Classic Nursery

Our answer to questions 1-20? A resounding "yes".

Keep in mind that one of the greatest mistakes you can make in commissioning a design is to not set budget parameters for your designer. We know. We bid plans from other companies. You'll want to be careful that your designer can guarantee that your project will stay within a stipulated, mutually agreeable budget. We are what is called in the trade, a "design/build" firm. That is, we install what we design. We will always try to design within a pre-established budget for you. At the same time, you are always free to "shop" our plans. OK, enough about the budget! Have we beaten the budget thing to death?

Now that you have a plan from Classic

1. Review the project carefully. Call anytime with comments or questions. Continue to make notes on the meeting copy of the blueprint and estimate. We can use it as a basis for a revision later. You can correspond with us by phone or email us.
2. Establish priorities. If you're phasing, establish a budget for your first phase. Determine to do the best value, most site-damaging and/or highest impact things first. We'll tell you if you can't decide.
3. Call us with your first phase ideas. Some people will want to commission work, if not by budget, then by area. "I want to get the front yard done", or "Put it together as the front yard, not to exceed $X". Here's a tip: For some projects it may be an ok value to do small phases, as long as you commission the work in increments that will keep a 2 man crew on site for at least 1/2 a day at a time. Generally, the longer the crew is on site for a given phase, the more efficient the installation may be and the better the value is for you. Talk to us about it, if you're not sure. We'll help you to purchase materials efficiently and advise you about the proper "order of construction".
4. If you need to, consider where best to make savings. Bringing a big budget down isn't usually dropping one big item out. Rather, it's a combination of a bunch of small things whittled away. In addition, understanding how much you save by purchasing a bulk quantity (all of your compost or rock at once, rather than 3 yards at a time for individual phases), may be a factor in deciding how much work you want to have done. Some things like irrigation valve stations or low voltage lighting fixtures can be installed in sections and added to later. Paths can be narrowed a bit, trees reduced in height by a foot, groundcover spread out and dry streams shortened. If you are willing to wait, some of your plants can be reduced in size or quantity (with the goal of ultimately yielding the same end result over time). For many, the joy of gardening is planting perennials. Who wouldn't want to spend a sunny Saturday planting a garden with junior? (Have we even had a sunny Saturday or actually met junior?) You can save money by planting some of the smaller 1 gallon or 4"pot material after the first phase. These items go in quickly and easily.
5. Get on the schedule. The early bird catches the worm, a stitch in time saves nine, etc, etc. If we haven't already made arrangements with you, call us and give us a general idea of your budget and preferred time for installation. We'll do our best to hold a date on our schedule for you. Once your project is on our schedule, we will try to keep you posted should the schedule be revised. Please check with us periodically as your date may change. As always, a signature on a contract for work will take precedence, but we will keep you on the crew calendar for as long as we can.

Now that you have a plan, what's next? Click here for the simple answer.