Anyone ever use a landscape architect? Is this a crazy idea?

[HannaAddict]

We redid our backyard with a landscape architect including hardscaping but I wouldn't invest that sort of $$ in a rental. I would consider hiring a less expensive landscape designer for a simple plan if you have a long lease and agreement from the landlord that you can go ahead with landscaping. I wouldn't do it without those two things. If you have a fancy high end nursery near you, they sometimes have designers who will come and give ideas and basic sketch for a nominal fee of you buy X amount from them.

[bisous]

Thanks, all. Glad to know the consensus seems to be that hiring a professional for the planning phase is smart. The renting thing is an issue. I do think that we'll be renting for more than five more years. I do know that this isn't a sure thing. But our neighbors have the same LL and they've been in the same house for the last 17 years with only tiny rent increases. I think chances are good that this situation will last.

I should show you guys a photo. I think the reason I really want to talk to someone is that our current setup is so weird. We have a small yard but with a large open space area behind. Whoever put the fence is put in this really weird bump that left off about 1/4 of our small yard. What's more, we can see this weird bump from our dining/kitchen area. I'd love to know the real cost of changing out the fencing to include that other 1/4 of the yard. I'd love to not look at that little bump. "Everyone" tells me it will be too expensive to work on fencing but I don't think they really know. In the meantime, I don't want to plan my entire yard around this weird shape. I also think that a professional can give us a leg up on which plants to incorporate. Plants bring a lot of beauty for relatively low cost but it would be great if they would not die.

[Staraglimmer]

Fencing can be very expensive. Also, where I live you cannot change fence placement without having a new land survey done.

[citymama]

Where I live (HCOL), the rule of thumb is redwood fence costs $50 a foot on average for materials and installation. We just had ours redone for $40/foot and we know someone else who spent closer to $80. (Pressure treated wood is less expensive but not good if you're growing edibles.) I'm in a HCOL but that's the kind if info you can get from a basic fence company - their cost per foot. I would not hire a landscape designer to do that research. Having worked with several designers I can assure you that the contractors who implement are far more core to your project than any designer. We shopped around a bunch for designers and our design cost about $400 - a fraction of the price of every other designer out there, who would charge around $100/hour for design, including time spent talking to us! Quite honestly the process of interviewing designers helped us narrow down our vision for the backyard - we did free one hour consults with about 6 designers. We eliminated a few who charged $150 just for the initial consult.

[Kindra178]

Absolutely for a house you own. Never for a rental. Keep saving that $2000 month in an interest bearing savings account. You can use that money for college, retirement or entertainment (vacations, dinners out, etc).

[westwoodmom04]

Normally I would say no, but you are in southern California, so the backyard is very usable living space almost all of the year. I would look to see if there are opportunities to learn about native plants that might do well without hiring a landscape designer. Maybe a class in gardening at a community college? Our local park has a native plant sale at the beginning of the spring.

[crayonblue]

I agree with westwoodmom04 about SoCal backyards being very usable living space. As a fellow SoCal long-term renter, I also think it is perfectly fine to put money into the house you are renting especially since you have found an "affordable" rental! If you were renting one with a totally decked out back yard you probably would be paying thousands more per month!

I can't remember her name but one northern California mom rents and she talked about putting in hardwood floors, etc. because they were going to be there long term.

[nfowife]

I would look and see what cost-saving ideas you could implement such as a landscaping student or the like. If you are planning to stay long-term it's fine to invest a small amount of money, but I wouldn't go all out and make it your dream home or anything.

[gatorsmom]

We've used landscape professionals before with mixed results. But honestly, as a long time landlord, I would not spend a lot of time and effort on someone else's property. Even though your intention is to stay there long term, you cannot predict what the landlord will do. Worse case scenario you make improvements on the yard, spend your own money and put a lot of work into it yourself and then the landlord decides the property can bring in higher rent. Or he might decide it's sell-worthy- based on YOUR improvements. Weirder things have happened.

In your shoes, I'd find a student in a landscaping program if they would give their opinion. Then I'd clean up the yard and ask the landlord if he will buy some shrubs and perennials for you to plant on his property. That seems like a good compromise.

[azzeps]

I'd be hesitant to sink any money into a property I don't own. It is an "investment" only in your happiness and enjoyment. I would still call that an expense. I'd be concerned about a rent increase if there's nothing in writing. That would be just MY luck.

Local nurseries can be helpful about which plants will do well. And I mean a good nursery, not Home Depot, you know? That might be a cheaper avenue to pursue. I like to walk around the neighborhood and see what plants are seeming to flourish in my neighbors' yards, and take photos, and then take them to the nursery for identification.

If you want to make improvements, I'd see if the landlord is willing to maybe go 50/50.

Also, some contractors won't work for you, they'll only work for the property owner. At least it's that way in the HVAC business. Maybe landscapers don't feel the same way!