Posts Tagged ‘Hardscape’

Quality Landscape Design

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Successful landscape projects require quality landscape designs. This is true whether you are building a simple flagstone patio or walkway or an extravagant porch addition, swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, or outdoor fireplace project. Landscape design is the process of unifying a range of factors including a family’s needs and desires, their budgets, natural elements of the property, and municipal building/zoning regulations. Plans are the landscape designer’s tool for expressing everything from the concepts of the designs to the layout and the construction details. A skilled, professional designer and a quality set of plans will make a project smoother from the permit process though to the finishing details.

The first step is to choose a designer. That choice revolves around a potential candidate’s education, experience, creativity and chemistry. Does the designer have an accredited degree in landscape architecture or a related degree? Does he have hands on experience with construction materials and techniques? Do examples of his work express a unique creativity in each project? Personal chemistry is critical since design is a process of working together as a team from start to finish. Projects can be long and stressful at points, but the right designer will help the whole project go smoothly.

Environmental Landscape Associates provides exceptional quality landscape design and landscape contractorsLandscape Design

Swimming Pools

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Swimming Pool and Outdoor Living SpacesWith summer around the corner, many homeowners are dreaming of a swimming pool. The first instinct is to call a pool company, but that may not lead to the best overall result. All too often we find ourselves called into a project after the swimming pool has been designed and contracted, only to have significant ideas that could make the project better but it is too late. The problem is that most pool contractors are only interested in selling a pool and are not trained to develop plans that create a unified and successful entire back yard landscape. For the best results, call a landscape architect or professional landscape designer first and develop a comprehensive plan for you back yard living spaces. You will most likely end up with a much better pool design as it relates to the entire property. Landscape architects and landscape designers will work with the pool contractor to develop the best pool design for your project, and they will incorporate that design into a comprehensive master landscape plan. Landscape architects will also be able to help you negotiate the best price for your people and consult about the pro’s and con’s of various pool builders. So if you are thinking about a pool, call Environmental Landscape Associates to design a comprehensive plan that will ensure the best results for your swimming pool and entire outdoor living space.

Landscape Permits

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Do I need a permit for my landscape construction project? That answer depends on the township and the project. You’ll generally never need a permit to put plants in the ground, but for most everything else you may need a permit depending on your townships requirements. I’ll be posting more about this over the years because it is a deep and complex issue in the industry and difficult for most homeowners to understand. The big picture is that if you are planning a significant hardscape project you will need a zoning level permit, often called a ‘minor grading permit’. That permit ensures the township that you are dealing with the grading in an appropriate way. Also, many townships will require on site storm water retention which is part of that permit process. Once that permit is approved, a variety of building permits may be required for everything from general construction to outdoor lighting. ELA has worked with many townships to get through the permit process successfully, and each one is different.