Process

Your letter of engagement will specify the scope of work, deliverables, and associated design fees.

Once engaged, we will request surveys and architectural documents. Spartina Studio requires a land survey to ensure the functional designs are accurate, especially for renovation projects. If an up-to-date survey does not exist, we will recommend survey companies and facilitate the process. A site visit will be conducted to verify the survey information and add more detail and observations made on site. We will take photos to document existing conditions.

The conceptual phase is where we begin to explore the site and try out ideas in a loose, sometimes sketchy format. We will begin organizing the relationships between design elements and circulation around the site. The concept plan will show the overall design layout and focus on the larger picture to communicate the property's full potential.

From the Concept Plan, design development will further detail the design, and we will produce a Final Masterplan. Your masterplan will be rendered to scale and callout all hardscape and landscape details, including materials, plants, and sizes. These plans will also outline layout dimensions and grading and drainage information. If your community or local municipality requires permit plans, these plans will be tailored to meet the related requirements. These plans will also be used for preliminary pricing.

Once we complete the final design, we will produce the necessary construction documents for specific design elements. These details will further illustrate how elements should be built to achieve the desired design intent, allowing for more accurate final pricing from the hired contractor.

Optional and highly recommended. When construction starts, we believe it’s crucial for your landscape architect to be on-site often to protect our end goal. Our project management services assure design installation accuracy and allow for expedited resolution should any issues arise during the process; this includes fielding contractor questions and verifying material quality. This will typically be billed at an hourly rate beyond the design proposal fees.