Design Process

Our Landscape Design and Construction Process

At By Design Landscape Architects, we have a three-phase, tried and tested landscape design and construction process that includes pre-design clarity, design & documentation, and construction.

We use this process to ensure you get a garden that is not only truly unique, but also matches your requirements, tastes, and future needs. Our process also ensures you are fully informed throughout. You will have complete oversight over costs, too, and you will get to approve every stage before the project moves on.

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Our Design Process

Take away the confusion with our pathway to a great design.
Here are some of the services we offer at each phase of the process.

Step 1

Pre-Design Clarity

So… we spend a little more time on the research.

Our “Needs and Options Review” will give you clarity with your pre design planning for the project.

This entails meeting with you and discussing your goals in person at the site, and doing some preliminary research to determine any roadblocks and constraints.

We then supply a report that complies the discussions, the research, indicative costs and includes preliminary design suggestions about how to proceed.

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Step 2

Design + Documentation

Find a fresh direction with our Landscape Concept design and consultation.

We get how overwhelming it is to visualize you perfect garden. We offer 3D views, images boards & material samples.

Do you have a complex project, where you need a design for Resource consent. Or a swimming pool design, requiring building consent applications to be processed with council.

Having worked through the concept design our Detail Design & documentation phase; is where we provide:

  • Planting plans
  • Outdoor lighting
  • Irrigation plans
  • Setting out plans
  • Key details of structural elements
  • Schedule of works
  • Preliminary Pricing

We will ensure you have all the drawings & information for the accurate quoting and the build phase.

At By Design we enjoy working collaboratively with our clients and their design teams on new builds. The best results come from early involvement.

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Step 3

Construction

Once you approve your master plan & construction documentation. We offer project management to complete your build.

We obtain quotes, coordinate with our trusted contractors, oversee works on site, liaise between contractors and you the client to ensure your build runs smoothly.

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Frequently Asked questions

We are here to help

Pre Design
We offer some free resources; Vision Finder, Project Planning Pack, Dream Team directory which are a great starting point. If you can have ready a property file which can be ordered on a CD from the council. The minimum requirement will be site plans, floor plans, drainage plans. We can also guide you on obtaining a topographic survey for more complex sites.
If you are undertaking a new build, we find a collaborative approach with your architect to be the ideal. When pools are required, the earlier we can input into the design the better.
This is the first step in our process, this free 30-minute consultation Zoom call will enable us to understand your requirements, and time frames to see if we are a good fit. After this consultation if we decide to proceed we will arrange a Design Discovery Meeting on site where we will walk the garden together, and explore deeper the opportunities and constraints.
At this site meeting we walk your garden together and discuss all the areas and your potential design brief. We identify opportunities and constraints, discuss the brief, who will be using the garden, how you would like to feel within this garden space once its developed. At the end of this meeting if we are good fit, we will offer the next step the Needs and Option Review. The fee for this site consultation meeting is $160 + GST.
If you’re not a designer, and you “don’t know what your don’t know”, hiring a professional is the best step. At By Design we like to establish the ground work for the project to start with rather than launch people into a design service without establishing a firm basis for the design decision making, or worse launch into an expensive design which didn’t fit an initial budget scope.

“Sort of like how a surgeon would never operate without doing a proper diagnosis first”.

So… we spend a little more time on the research than most other firms, who may rush their clients into the design phase. Our “Needs and Options Review” will give you clarity with your pre design planning for the project. This entails meeting with you and discussing your goals in person at the site, and doing some preliminary research to determine any roadblocks and constraints.

We then supply a report that complies the discussions, the research, indicative costs and includes preliminary suggestions about how to proceed. Our proposed fee and project timelines will be given. For more information about a Needs and Option Review contact us.
Design
If you feel there are some complexities to overcome or span of project far beyond the normal scope of design and soft scape you likely need the steady hand of a landscape architect.

