When it comes to a creative outdoor project involving expert labor, hiring a professional design consultant is a solid way to hedge your bets on a successful outcome. Creating beautiful, functional outdoor space takes skill, time, and resources. Projects that seem simple, such as installing an outdoor fire feature, may hold hidden potholes along the way. Even if you pride yourself on taking a DIY approach to outdoor projects, there are many benefits to working with a professional design consultant to bring your vision to life in your outdoor spaces.
What is an Outdoor Design Consultant?
An outdoor design consultant has experience and expertise in designing and building beautiful and functional outdoor spaces. Think of a wedding planner or someone who holds the final goal in mind and coordinates the efforts of other professionals towards completing this goal in a timely fashion, successfully, and on budget. Let’s say you want to re-do your backyard with hardscape flower beds, a new lawn, and a built-in kitchen. A professional outdoor design consultant will help you with the following:
Not sure where to start? Working with a design consultant makes it easy to create a detailed plan based on what you want and need for your outdoor project.
Hire vetted professionals (stonemasons, landscape architects, plumbers, electricians).
Purchase supplies from reliable sources, often at a discounted price.
Understand the process, how long it will take, and your project's legal requirements. Mistakes made when upgrading your outdoor spaces can have significant legal or safety consequences, and working with an expert will help you navigate potential unknown roadblocks with ease and confidence.
Going back to the wedding analogy, even if you know how to bake a giant birthday cake, it is better to hire a professional baker with experience to bake a wedding cake. It is simply more enormous in scale and has much higher stakes. Maybe you could do it yourself, but you will likely spend far more time, energy, and money on the project than needed. Additionally, as with any amateur taking on a professional-level task, there is an increased risk of failure, either from the unanticipated workload or a simple lack of experience.
Your home and outdoor spaces are special places where you gather with family and friends, grow a family, and recharge your batteries. You and your home deserve professional support before starting any outdoor project. Let’s walk through the benefits of hiring an outdoor design consultant.
Complete Project Management
You are working with an experienced professional, which benefits you and your next outdoor project. Whether you are installing a fire feature or relandscaping your front lawn with sod and hardscapes, there are a lot of facets to any outdoor project that can make or break your experience.
Turn Your Inspiration into Reality
Do you have a vision for how you want your outdoor spaces to look and feel? An outdoor design consultant can easily make these dreams a reality. These experts have extensive experience listening to their clients' visions and translating them into well-executed outdoor designs.
A design expert is well-versed in taking anything from loosely articulated ideas to detailed drawings and turning them into practical and beautiful design executions.
Access to Vetted Professionals
Some outdoor design projects require experienced professionals, including contractors, electricians, or plumbers. A design consultant's experience and contact list are invaluable if your project requires one or more of these experts. A good professional can make your outdoor project a functional dream, and since a consultant will have a list of vetted professionals in your area, you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands.
Expertise in Permits
Do you know if your project requires permits from your local government? While it may seem straightforward, getting a professional’s take on what projects do and don’t require permits is always a good idea. If permits are needed, higher stakes (risks or fines) are at play with your project.
Mastery of Outdoor Design Elements
Outdoor design consultants know what elements are essential for a successful project. This expertise offers insight into what makes your specific outdoor project better than imagined. Maybe you wouldn’t have thought of the perfect location or how weather conditions might impact your project, but with a design consultant, you will be armed with expert knowledge.
Avoid Costly Mistakes
One of the best reasons to work with experts on any home improvement project is that you are far more likely to avoid costly mistakes. While there is never a guarantee of zero issues, having professional assistance is a great way to avoid common errors or easily avoided mistakes that can cost time, energy, and money to fix.
Timely Completion
Working with a professional design consultant is a great way to ensure your project is completed in a timely manner. This is especially important if you are planning any kind of social event around the completion of your project, such as an outdoor kitchen, trellis, or hardscaping.
Collaborate with Walpole’s Outdoor Design Experts!
Walpole Outdoors offers a collaborative experience where expert design consultants work closely with customers to bring their outdoor living visions to life. Whether using professional drawings, photos, or simple sketches, our team creates custom designs tailored to your needs. Share your inspiration, receive detailed project drawings, and get a personalized quote for your budget and timeline. Our hands-on installation service or contractor support ensures your project is completed. Contact us with your questions; we look forward to discussing your upcoming project.