Whether you’ve recently purchased a new construction home (congrats!) or are in the process of/considering purchasing a new construction home, planning the landscape is huge. Unlike, the actual home which most likely consists of brand new and functional features, the landscaping around it may be a little bit more difficult to work with. Doing it right the first time will save you money and time in the long run.
Here are some steps when planning your new landscape:
Sketch or write out design ideas of what you would like your yard to consist off. Get a clear idea of what you want your yard to look like. A few things to consider is what you will be using your yard for most of the time, how much maintenance your willing to do (or pay for), and the type of weather in your area. It is helpful to consider the weather in your area so that you can include features in your yard that can be of use year round. For example, including a pool for the summer, and a fireplace for the winter. You can also plan the amount of lighting you will need based on day light savings so you are ready for early sunsets. Don’t be afraid to sketch/write your ideal yard, you can always make changes along the way and adjust it to fit within your budget if needed. The goal is to have a clear image of what you want your yard to look like and go from there. This is a step that a landscape designer, like Picture Build, can help with. However, we think its important for you to have at least a basic idea of what you would like for you new home to begin with so we can build on that, and fulfill the expectations you have of your yard.
The not so exciting part of planning your landscape in a new construction home is the soil! After construction, the soil around the home is usually pretty hard to work with due to construction debris and poor soil quality. When building a new home the top soil is scraped off in order to carve out the landscape needed for the home. This has many negative side effects once trying to grow grass or plants in your lawn. If there is construction debris, you will have to get rid of as much of it as you can. You may have to hire someone if it is a significant amount. As far as replacing the top soil, it would be ideal if the contractors who built the home still had some of the original topsoil left but normally that is not the case. You will most like have to get a soil test to see what nutrients your soil is lacking and adjust it accordingly.
Once you have reached out and decided which company suites you best, its time to get a professional design made. Some landscaping companies offer design services and others don’t. Here at Picture Build we offer both design and installation services, and hopefully the company you choose to go with does too! Having a professional design is often necessary, especially if it is a new construction home that needs a full transformation, or if its a complex design. A design will also help give you a much more accurate quote. Once your design is ready and you are 100% happy with it the building process begins!
After your yard is fully built, you may want to consider hiring a maintenance company to maintain your yard so that your time and money spent on building it doesn’t go to waste. Picture Build also offers maintenance services, and can give you a quote as soon as your yard is complete!
If you need help designing, building, or maintaining your landscape give us a call at 818-751-2690 or click here.
