Hardscape Plans: How to maximize value in the outdoor space

So you are considering a backyard construction project that will improve the quality

of life for you and your family. Perhaps you are planning a new addition, a custom

pool, stone terrace with fire pit or full appliance outdoor kitchen in the back yard.

You’ve talked to neighbors, friends and relatives to gauge their experiences with

their pool or patio and you may have even started an image folder on pinterest.com

or houzz.com with photos of projects and materials you love. Where do you go from

here?

One of the first questions I ask my clients who are considering an outdoor project is

what their budget is. It is important at the outset of a design project for me, as the

designer, to design a project with layouts and material choices that work within a

client’s budget. Often a simple change of materials can have a large impact on

budget much like a kitchen makeover and choosing between standardized cabinetry

from Home Depot or custom built cabinetry using an exotic material. Often a

decision to replace a stone retaining wall with a sloped planting bed or rustic

boulder wall can save thousands off the budget. My goal is to maximize the value

of the outdoor space given my client’s budget.

When you consider the investment costs of tearing up your yard and living through

weeks of construction, never mind the monetary cost of such an ambitious project, it

is imperative that you have a clear process for decision making and a road map to

complete the project on schedule and on budget. There are many variables that

impact schedule and budget including contractor schedules, material selection,

access to site, permitting, weather and even unforeseen issues uncovered during

construction. The hardscape landscape plan is the foundation for each of these

factors and the quality of such a plan will impact the final results.

What exactly is a hardscape plan? Hardscape plans are drawings, usually scaled two

dimensional drawings that detail hard surfaces such as architecture, driveways,

walkways, stairways, patios, retaining walls, courts, play spaces, sheds, pools,

cabanas, outdoor kitchens, decks, pergolas, etc. Elevation drawings, showing the

side view of the above features allows both clients and installers a clear

understanding of the aesthetic and structural design and provides building

inspectors with confidence to issue a permit for such as structure. Hardscape plans

include pitch for water drainage, dimensions for patio spaces, heights of walls and

countertops, etc. I always incorporate scaled furniture into the outdoor spaces so

that my clients can visualize the circulation spaces once the patio or pool deck has

dining tables, lounge chairs and bar stools.

Hardscape plans start with a base plot plan of a client’s house and property.

Building offsets, existing large trees, septic systems, driveways and topographic

elevations are often included on plot plans. These features are incorporated into my

CAD drawing as a base onto which I draw additional outdoor spaces and features.

After much conversation with clients, I am able to take their vision and enhance it

with design principles that result in 2-3 design concepts that vary in scope, budget

and design aesthetic. This allows my clients to be part of the design process and

choose which elements of the concepts they like or don’t like. Through this iterative

process, we work toward a detailed drawing layout that reflects my clients’ needs

while meeting my parameters for proper functionality, build quality, permitting

requirements and excellent aesthetic design.

These plans also create the dimensioned and material specifications required for

accurate construction estimates. Landscape contractors, mason, carpenters and

pool companies do not have to guess at what they are building. Each contractor can

better understand how their specific role impacts the other contractors and

efficiency can be maximized.

This process of creating and utilizing hardscape plans adds much value to the

decision making process between designer and client, the budgeting process

between contractor and client, the construction process and schedule between

contractor, permitting agency and client. No two plans are alike as each hardscape

plan is as individual as the needs of a client for a specific site. To schedule a no-cost

initial consultation to discuss your outdoor project call us at (978)828-5962.