Base Plan
A plan indicating the basic existing site elements such as paving, driveways, sidewalks, streets, walls, fences, building footprint, window locations, doors, walkways, and any other items which will remain. With a blank lot, often the Plot Plan is used for the base. When a Plot Plan can not be supplied often a Parcel Map can be supplied by the City.
Landscape Designer
A Landscape Designer, or also called a Garden Designer, requires no formal education or experience. Most Landscape Contractors label themselves as Landscape Designers and while some are qualified designers many are only creating plans for the purpose of closing a construction project. Every state carries different laws but generally a Landscape Designer can only design a Conceptual Landscape Plan, and Planting and Lighting Plans. A Landscape Designer is not permitted to create any Construction Details or Working Drawings of any kind for the purpose of construction unless they are also licensed C27 Contractors.
Construction Documentation
The third phase of the design process in which the working drawings, specifications, and bidding documents are prepared. The Site Elevations and Sections are further refined into individual details which will be used as the documentation on-site for construction. It is in this phase that the Construction Details and Specifications, Irrigation Plans, Finish Material Schedule and Grading & Drainage Plans are completed. This set will then be used for contractor bidding purposes. Detailed and accurate plans allow for thorough accurate bidding with less future change orders during construction.
Conceptual Design
The first phase of the design process. The Landscape Architect will use the information gathered during the Initial Design Consultation to locate the sites major design elements, paving, and planting areas. The site will be designed not only with aesthetics in mind but also traffic flows, and functionality. The completed Conceptual Plan is not intended for construction but rather to allow the Client to visualize the direction their landscape will take. The final design is greatly refined in the Design Development phase.
Change Orders
The Client’s written order to the contractor, which authorizes a change in the construction work and contract time and/or amount. Often, the design professional also signs the change order and then issues it to the contractor. Change Orders are very common during a construction process. A complete set of Construction Documents will help ensure fewer Change Orders. It has been known for contractors to deliberately bid a project low to get a signed contract and then add in many Change Orders at a higher rate later on.
LEED A.P.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. “LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most; energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.”
Plot Plan
Is a plan often supplied by the home builder which indicates, to scale, the building footprint, driveway, sidewalks, streets, walls and property lines. Your designer will use this to create a base plan which will be used for your initial design.
Community Development Department
The branch of a local City government which includes the Planning, Zoning, Engineering and Building Departments. Many plans will require City approvals and permitted prior to construction.
City Planning Department
Within the Community Development Department is the Planning Department. Every City has different regulations regarding what must be plan checked and permitted but generally speaking any element that is over 6’ tall, pools, spas, fireplaces and often elements visible to the street, must pass the the Planning Department to ensure they meet zoning and setback requirements.
City Building Department
The purpose of the Building Department is to ensure that your landscape project is being built to local codes for safety purposes. Items will need to be permitted such as; electrical outlets, gas lines, walls over 6’ tall, overhead structures, fireplaces, and so on. During the construction process your contractor will be required to pass several site inspections by the Building Department Inspector.
Construction Details
These details include sections, elevations, and plan view enlargements at a large scale to specify the exact dimensions and materials used by the landscape contractor for construction. Common details include outdoor barbecues, pergolas, walls, fireplaces, firepits, and water features.
Building Setbacks
Cities Planning Departments and Home Owners Associations use building setbacks to ensure there is enough open space between neighboring properties, walls, streets and slopes. HOA’s often have large front yard setbacks and pool setbacks.
Drip Irrigation
Also known as trickle irrigation, is an irrigation method which can save up to 80% of water consumption. Unlike spray irrigation, which covers the top soil, drip irrigation emitters are placed directly at the roots of the plants to ensure deep root watering. By eliminating evaporation of water at the surface, drip irrigation can save a significant amount of water and money. It is also believed that plants grow large, quicker, and healthier with drip irrigation due to the deep root system which it promotes. The installation time, and costs are also reduced up to 50%. Many California cities such as Los Angeles and Long Beach have reduced the amount of allowed water-use, a drip system can be a cost effective and sustainable solution.
ASLA
American Society of Landscape Architects. The national professional association for landscape architects. “The Society’s mission is to lead, to educate, and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design of our cultural and natural environments.
USGBC
U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. Developed the LEED A.P. certification program for sustainable design.
AIA
American Institute of Architects. The leading professional membership association for licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners.
Sustainable Design
Designing the built environment to comply with the principals of economic, social, and ecological sustainability. The goal is to eliminate the negative environmental impact through sensitive design practices. Common landscape design practices are to reduce water consumption through a drip irrigation system and reducing the use of turf, use recycled materials whenever possible, and reduce energy consumption with LED lighting and locating plant material to reduce solar impact on buildings.
