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Classic Nursery & Landscape Company
12526 Avondale Road NE
Redmond, WA 98052
P: (425)885-5678
Toll Free: (800)290-1344
F: (425)882-0609
info@classicnursery.com
Hours:
Monday thru Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm
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| Landscaping
can be a complex series of decisions. You've got the basic
aspects of wind, water and sun as well as soil, slope
and drainage. Mix in the difficulties of budgets, phasing
and the fact that you have to make the decision with your
spouse...and, well, we don't need to tell you how difficult
it is. We help people make these decisions all the time.
It really doesn't have to be that difficult for you. In
fact, if you break it into simple steps, landscape solutions
can be relatively easy to resolve. |
| First
of all, take a few moments to analyze your property. Make
some notes. What is it that you like about your home site?
Are you having drainage problems? Do you need to screen
or accent a view? What plants do you like or dislike?
Is there a "style" of plant arrangement that appeals to
you? Would you be willing to complete portions of the
work yourself? Take a few moments to establish a budget.
Not just your "first phase", but what you might invest
in the outside of your home over a few years. Of course
we're going to say that "landscaping's a good investment".
Up to a point, that is. You've also got to think of your
home's overall value and contrast that against how much
you plan to enjoy the area around your home. We've got
some information on our website and at the Garden Center
that can help you set some guidelines. Assess your needs
with our Landscape Questionnaire |
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| Are
you decided on moving ahead with a complimentary proposal
or with a landscape plan? At the time of your initial
consultation, we'll be happy to write up a proposal for
you. It usually takes about a week or so. A plan is a
more methodical process, involving more time, (from two
weeks to a month or more), as well as an additional investment
on your part. We base your design investment on a $40
per hour charge with a 10 hour minimum. This includes
multiple drafted, scaled, blueprinted copies, estimates
and a revision to the plan at your request. The design
fee is not based upon your budget, but the complexity
of the design. This could be related to issues involving
your property measurements or the types of construction.
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| Most
properties will fall into the 20-40 hour range. If you
are having trouble determining whether to have a complimentary
estimate prepared or invest in a design plan, the following
information may help: Choosing an estimate only for your
project: Advantage: No charge, Can be prepared in 7-10days.
Disadvantage: Does not graphically show you where each
item is placed. |
| Choosing
a plan and estimate for your project: Advantage: Shows
all the work to be completed. May be implemented as a "Do it Yourself" or phased project more easily. Allows
a number of companies to bid the same thing. Disadvantage:
Invest $40hr, minimum 10hr charge. |
| Note:
One way to determine whether a landscape architectural
plan might be a good value for you is to consider how
long you will live in your home. Cut that time in half
and assume that you will be done with all of your landscape
phases within that period. Try to project how much you
will have been comfortable investing in the landscape
(including decks, walks and patios,etc.) by that future
date. Take 5% of that number, and if you can have plans
prepared for less than 5%, design plans may be a good
value for you. Please note that planning costs are not
based upon your budget, but on the complexity of the project.
Just being able to discuss ideas clearly with your spouse
and methodically "plant the lavender on the corner of
the patio" yourself has good value once you know where
everything is going. So does having the ability to send
a plan out to bid. All of our plans are reviewed by a
licensed landscape architect and include firm estimates
based upon the discussed and approved budget. |
To
establish a simple budget:
1. Number of years I will live in my home divided by 2
= what year? _________
2. Amount that I am willing to invest by year noted above
$________
3. 5% of that amount = $________
4. Quoted price of my landscape architectural plan $________
Is #3 higher than #4. above? If so, a plan may be a good
investment for you. |
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1.
If we want to revise our plan after our meeting, will
you update it at no charge?
2. Will your plan be scaled and blueprinted? Do you bring
extra copies to our meeting?
3. If appropriate, will the plan encompass my entire property?
4. Will the plan be accompanied by an estimate for the
work? Can you guarantee pricing?
5.
Can you also give me unit prices and information about
phasing the installation?
6. Can you prepare plans for work I will complete myself?
7. Do you bring plant books, catalogues and product samples
to our presentation?
