Garden Design Approach & Approximate Costs

"Building better gardens by design"

De Coutances, design and build gardens mainly in the south-west of the United Kingdom, between Newbury and Bristol..

We offer professional garden design for any size of garden or landscape from small town courtyard areas to country house grounds within the British Isles or Continental Europe.

Our main construction operating areas cover North Wiltshire, Bristol and South Gloucestershire but we are able to consider other areas depending upon the particular project.

Our team design in landscape styles to suit the desired use and lifestyle of the owners. This is blended in with the character of each individual property and its environment. Interior design is sometimes incorporated to provide a unique spatial blend for the whole area.

We include a broad range of traditional and modern materials, concepts and construction ideas. This ensures that we create the right atmosphere for each client's property.

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DESIGN SERVICE RATES FOR 2007/8

We offer an initial 45 to 60 minute consultancy meeting to discuss your needs.

Landscape & Building Consultancy, Measurement and Surveying Garden & Architectural Designing / Specification / Supervision on site.

Drawings: -Sketch Views, Outline, Layout, Details, L.A. Planning Apps., Planting Plans and Lists

Relevant Fees up to pre-agreed maximum limits plus travelling mileage depending upon project type and complexity.

At the initial meeting: -

We listen and take notes of our clients ideas and preferences along with any illustrations they may have from books or magazines. To have a good idea of the intended use for the area under review such as access to elderly people, child friendliness, pets, water features, seating requirements and position, other features such as spa pools, internal and external vistas or views that will be blocked or retained, windbreaks, shelter, shade, planting and colour preferences etc.

If you are happy to proceed with our services to carry out the garden design, survey, advice, planting scheme or planning work, then we will also agree a top limit for any agreed design work. This means that there are no unexpected shocks for our clients and this fee becomes due upon completion of the agreed design process. These points will be confirmed in a design agreement letter after the meeting. A client is in a position to withdraw from this full agreement up to our starting to survey the site.

After the initial meeting the main design fee usually covers the following: -

To accurately measure and take height levels of the area of the site.

Draw up the site survey and produce an initial scheme based upon the ideas put forward at the initial meeting. A three dimensional sketch may be included to indicate specific shapes or heights for clarification. (About 3 weeks to create)

To discuss any amendments to the outline scheme and to work these into a full design project with layout plan and relevant sections ready for pricing by ourselves or another landscaping contractor.

To provide two sets of final drawings to the client for their use.

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Additional Fee Work:

The preparation of greater detail drawings for electrical lighting and irrigation schemes, manufacturing specific items of sculpture, wrought ironwork, planters, wall relief's, stairways, balustrading and steps, screens and arbours, planting plans and plant schedules is normally additional to the main design brief but may be partially included if we are appointed the contracting company. The design of buildings and structures with planning or building regulation applications, liaising with regulatory bodies, supervision of contracts.

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A Planting Schedule sample may be viewed by clicking here.

Our Personal Selection & Collection for inclusion into scheme of:

Statuary / Objets D'art / Trees / Plants / Pool Equipment / Rockery Stone, Planters and other specific items.

Hourly Rates of Principal Designer (up to pre-agreed maximum limits) plus travelling mileage.

Photocopies: 15p per A4 sheet, 30p / A3 sheet. Dyeline & Colour at cost plus 30%.

A quick note about Garden Construction Costs.

We are regularly asked how much a particular project will cost our clients. This is never an easy question to answer as much depends upon the amount of materials and time that we think will be involved. Until the site has been surveyed and a set of new scaled design drawings made an accurate value is not possible.

What we recommend is that our clients consider a few key value indicators when thinking about the expense of a new garden.

1. How much is your home's current market value. If you spent 5-10% of that value your property's saleability is likely to increase as well as the expected market value.

2. How much will you spend on a new car? £15000 - £20,000? As soon as you drive it away you lose about 30% off the value in depreciation. A garden appreciates both in value and enjoyment over at least five to ten years.

3. Will you still be at your present address in 7 years time? A well planned garden, as with a great kitchen and bathroom will help sell your house if you decide to move.

4. We firmly believe that in life you generally get what you pay for. Our workers are conscientious and put a lot of effort into creating your garden to the highest standard possible. We take pride in the outcome.

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Landscaping Contracts Labour Rates (Unless Otherwise Agreed):

Trade Persons: -

Digger / Machine Operators / Carpentry / Joinery / Electrical / Plumbing.

Block, brick, stone or slab paving / walling

Pond, Water Feature & Rockery Construction work.

£P.O.A. per man-day.

Labourers / Trainees and Improvers: -

Digging out / footings / preparation for and laying turf / rotovating / concreting / paths other than blocks or slabs / fencing / planting / plus all general site work and assistance.

£P.O.A. per man-day.

Unloading of materials, waiting time and cleaning up will be charged pro-rata at the Semi-Skilled Rate in minimum 15-minute blocks. Daily Travelling to site time is included one-way. Overtime rate 1.5 times.

Client supplied materials:

Waiting time due to non-availability of client-arranged essential materials or services will be charged per man-hour. In excess of 2 actual hours wasted/lost time on site due to non-availability of client-arranged materials or equipment will be charged at a minimum half day man rate (4 Hrs) for each part day lost. This applies when we have committed to a full day on site and are unable to carry out work as agreed for reasons caused by lack of materials and not due to inclement weather, force majeur or other reasons beyond our control.

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On Site Amendments to Agreed Drawings and Specification:

Any alteration to the specified design layout, construction details or methods that involves additional work and/or materials will be charged as extra to the contract at the appropriate labour rates (verified from employee timesheets) plus materials, (when De Coutances supply the materials).

Any additional tasks or projects to the original agreed design layout and specification will be charged as extra to the contract at the appropriate labour rates (verified from employee timesheets) plus materials, (when De Coutances supply the materials). We are pleased to provide price estimates for this work, if requested, to satisfy our customer's budgetary constraints.

Price Per Job Quotations available. These terms are to be read with and are in addition to our standard Terms and Conditions, which apply. Please request a copy if required.

All the quoted prices are subject to the addition of VAT at the current rate where work is undertaken within the European Commercial Community.

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Ground Surveys

We carry out a full area dimensional and ground levels survey of your site to provide fully scaled drawing plans and sections of the existing features. This will also show any key plants and trees which are to be retained. Soil type and quality will also be tested for Ph acidity or alkalinity. The survey does not check for mineral rights, rights of way, way-leaves, legal boundaries or underground voids unless they have been brought to our attention. It is the clients responsibility to make us aware of all boundary positions or legal requirements pertaining to the site in question. Drain runs and pipework will be taken into account where covers can be accessed as well as overhead telephone and power cables. We may employ outside specialists for below ground surveying of drains, cables, pipes or core sample work and these will be charged to the client separately.

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E & O E. These terms may be varied or changed due to individual contract requirements and location and clients will have final written quotation agreements in place before major works are undertaken.