draw show her pictures and tell her which one she likes the best and go from there...

[Steve]

You might want to take a picture of the backyard and then go to your local nursery and look for some plants that would add color to it. Could you then use photoshop and edit the photo to put in some pics of trees or flowers or bushes?

Even if you hand drew it, that might be a great way to experiment with.

you need to look at the architecture and show her a couple of plans and see which one she likes

When you show the client a bunch of designs, do they ever just go with one of them or do you find they use it more as a starting point and then look to add or subtract items from the design and go from there?

[bruces]

the first question to ask is whats the budget ,spending hours dreaming up a fantastic yard will do you no good if she doesnt have the scratch to do it .