How to Prepare for a Landscape Project — A Sydney Homeowner's Checklist

The projects that run well almost always share the same first month. Here is what we ask clients to do before we start drawing.

1. Write a one-page brief

How you want to use the space, who uses it, what you love and what you don't. No plant names, no material names — just how life should feel in the finished garden.

2. Set a real budget range

Not a ceiling — a range. 'Between $180k and $240k' is a workable brief. 'Under $250k' is a ceiling that quietly becomes the target.

3. Gather site documents

Survey, sewer diagram, any existing DA documentation. If you don't have them, we'll help — but having them ready shaves weeks off design.

4. Photograph the site through a full day

Sun at 9am, midday, 3pm and dusk. It's the single most useful thing a client can hand to a designer.

5. Choose design before builder

Design first, quote second. A well-documented scope makes builder comparisons honest and protects the outcome.