Outdoor area - Tasks - Hiring a landscape gardener

I would involve the garden landscaper in the planning immediately.

But let the earthworks be done as much as possible by the excavator. Everything that the garden landscaper later hauls away and brings back costs double or triple.

I would also have the preparation for the driveway and the terrace done right away, by which I mean digging out and adding gravel.

If a slope needs to be retained, have it done right away as well.

I would always install drainage; nothing is worse than clay soil and grass standing in water because nothing seeps away.

The soakaway pit is the same; that’s easily 2-3 cubic meters of earth, a large excavator can do that on the side, especially if the soil has to be transported away.

And when choosing the garden landscaper, it’s best to ask to see 2-3 current construction sites; I relied on photos and got into trouble.

Etc.

First, you have to separate what exactly a landscaping company does and what completely different companies do. Electricity, water, and gas are each handled by separate companies – urgently clarify with your construction company when each of these needs to be done (for example, underfloor heating for screed drying can be operated with electricity instead of gas, but it costs significantly more).

Then think about what is important for you to have soon and what you want to do yourself. And how much budget there is for pure gardening work ([such things as infiltration, etc.] also should be done immediately in my opinion, but not necessarily by a gardener).

By the way, we contacted different companies in the Munich area and were able to get an appointment with all of them still this year – although sometimes only 6 months after our inquiry, but at least still this year. A short lead time therefore doesn’t have to mean anything, but if someone has no orders at all, I would already question that critically.

Then I will try to get an offer from the house builder for the things that the earthworks contractor can do for the outdoor area. They must also want to offer that, as there is currently a lot to do. I think if the excavator is there, some things can be done at the same time (?) and it is much less complicated than hiring someone else. Own contribution: I can only help (I am not a professional) and it will probably only work with paving and garden design.

The landscape gardener can't do anything yet. The property is needed for containers, construction road, and earthworks. However, they actually have lead time because their order books are full. But I think if you call him now, he'll show you the bird virtually and postpone you to next year. A craftsman rarely commits to the next year. Also, the flashes of inspiration come about how one would like it when the house is standing and you can really feel the wind and sun on the property.

But a little planning doesn't hurt. Construction started in March 2017, the landscape gardener was already decided then and was scheduled for August. It went exactly like that.

I think when the excavator is there, some things can be done at the same time (?) and it is much less complicated than hiring someone else.

Just to raise awareness, "doing it at the same time" because the excavator from the earthworks contractor is already there does not mean it is free. He will probably charge according to labor hours and quantities, which is completely fine. I just want to point this out because I have encountered clients who thought, "oh, he can just excavate and haul away the 5 cubic meters at the same time with the excavator," assuming it would cost nothing. If he does it for free, he probably factored it in beforehand, or if it was tendered through a bill of quantities, there were probably minor quantities somewhere and it was settled there, which is of course also fine [emoji6]