Frequently Asked Questions

After calling our office to set up a meeting, we will meet you at your home or job site to get a lay of the land, take some pictures and a few measurements. This usually takes about 30 min. to an hour to discuss ideas, expectations, and design options. We will get to know each other better and confirm that we would be a good fit for each other. At this time we will also discuss a working budget to design and build towards.

If you have already worked with a landscape designer and have a plan in place, a copy is always handy during our visit. If you don't have a plan, not to worry. Our brains love to take an empty or past due space and turn it into something magical. We offer both large scale designs as well as simple site sketches. While this design service does have a cost depending on the complexity of the project, keep in mind it is a necessary piece of the puzzle. Most HOA's require a plan for approval, and our crews need design plans in place in order to construct your new project.

After the initial meeting we will provide you with a design estimate that will reflect a design to meet your budget. If everything looks good with the design estimate, we will proceed creating the renderings. This design process may be a quick one, or if additional sub contractors and engineering are involved, it may be a bit more time consuming.

Once we have a a design and a specific plan in place, we will meet to go over the design concept and present material samples if needed. We will also put together a project build estimate outlining the project details, pricing, and options. We can simply tailor the estimate to fit your budget and needs based on the design we created with you or one you brought to the table.

Summit has been in business since 1999. Our foreman and crew members are certified in many areas of design and construction. We are insured and take the proper precautions and actions to be as safe as possible while working on your property. Our pricing reflects the growing trends in the industry, and is competitive. We stand behind our quality craftsmanship on our builds, and work with each and every client to provide options and designs to meet all budgets.

Our build schedule is quite possibly one of the trickiest things we deal with. It involves many factors such as site conditions, what job we are currently working on, and our favorite boss, "Mother Nature." We do our best to not be too far out on the calendar once you say go. We know when you have made up your mind to tackle a project, you want to enjoy it sooner than later. But keep in mind we are not a huge company. We are craftsmen who like to take our time and do our best to get it right the first time. We also don't want you to wonder when we will be out. We will estimate a start date for the project, and keep in touch with you throughout that time period so you know best when to expect us.

Some things to think about......Do you have an HOA? Do they require project approval beforehand? We want to make sure they are aware we will be working at your home and everything is approved by them as designed. Some HOA's are quick to turn around approval, others can take a few weeks or even months. Is there any patio furniture, playsets, or other objects that need to be relocated from the area we will be working at? Do any sprinkler heads need to be relocated? We suggest first working with your existing irrigation company to do this beforehand since they know what is best for your system.

We will have a preconstruction meeting prior to starting. This meeting will typically involve the Homeowner, Designer, Operations Manager and Foreman. We want to make sure everyone is on the same page prior to starting. In some cases mobilization is the first day of production. Depending on the project; equipment, tool trailers, and materials will be delivered to the site that day. If we need to place any of those items in the street we will do what we can to set safety cones around them so they are visible to curious neighbors, small children, and passers by walking pets. In some instances a dumpster, or portable toilet may also be delivered to the street for the duration of the project. The Operations Manager or Foreman will always be at the project daily to make sure things are running smoothly and are available to answer any question or make changes along the way. Our employees are respectful of your property and try to keep things as organized and clean as possible. At times we may need to leave some of the machinery or our job trailer there on site. We will do what we can to tuck it away and make sure things are picked up at the end of each day.