how do I start a landscape design company from home?

Question

How to get clients and how much to charge? I live in Oklahoma.

Answer 1

My guy charges $500 minimum now, but that covers lots to 10,000 sq. ft.

Advertise in the Yellow Pages, which will be your biggest expense.

Do that listening thing, pay attention to what the primary concerns are, not what you necessarily like. Can't stress that enough. Not everyone likes plants, they are high maintenance. Stress eco-friendly composite decks, drip systems, stone paver paths and patios, shade trees, etc. My two cents.

Answer 2

Wow! I did that for many, many years. What is your experience in design? I'm going to assume you have training and go from there. I started by being listed in the phone book under landscape designer. I also hooked up with the garden club ladies and Master Gardeners. You need some quick jobs to get a resume started. So perhaps you could design a few perennials beds, do the drawings, help them getting them planted, take pictures, etc......all establishing a client base.

Introduce yourself at area nurseries and ask if you can place your business cards there. Some will allow, but not if they have an inhouse design service.

If your niche is just drawings, then perhaps a local garden club hall has educational classes and you could teach how to design a landscape. Be generous with your support of their project, but not to where you go to their home. If they need more help, charge them for a home visit.....minimal price. They may decide to let you do the plan....or if they are impressed with your honesty and willingness to help, they'll spread your name to friends.

Just drawings alone won't get your bank account full. You'll need another angle. Maybe offer to work with several landscape companies doing their designs. Or if the client will install the design, purchase the plants wholesale and mark them up but not as much as the local retail nurseries.

Work fast. The longer you take with designs, the more disenchanted the client becomes. Truly listen to their needs and cater to "personalized landscapes." Computer designs are OK, but if you can jazz them up, maybe even mount and color elevations and perspectives, all the better. I'd do a little booklet listing each plant, why I selected it (for example "summer bloom-glue great fragrance) and include care instructions (pruning time, etc). This was early computer time so it was a labor of love, not smart. Near the end I could just whip it out of the computer in a manner of a few minutes.

As to what to charge........how long will it take to meet with the client, measure their yard, research easements and rights of way, know the local laws, does your community require submission of a site and irrigation plan for approval.......our's does for water conservation efforts.......time required to do the plan and deliver it......etc. Also you'll need to keep abreast of horticultural issues in your area so you'll be attending conferences and subscribing to trade publications, etc......those costs have to be figured in........plus a vehicle and it's costs.....office equipment, printing

What I'm saying is you'll have to charge enough to cover all. I can't even imagine what the going rate would be now........in 1980 I was doing front yards.....small ones....for $100 and $150-200 for back yards...and still wasn't making enough to cover my costs.

Answer 3

You need to understand the business and art of landscaping well before you went out. Start off with visiting the competition websites or shops in your locality and see how their services are priced.

I'd recommend visiting websites that give you an insight into the different landscaping plans and ideas.

Here is a URL I found, which could be of help...
http://www1.webng.com/LandscapingPlans

All the best

Answer 4

The best thing to do initially would be to hire an experienced person in this line for at least a period of 6 months to one year and get yourself acquainted with all the aspects of Landscaping business and then you may even fire your hired person.

Answer 5

i would think, any business is nil without customers. so advertising in everything available to you, is the way to get the business.