Photo: Unilock.comModern day homeowners have become very sophisticated in their outdoor living preferences. Today’s homeowner now expects, and will pay for, an authentic and unique design.
A customized design and flawless installation require both landscape architects and landscape contractors to get the job done right. This is why the collaboration of landscape architects and contractors produces numerous benefits for both parties.
Credibility
Today’s homeowner often conducts a very careful vetting process before hiring any home professional. The customer needs to feel confident with the entire process by working with experienced, trained professionals who can fulfill both the design and installation requirements.
If no member of your team is trained in landscape architecture, it’s time to team up with someone who is. For example, the team at D.L Hickman & Son, Inc., a landscape construction company, works closely with landscape architects to provide the most unique designs that their services can bring to life.
If you are lucky enough to work with a landscape architect who has had a hand in major projects like designing local landmarks or public facilities, their name can add recognition to your company. Working closely with an experienced landscape architect adds credibility to your team, ensuring the customer that an accredited expert is handling every step of the process.
Referrals
As today’s homeowners become increasingly informed through landscape research, they often look directly to the landscape architect, rather than to the installer, to fulfill their precise requests.
While this is great for landscape architects, it removes the control of sale from the landscape contractor. How can landscape contractors direct the installation sale back to them? By partnering with a landscape architect.
Once a landscape contractor partners with a landscape architect, the flow of referrals can work both ways. As research drives homeowners to the design architect, he or she can refer the partnered contractor to complete the install, and vice versa.
Streamlined process
Some homeowners may be put off by needing several different sets of professionals to accomplish one project. Adding a certified, experienced landscape architect to your team of contractors can be the solution.
Having the design, management, and installation take place under the same company results in streamlined communication between the customer, the professionals and throughout the company.
The Platinum Group is an architectural landscape design firm that handles design, project management, and installation in-house. For firms like these, this process can provide greater attention to detail in each step of the process, since one team completes each of those steps and the work is not passed around to multiple firms or unconnected individuals.
Meaningful connections
As with any professional industry, the work of landscape contractors and landscape architects is thoroughly affected by the connections they maintain within the industry. Fostering human connections with other professionals in the landscape industry allows more needs to be filled, bolstering the value of individual professionals.
Increasing the value of landscape professionals who work together has the potential to increase the value of the landscape industry as whole, ensuring a greater understanding for homeowners as they learn about the importance of each distinct role. Strengthening these connections is essential to sustaining the growth of the practice for both landscape contractors and landscape architects.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was written by the Halstead Media Group. Led by husband and wife team, Anna and Corey, Halstead Media brings an incredibly effective balance of landscape industry background, small business knowledge, and Fortune/Global 500 experience to landscape architecture firms, landscape design/builds, and building products manufacturers.
