Site read firstSlope, soil and groundwater measured before any drawing
02 / Service Stages
4 stages · fixed order · 6 to 10 weeks
Each stage closes with a written document that the next stage is built on. No drawings are issued before the plot has been measured, and no planting goes into the ground before drainage and levels are settled.
The plot is walked and recorded: boundaries, gradients, existing trees worth keeping, and how water behaves after heavy rain.
Measured: area in m², slope in %, soil profile from a test pit, water table depth in m.
Collection points, fall lines, and discharge are drawn on the same plan as the layout, not added later as a repair.
Output: pipe runs, gradients, soakaway or outlet position, with quantities in m.
Terrace heights, retaining edges, steps, and the path spine are set against the drainage plan so surfaces shed water away from the house.
Output: spot levels and a section drawing, tolerance stated in mm.
Trees, shrubs, and perennials are chosen for the recorded soil and light, then listed by bed with spacing and season of interest.
Output: plant list with counts, size on delivery, and installation window.
Permits, structural engineering, electrical work, and ongoing maintenance sit outside this scope. Read the exclusions or see how measurement-based pricing works.
Surface fall, swale routing and subsurface runs are fixed on the same drawing set as the planting plan, so the plot sheds water on a known route instead of pooling at the lowest corner.
Finished levels sit at 1.5 to 2% away from the house and outbuildings, so paving and lawn drain without standing water.
Shallow grassed channels follow the natural low line of the plot and are set out with spot levels before digging.
A 110 mm perforated pipe in a 300 mm washed gravel trench, laid at a minimum 0.5% gradient with rodding eyes at each change of direction.
Every run terminates at a named outlet, either daylight to a ditch or a sized infiltration field, never at a blind soakaway.
We measure invert levels and pipe sizes. The permit and the connection to the storm network stay with the client and their licensed contractor.
Structural engineering for retaining walls above 1.0 m and electrical work are outside our contract. Both are listed on the exclusions page.
04 / Exclusions
Four work types sit outside the landscape agreement. We name them here so no client assumes they are included in a garden services quote for a countryside property.
Filings, easements, and municipal or village council approvals are handled by the owner or a licensed attorney. We supply drawings, not signatures.
Retaining walls above 1.2 m, foundations, and load-bearing structures require a certified engineer. Our drawings show geometry; they do not certify capacity.
Mains connections, outdoor lighting circuits, and pump power are installed by a licensed electrician. We specify positions and cable routes only.
Seasonal pruning, mowing, and irrigation servicing are separate arrangements. Handover includes a care schedule, not a standing crew.
Something on your plot sits in one of these four? Tell us before the assessment and we will note the handover point in the plan. Send the site details.
Indicative ranges are published. The final figure is stated only after the site read is complete.
Plot area, slope gradient and direction, soil profile from a test pit, and groundwater depth are recorded on site. Those figures, not a square-foot guess, set the scope and the price. The assessment fee is credited against the design fee when the project proceeds.