8. Are you affiliated with a Nursery where we can see
the plants before the installation?
9. Can I get estimates from other landscape companies?
10. Are you able to estimate other construction,ie; decks,
patios, spas and fencing?
11. Are you familiar with availability and unit prices
for plants?
12. Are you familiar with unit prices for construction
finishes such as brick, stone,etc?
13. How can I reach you? Can I contact you by, cellphone,
webpage, fax and E-mail?
14. Can you supply references?
15. Are you a licensed landscape architect? Are you a
member of ASLA*?
16. Do you have a portfolio and references? Have you been
published or received awards? |
|
Classic
answers to questions 1-16....."Yes". * The American
Society of Landscape Architects.
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| 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. |
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| 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 at our website: classicnursery.com. |
| 2.
Establish priorities. Start to establish a budget for
your first phase. Determine to do the best value, most
site-damaging and/or highest impact things first. |
| 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". For some projects
it's a good 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 is 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.
Consider your savings. 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), 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 partially installed and finished
later. Paths can be narrowed a bit 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. 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. 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, signatured contracts
for work will take precedence, but we will keep you on
the crew calendar for as long as we can. |
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| 1.
Get your scheduled start date. We will call you with an
approximated start date. This start date may change as
our projects may vary from their anticipated start and
end times. You can generally expect us within ten days
of our date noted to you. It may be earlier if we have
a postponement or cancellation. You can stay up to date
with the schedule by contacting Juliette Smith, the Operations
Manager or email her at our website. |
| 2.
Send in your deposit. If you have not made your 50% deposit,
please drop it by the Nursery or mail it no later than
14 days before the start date. In the case of a larger
project that goes over an "end of month" period, we may
ask you for a progress payment equal to the amount of
the work completed through that date. |
| 3.
Review and sign the installation agreement. We will send
you a more comprehensive installation agreement for review
and signature. This document notifies you regarding lien
rights as required by state law, liability and payment
issues. |
| 4.
We mark the site for utilities. We will send a "Locating
Service" out to your site. (You don't have to be there
to meet them). They will spray out approximated locations
of major utilities. (You may want to note these locations
for your future reference). |
| 5.
We "pre-review" the project. Your Project Manager and
the Crew Supervisor may be out to the site approximately
5-10 days before the anticipated start date to "line-out" the project and choreograph the scope of work to be completed. |
| 6.
Review your plant list. You may want to contact the Garden
Center manager to review plant selections and make substitutions
if necessary. Garden Center staff are normally available
by appointment each day except Thursday and Friday. You
can email
him. |
| 7.
Stay in touch. Your Project Manager will be out intermittently throughout the project. You can reach your project manager through the design office, their cell number or email. You can reach our design manager, Guy Feldman or our on staff landscape architect Alan Burke through the nursery, by cell or simply email on the "Contact us" page. |
| 8.
Understand anticipated "extras". Additional items may
become necessary for you to purchase as the project gets
under way. Typically, our clients may request drainage,
soil and additional plants. If you desire unit prices
in anticipation of these items, ask your Project Manager.
Each "Extra" as necessary will be written up as a work
order and you should immediately receive a copy on site
or by mail or fax. If you don't get a written copy of
an "extra" item, noting the charges, please call the Classic
office manager and request a copy for your file. |
| 9.
Expect an invoice. You may receive invoices prior to completion.
We may send you a "progress billing" based upon an estimate
of actual work completed on a larger project that runs
through an end of month period. |
| 10.
Schedule a walk through. You may request a complimentary "walk-through" if one was not suggested to you after completion,
to talk about care for your landscape and discuss your
warranties. |
| 11.
Finally, enjoy your landscape... sit back and relax! And
please, come in and see us, join our "Color Club" and
bookmark our website for sales, tours and garden classes.
Join the hundreds of schoolchildren that visit Classic
annually to see the salmon run in Bear Creek. |
| Finally,
as always, we thank you for your business. We appreciate
that you have selected us and we plan to do our best to
make this an enjoyable experience for you. |
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