Because “the design of the exterior space has a huge impact on the feel and utility of a building, adding or detracting from the design“ [ wise geek; spreading roomers ] the Landscape Architects primary role is to:

  • design your outdoor space by also taking into account the current structure or layout
  • seek solutions around irregular landscape like steep slopes,
  • design additional landscape structures to either support the design overall or reinvent it’s use,
  • solve elevation issues,
  • assess all water elements and water management systems, like irrigation and drainage,
  • assess the environmental impacts & create solutions to implement greater benefits,
  • assess soil conditions or existing factors that may be impacting the quality of soil.
  • Coordinate with a design team, contractors, client team to bring it from “Vision onto reality”.
We are a full-service bespoke landscape design studio. Prices range between $2000-$4000 for landscape design services for smaller projects. Larger projects with more structural layouts and complex design elements require a higher level of service and fee.

The level of detail design services required can vary. The pool design process requires specific drawings for council consent. We will give you a full break down and quote in your Needs and Option Review. This informative stage in Pre design is there so clients can understand the opportunities and constraints of their site, our design fee, anticipated budget for their project, and the time fames before they sign up for a design.

“I believe that landscaping should be an exciting and rewarding process for all involved and that through attention to detail, honest communication and well considered design, each project has the potential to bring joy, timeless style and innovative functionality.”
Landscape design as are currently taking around 5 weeks to create, from completing of our pre-design analysis.
Yes, we do pool design. We work collaboratively with pool builders in both concrete and fiberglass (drop in pools). Depending on your needs we can help you decide the build approach best suited to your budget and site. We can complete all the necessary pool consent application drawings and process these through council for you. If your thinking of a pool allow 3-4 months to get the design and building consent process completed.
Yes, we have experience in designing for larger scale projects. We enjoy these projects and the complexities that need to be considered. We can help you with create a stunning garden in a one stage build approach or as a number of stages.
If no structural elements need to be redesigned and you feel confident to carry out the work yourself, however you don’t want to get it wrong and purchase the wrong plants. We can help you with that. If you “just what to know what to plant where and have it look good” We can plan, source and deliver the plants to your project in stages (if required), help with plant placement. You can enjoy the planting work getting your hands in the soil, knowing the garden is going to survive and thrive. Or we can also introduce you to one of our trusted landscape contractors to get it planted.
Construction
By Design is a bespoke Landscape design studio, to get our projects built we team up with our trusted Landscape contractors and pool builders, and associated professions. We offer project management services to oversee the tendering and construction process for you. The level of this services can vary but we find the best results can be found when we are engaged from concept design through to maintenance programming.
At By Design we can take all the hassle out of visiting a number of nurseries, saving you time and money. We source from trade nurseries throughout the north island. We will quote for supply and delivery of plants and fertilisers. We offer a plant placement services if you require this, so clients can feel confident the plants are positioned at the correct spacing apart and will look amazing when established.
Enjoying your landscape and vibrant outdoor entertainment spaces well into the evening is paramount. We offer landscape lighting plans and team up with suppliers to bring the magic.
Maintenance
Normally it take 2-3 years before the garden will look full and lush. It depends a little on the budget and grade of plants we buy at the implementation stage.
We can provide you with a yearly maintenance schedule. A garden is very much an evolving natural thing and it will require some regular attention. We recommend to our garden design clients that they get their new garden cared for by a maintenance gardener if they don’t have the time or skills. People underestimate the beauty of maintaining a garden. We have seen many a non-garden develop and learn to love seeing their gardens move through the seasons.
Design Discovery Call

Have you got a garden in need of modernisation or even a blank canvas but you don’t know where to start?

Start here and take the first step.
Request a free “Design Discovery Call” with Auckland Landscape Architect,

Jane McGuffie from By Design.

    After our call, you'll walk away with:
    • Clear steps on the design process and how to get your project started.
    • Information on our Needs and Option Review
    • Peace of mind knowing your on the right track.

    Jane was faced a difficult task, however she remained persistent to create a design that we would love” We can’t wait for summer. Jane recommended our landscaper and we are also thrilled with the job that he has done. The whole process from start to finish was easy. Thank you Jane, we love our garden.
    Simon H.

    By Design