Design Proposal
The Landscape Architect or other design professional will outline the services to be rendered, Client expectations, fees, payment schedule and timeline within a formal document which when signed is used as an agreement between the Client and Designer.
As-Built Drawings
Completed project documents showing all work changes as marked up by the Contractor. During the construction process it is common for many changes to occur in the field. A set of “As-Built” plans will allow the Client to have accurate documentation of their built project.
Design Imagery
The Landscape Architect or other design professional will present photographs and other images, often on a presentation board, to assist the Client in visualizing the future design goals of a project. Images are also used for product examples such as tile, stone paving, and wall veneers.
Contractor Bidding
A Contractor will prepare a construction bid based on a completed set of Construction Documents prepared by your design professional. A thoroughly completed set of working drawings will specify the finish materials, quantities, and specifications from which the Contractor will bid. The detailed plans allow for an apples to apples bidding process, unlike when a Contractor bids from a Conceptual Landscape Plan. When bid from a Conceptual Landscape Plan the contractor will be required to make many assumptions about the finished product and materials. The assumptions can often be accounted for through the use of allowances but many times are left out entirely, which will result in multiple future Change Orders. These Change Orders can be very costly to the Client and the end result will often be a project which exceeds the initial budget.
Initial Design Consultation
The preliminary meeting between the Client and Designer. At this time the designer will note site conditions, constraints and opportunities, future design objectives and goals, functional requirements, and potential construction budgets.
Construction Budgeting
The Client and Landscape Architect will meet to discuss the project goals and set a realistic construction budget. This initial budget will be very important as the Conceptual Plan will be designed to stay within 20% of this target. Generally, your designer will strive to be about 10% – 20% over the initial budget to offer additional design ideas and allow to easily cut costs to reach the budget.
Plan View
A two dimensional view as if one were looking directly down from above, similar to an arial view.
Site Elevations
A site rendering from the ground level perspective which has the purpose of representing how a proposed design may appear. The Site Elevations are drawn to scale and often include items such as pottery, planting, furniture and people. Unlike a Construction Detail, the Site Elevations are not intended for construction purposes but rather are part of the Design Development phase.
Sections
A visual representation as if a slice were taken through a portion of a project. The Section will show elements both above and below the grade and will often be used for construction purposes and will be included in the Construction Documentation phase. Sections are drawn to scale and often include dimensioning, and material callouts. Construction Details often include Section drawings to assist the landscape contractor during installation.
LED Lighting
LED or Light-Emitting Diodes is the newest form of technology in the landscape industry. LED lighting has many benefits such as a brighter purer light, bulbs that can last 20 years, reduced size, low-voltage system, cooler temperatures, and reduced energy consumption up to 80%. The initial cost is higher but will save the Client money in the long run.
Plan Check
A term used by an agency when Working Drawings are being reviewed for approval by a Planning, Engineering, Building, or Association.
City Building Inspector
An inspector from a City Building Department will make scheduled visits to the construction site of your project to ensure the permitted items are being installed per City Codes and Regulations. Depending on the permit requirements, the Building Inspector may make several site visits and may require the Contractor to make revisions.
Working Drawings
Similar to Construction Documents, Working Drawings are a written and drawn set of materials which include specifications, details, and other important information needed to build the project.
Specifications
The written materials produced by the Landscape Architect which include a set of guidelines and standard practices used to ensure a project is built to industry standard practices.
Landscape Architect
A registered Landscape Architect must have graduated from an accredited (4) year Landscape Architecture program, has a (3) year masters degree in Landscape Architecture, or has (7) years experience working under a licensed Landscape Architect. After completion of their education an individual is required to practice under a registered Landscape Architect for up to (4) additional years prior to taking the state examinations. Landscape Architects are allowed to complete a full set of Working Drawings for both residential and commercial design. A Landscape Architect also has the ability to stamp plans which may be required by City Planning and Building Departments.
Design Development
The second phase in the design process following the Conceptual Design. In this phase the Conceptual Plan is taken from a concept to a hard lined drawing to an exact scale. This is the start of the plans which will be later used for construction installation. Many of the building materials are further specified and often the Landscape Architect will present the Client with images, websites and samples to review. Site Elevations and Sections are used to further examine the scale, height and perspectives. These renderings will often be used as a visual aid while presenting design ideas to the Client.
Contractors
C27 – Landscape Contractor licensed to build most landscape items excluding pools which requires a C53 license. A General Contractor, or B Contractor, is able to subcontract all items to the required licensed contractors but can not install most items themselves.
