When should I start my backyard renovation?
An old Chinese proverb says "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." The same idea holds true for your new backyard. There are many families who have already "planted" their backyard and it's growing new memories for them. What is keeping you from starting today?
Areas like Sparta, Fredon, and Stillwater in northern New Jersey are lucky to have a respectable amount of useable backyard time throughout the year. Barring any hurricanes or heat waves, our weather and temperatures tend to be great for outdoor entertaining from about April to November. As the flowers are popping up in April, the backyard is no stranger to an egg hunt for the kids. Book-end that with brats and burgers on the grill or s'mores around the fire pit around Halloween. That's a lot of time for enjoyment.
Overwhelmed?
So when it comes time to make that backyard a place where family and friends will want to hang out again, what are you waiting for?
The whole process can feel incredibly overwhelming. Where do you start? Who will answer all of your questions? What if something unexpected happens during the process? Life will always happen and present things that try to derail you. It's up to you to plow forward and make sure that you do what you've set your mind to.
The process begins with the first phone call you make to start the conversation. Having the right professional on your side from the beginning can payback dividends. You may be inclined to start by researching as much as you can on your own. Understandably so, this will save you some upfront costs, though time could fall victim to seemingly limitless rabbit holes existing on the world wide web.
Start with a Pro
Robert Molinet, owner of Sierra Landscape Management, suggests, "It's more valuable to include your professional from the point of early conception so they can help guide you through some of the common sticking points." The idea is that the landscape professional you hire will be able to help you avoid time traps that will only waste your money and desire to continue the journey.
You may be inclined to start with an architect. Their work can be invaluable. However, Robert has had many clients who have been extremely frustrated due to their architect designing something stunning, the dream brought to life on paper. Without a budget as a guide, though, the dream often leaves the land of what Robert calls “Dream Reality”. When the clients go excitedly to their contractor to get the final numbers and get started, they're often taken aback because the beautiful design far exceeds the intended budget.
Robert has also experienced stunning landscape drawings that simply don't meet the client's wishes, like the couple whose plans included an immense stone fireplace that blocked their view of the mountains. And they don't enjoy outdoor fires. Again, a waste of time and money.
For these reasons, the best approach is often a collaboration of professionals. A point person or project manager can often provide immense value by making sure all the moving parts communicate together and no stone is left unturned. The investment will pay for itself by eliminating waste and making sure the project gets done right the first time.
Guidance is Included
Extra guidance along the way is always a good thing. A good landscape contractor will take the heavy lifting off of you and make things easier and simpler to digest. It's a team effort and the right team will be there, not only to understand your dreams for a new backyard, but to make sure you're interests are protected along the way.
Sierra Landscape Management has been ramping up for this year. We've doubled our crew and purchased more tools to meet the growing demand for quality, nature-inspired backyards. You can't go back in time to plant the backyard, but you can act now to start creating experiences and memories with your friends and family that you have been thinking about for years.
Check out our process to see what it looks like to begin working with Sierra.