Landscape design
A measured plan and a real budget before anyone breaks ground — done over the winter so your crew slot is ready at thaw.
- Price
- Quoted per site Projects from about $2,500
- Season
- Jan–Dec
- Status
- Booking in October
What's different about this job
Design season and build season are opposite up here. We draw between October and April so permits, materials and crew time are locked before the ground thaws in May — the single biggest reason mountain projects slip a whole year.
What is included
- On-site measure, slope and drainage read, sun and snow-shed mapping
- Scaled site plan with a planting list restricted to what survives zone 7a/7b
- Staged budget so the work can be split across two build seasons
- Defensible-space zones drawn into the plan, not bolted on later
- Revisions until the plan is buildable, then a fixed-price install quote
How the design process runs
We measure on site, read the slope and drainage, and note where snow sheds off the roofline — that last one determines where you can and cannot put a patio, and it is the detail most plans miss.
You get a scaled plan, a planting list limited to what survives zone 7a/7b, and a staged budget. If the whole thing is too much for one season, the plan says which half to build first so the second half does not require tearing up the first.
What you end up owning
The drawing is yours. If you build it with us the design fee is credited against the install. If you take it to another contractor, it is still a buildable plan with real dimensions.
Questions we hear
Can you design remotely if I only get up on weekends?
Yes. Most of our clients own second homes down the hill. We measure on site, then review the plan over video with photos and a marked-up aerial. You do not need to be standing in the yard.
Does the design fee come off the install?
We credit the design fee against the install when you build with us in the same or next build season. If you take the plan elsewhere, it is yours to keep.
Do I need a permit for what you're drawing?
Grading over certain thresholds, retaining walls above four feet, and any tree removal can all trigger review with the City of Big Bear Lake or San Bernardino County. We flag those on the plan before you commit.
Where we do most of this work
Tell us the address. We will tell you what it needs.
A written scope, a real price, and a straight answer about whether this season still has room for it.