Construction Consulting
We offer expert landscape consulting services to property management companies, architects, resorts, private residences, and others.
Whether it be the oversight of your landscape maintenance or installation projects, or the preparation of design and site evaluation reports, you can trust Simple Elegance to come up with cost effective, practical, and beautiful solutions to your landscape needs.
Allow us to show you how we can save you time and money by giving you our expert advice and professional oversight for your landscape projects.
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Review existing landscape maintenance specifications
Eliminate unnecessary or excessive services. Fine-tune or re-write specifications as needed to create a healthier, more stress-resistant landscape. Spend less money on pesticides, fertilizer, mulch, irrigation, and tree and shrub replacements.
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Negotiate landscape maintenance and/or installation contracts
Through prudent negotiations, we saved our clients a combined total of over $10,000 a year on maintenance contracts alone. Our knowledge of area contractors ensures the best prices on quality service.
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Perform routine site inspections and develop punch-lists for the contractors and site personnel
Ensure that the properties curb appeal and marketability are always at their highest potential. Make sure that the contractors are doing their work correctly and that you are receiving the full value of the contract.
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Identify safety and security problems (relating to the landscaping)
Overgrown tress and shrubs, inadequate lighting, trip hazards (and other items) not only pose safety problems, but may also adversely affect the properties curb appeal and marketability.
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Identify site conditions and practices that may slow down or impede routine maintenance operations
The cost of maintaining properties can come down considerably by making some minor changes to the landscape and/or operations.
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Consultation on a wide variety of landscape-related issues
(such as insect and disease control, animal control, annual pruning, tree care, tree preservation, etc.)
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Design various site enhancements to maximize curb appeal
(entryways, signage areas, leasing centers, amenity areas, screening plantings, etc.)
Allow us to show you our portfolio that contains photographs of the many enhancement projects that we are proud to have been responsible for.
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Design annual flower displays
Maximize the marketability of your properties with distinctive, eye-catching annual flower displays.
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Create an "Initial Site Evaluation Report" listing observations and recommendations
The purpose of this report is to create a comprehensive overview of the property and would list the strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for improvements. A few of the many topics covered would include: curb appeal and marketability, entry areas, signage, lighting, safety and security, overall landscaping, landscaping of specific areas, maintenance practices, etc.
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Review landscape plans (as developed by others)
Too often, landscapes decline and fail because of incorrect plant choices and inadequate soil preparation. Specifying more appropriate plant selections and soil preparation will ensure that the plantings will remain healthy and thrive into the future.
Design Process
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initial Meeting
Simple Elegance works directly with clients to identify and incorporate their ideas and objectives. The initial consultation allows us as designers to obtain a personal understanding of your project. Both time and budget considerations are discussed in the planning process to produce a creative, cost effective solution for the design of your outdoor living area.
site analysis
Prior to the actual design it is important to gather a detailed list of information about your property and its surroundings. We will study your site to observe the existing site conditions including views, topography, drainage patterns, prominent natural features, sun and shadow patterns, and plantings. We will also observe the architectural style, scale of the house, color palette and building materials used as they too play an influential role in the design.
Concept design
After the analysis step, we apply the information gathered to develop schematic drawings that explore different perspectives of how your property can be used.
planting design
This full color blueprint has been designed for all seasons. This means that color, texture and fragrance have been implemented for seasonal, year round interest.
Lighting design
Lighting is an altogether different experience. Your lighting design creates yet another landscape that can be enjoyed after dark. By accentuating a boulder, seating area etc. your yard is tastefully accentuated and becomes yet another destination for you to enjoy.
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final design
Throughout the design process, client ideas, budget considerations and adjustments are all incorporated into the final design. The completed plan will include specifications of existing structures and plantings, proposed plantings, and construction materials.
Two full conceptual sets of designs are then submitted to the client for bidding purposes.
Benjamin Dickerson