Robert N Oelberg ASLA PA : Typical Landscape Design Packages & Fees

As a landscape architect I provide a variety of services, including:

Land Planning
Site Design
Grading Design
Commercial and Institutional landscape and hardscape design

This website is geared to the residential landscape design service I provide. What works best is an integrated service that is commonly known as 'Design-build' for those customers who know that they are ready to install their landscape with a contractor. ► MoreThat means that I'll have a close, integral relationship with a landscape contractor where your experience will be as if you are working with a single entity. I will be involved in the process from initial landscape concept to the finished construction. There is only one lump sum to include design, construction and installation, and there is one person who you can hold accountable for the whole process start to finish-myself. If you have a budget, I'll work with the contractor to create a plan that meets your budget, then you'll be able to hold us to it from start to finish. I still offer the same design services that are explained on the rest of this page, but the following references to time and billing are only for those instances where the owner will do his own installation, and is compensating me for design-only services.

Typically, projects require between (3) hours and (40) hours of my time in order to effectively communicate a design. Of these, most projects that I work on take (15) to (25) hours. Shortly after meeting you on site and understanding the scope of the project, I'll state a number of hours that I anticipate needing to complete the project. My hourly billing rate is $60. In the interest of mutually protecting my clients and myself, I now use a very short contract for all projects. Following are some typical project scenarios:

Scenario One

For (3) to (5) hours of my time, if a project is relatively small, I can meet with you once at your residence, understand your aspirations for your landscape, discuss possible landscape solutions, and arrive at a design solution with you. I'll need some time by myself on site to flesh out the proposal, then I'll place labeled wire flags in the ground where proposed trees and shrubs are to be planted. I'll spray the edge of beds, if any, and perhaps flag plantings to be removed. Then I'll provide you with a plant list that references the flags, a plant information sheet that gives you more information about the proposed plants, notes and details and plant photos.

This service is for new homes with a small landscape budget, or existing landscapes where you may want to enhance or makeover what's already there. For this and the following typical scope descriptions, you'll have what you need to guide your landscape project whether you:

Are a Do It Yourselfer;
Have a Favorite Landscape Contractor;
Put it out for competitive bidding.

Scenario Two

For (5) to (10) hours, again for relatively small projects, I can do everything listed immediately above, and provide you with (1) to (3) before and afters photo renderings, portraying what the landscape should look like three to five years after installation.

Scenario Three

For (10) to (40) hours (most of the projects I work on), I can meet with you two or three times, as needed, and produce a color rendered landscape plan, plant list, information sheet, notes and details, plant photos, and before and after photo renderings. Put a different way, the landscape plan takes a lot of time to prepare, but it's necessary for all but relatively small landscape projects.