Looking to get a landscape design consultation in Overland Park? Our team at GD Services is the premier hardscaping and landscaping provider in your area. Having completed countless major outdoor projects, we’re prepared for any challenge your space presents.

Meeting a contractor to assess your outdoor area for the first time can be daunting. To ensure a positive experience, we’re clarifying what to expect at your consultation. Discover how much you should prepare, what questions to ask, how to spot a bad contractor, and more.

What to Expect at Your Landscape Design Consultation

When you contact GD Services for a consultation, you’ll hear from our founder himself—George Dille. George takes a hands-on approach to leadership, collaborating with you and his trusted team from start to finish. He’s approachable and knowledgeable, making our consultations both comfortable and informative.

Do we charge for consultations?

We offer free initial consultations. However, design consultations may be subject to charges—we don’t just give away our hard-earned wisdom for nothing!

How long do consultations take?

A landscape design consultation in Overland Park can take between 45 and 60 minutes. So if you’re in a time crunch, let us know. The exact duration depends on the scope of your project. The longer we talk, the more we can dream up for your outdoor oasis, whether you hope to add lush plants, calming water features, or incredible hardscaping details.

Phase 1: Scheduling a Consultation

The initial step of getting a landscape design consultation is setting up a meeting. You can call us at 913.242.1000 or send a message on our website to find a time for your consultation. This first touch-base will allow us to get a general idea of your needs and schedule an on-site visit.

If you leave a message for us online, be on the lookout for a phone call. We always call prospective clients before visiting their property to confirm their interest. On this phone call, we like to get a stronger sense of your project, its scale, and the timeline.

GD Services provides premier landscaping and hardscaping services, meaning we rarely take on smaller projects. Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to gauge the size of your project. We are always happy to take a look and help you figure it out!

Many of our clients want a budget estimate on this first call, and we get that. We’re happy to give you a rough estimate over the phone, but we’ll need to see your outdoor space before determining our final bid.

Phase 2: On-Site Consultation

When we perform a landscape design consultation in Overland Park, we’ll visit the site in person, so George can get an accurate idea of your needs. Many elements of a project don’t become clear until his boots hit the ground. It’s alright to go into your consultation uninformed; we value the chance to share our decades of industry expertise with the Overland Park community.

Consider Your Budget

However, it can be beneficial to have a sense of your budget, as it’ll be the primary deciding factor in much of our design plan. For example, a smaller budget is sufficient for a front landscaping project, while a larger budget is enough for a full outdoor renovation, including a patio and retaining walls.

To figure out what to budget for, explore our website for design inspiration. You’re welcome to bring along images of projects you like (or don’t like) to help us focus on your tastes.

Not sure what you want? No problem! George loves to flex his creative muscle and design landscaping concepts from scratch.

Yard Walk-Through

Your consultation includes a yard walk-through where we’ll discuss ideas and potential project hurdles. This is a great opportunity to express any ongoing challenges or problems you have with your outdoor space. As you provide more details about your space and how you use it, we can tailor your design for your needs.

Getting Acquainted

After a thorough walkthrough, we take time to get to know you. The more we know each other, the more comfortable we’ll both feel communicating throughout the project. Besides, we’ll be there a lot, so let’s be friendly!

Wrapping Up Your Consultation

At the end of your landscape design consultation in Overland Park, we’ll make sure we’re on the same page about your project and the next steps. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or share any lingering secret dreams for your outdoor space. At GD Services, we’re just as passionate about curating a beautiful, functional outdoor space as you are.

Our goal during your consultation is to educate you about GD services, the work we do, and our commitment to excellence. We also educate you about the processes behind great landscaping and hardscaping installations. You’ll leave our consultation with enough knowledge to effectively scrutinize claims made by other contractors.

Phase 3: Design & Bid Approval

Following the first meeting, George will input the survey data of your yard into our CAD landscaping software to generate a 3D visualization. This tool lets us design your landscape and hardscape within the exact dimensions of your space. We can include your existing yard and other planned improvements—retaining walls, patios, walkways, and more—in the design.

Once the design is complete, we’ll present our ideas and provide a cost estimate for your landscaping project. We can revisit the design phase as many times as needed to ensure you’re completely satisfied with the final design. Once you approve the design and bid, we’ll schedule your project to align with your needs, the availability of materials, and our existing calendar of work.

Phase 4: Breaking Ground On Your Project

Before long, we’ll be breaking ground on your landscape project. We’ll reach out often to keep you informed and confirm your satisfaction with our progress and design choices. Your happiness is important to us, even after the project ends. Our commitment to clients lasts as long as our work does—a lifetime.

Tips for Landscape Design Consultations

Whether you choose to meet with GD Services or another company, it’s beneficial to go into your consultation prepared. A little preparation goes a long way to make your site visit more productive and to help you choose the right contractor.

Spotting a Detail-Oriented Landscaper

At your landscape design consultation in Overland Park, don’t ask for a quote right away. Any contractor ready to make a bid without reviewing the details probably won’t take the thorough approach your outdoor space deserves. Instead, make the contractor work during your consultation by having them teach you how they’ll approach your project.

There aren’t any secrets in outdoor landscaping work, because every contractor should be operating on certain industry standards. Of course, you might not be familiar with these standards, or even fully understand what they’re saying, but you can listen for the number of steps they mention.

For example, “we’ll break up the existing concrete and lay down new pavers,” may seem acceptable, but this alternative sounds significantly better:

“We’ll start by excavating the site and installing an 8 to 12 inch base of compacted gravel for proper drainage and stability. Next, we’ll add a thin layer of bedding aggregate to prevent sand from settling and causing problems. Finally, we install the pavers and finish by filling the cracks with polymeric sand to keep everything in place and prevent weeds.”

A reliable contractor will be eager to share their expertise. This detailed response shows the contractor’s competence and keeps you informed about the work.

Ask Plenty of Questions

Curiosity and attention to detail can help scare off negligent contractors. Be sure to ask many questions to demonstrate your unwillingness to overlook corner-cutting. Here are some questions you can ask at your landscape design consultation in Overland Park:

• What are some good plants for my yard, and why those specific options?
• What’s your plan for the base and fill under my hardscape?
• How are you going to fix the drainage problems in our yard?
• What makes the materials you use different from other contractor’s materials?

Play a Little Dumb

Pretending to be a bit clueless can teach you a lot about a contractor. Do they take advantage of your naivety, or do they take the time to educate you about your options? Plus, giving overly specific instructions right out of the gate can stifle a great contractor’s creativity.

Hear them out on their project ideas; you might gain valuable insights. Even if their plan isn’t exactly what you envisioned, it’ll be an opportunity to evaluate the contractors’ knowledge and ingenuity.

Skip the Hassle & Contact GD Services

Don’t want to waste time on the wrong contractor? Get in touch with GD Services to meet with a team that understands your space and backs up their ideas with technical expertise.

We’ve got the skills and determination to make your vision come to life! And it all starts with a landscape design consultation in Overland Park. Select the button below to skip the hassle and meet with the right contractor sooner than later.

Schedule Consultation

Continue reading: Exterior Home Redesign in Overland Park; How Long Does Landscaping Take in Overland Park?