How to Prepare for a Landscape Design Consultation in Oakland County

Before a landscape design consultation, which at Rohto Landscaping in West Bloomfield begins as a free phone conversation, gather photos of the property from several angles, a survey if you have one, a short list of what you want to change and the rough budget you have in mind. Also find out who else will share the decision and what neighborhood or deed restrictions apply. A little preparation makes that first conversation more useful for both sides.

What the free first conversation is

The first conversation is free. We talk through your property, what you would like to change and the budget you have in mind, and which steps your project calls for. Design and renderings are a separate step, for projects that need them, and start at $2,000+. A formal estimate for a full-property transformation is another: $250, credited toward the total project price if you hire Rohto. After the call, the next step is meeting on site to walk the property; ask on the call how the steps and costs apply to your project. None of this needs deciding before you call.

What to gather before you call

Photographs that answer questions

Photos let you describe a yard the designer cannot see. Take them in daylight and aim for coverage over beauty:

• Wide shots from each corner of the lot, and one from the street showing the house, drive and front yard together.
  
  
• The same view at different times of day, to show where sun and shade fall.
  
  
• After a heavy rain, the places where water sits or runs. Put a shoe or tape measure in the frame for scale, and photograph the downspout outlets and any sump pump discharge.
  
  
• The spots you want to change, close up, plus the doors, windows and steps that any new patio or walkway would meet.
  
  
• Existing trees, whole-tree shots and the ground at the base.
  
  
• Anything that looks like a utility: meters, an A/C unit, hose bibs, boxes in the lawn.

A rough hand sketch with a few paced-off distances makes a good companion. It does not need to be accurate; it just helps you and whoever you talk to picture the same yard.

A survey, and why lot lines and easements matter

A property survey is a drawing, typically prepared by a licensed surveyor, that shows your lot's boundaries and where buildings and other features sit on it. Some surveys also mark easements. The paperwork from when you bought the house may include one. If you cannot find it, ask whoever handled your closing or built the home. A survey is not the same as a recorded subdivision plat, and the county's online parcel map is not a survey either. The questionnaire asks whether you have one, so it is worth looking for first.

Lot lines matter to a layout because they set the space a patio, wall, driveway widening or planting bed can occupy. An easement is a legal right for someone else, such as a utility, to use part of a property, and it can affect what you can place in that strip. Knowing where they sit keeps a good idea from running into a boundary after the design is drawn. Questions about boundaries or easements belong with a surveyor or an attorney.

Deed and neighborhood restrictions

Check two places before you settle on a plan:

• Your neighborhood or HOA rules, if there are any. They can limit fences, structures, materials or plant types, or require approval before work starts. Have the name and phone or email of whoever administers them.
  
  
• Your deed and any recorded restrictions. Your closing paperwork or title company can show whether any exist.

For permits and local rules, ask your local building department what applies at your address.

What is underground

Do not dig or probe to find out what is there. Write down what you already know: an irrigation system, landscape lighting, a gas line to a grill, an electric feed to a shed or pool, an invisible pet fence.

If digging is part of the project, MISS DIG's homeowner FAQ says to contact MISS DIG at least 3 business days beforehand. The person or contractor doing the excavation is responsible for making that contact, so ask early who that will be.

Who decides, and what matters most

If a spouse or partner will help decide, bring them into the conversation or agree on priorities first; a plan that suits only one of you costs time later. If an architect or builder is involved, for example on a new home or an addition, say so and have their contact details handy, because what they know about the lot can shape the plan.

Then sort what you want into two lists:

• Non-negotiable: the things the project fails without, such as a patio big enough for your table or standing water gone from the back corner.
  
  
• Nice to have: everything else, such as a fire feature, extra lighting or a specific stone.

A short first list and a flexible second list let a plan adjust when a site condition or budget limit appears. A plan where everything is essential cannot.

Getting ready for the call and the site walk

A few habits make both conversations better:

• Describe the problem as well as the fix you have in mind. "Water stands by the back steps" tells a designer more than "I want a drain."
  
  
• Pick five to ten inspiration images, and note what you like in each. The questionnaire accepts links and photo uploads, and "the stone and the curve of the path" is more useful than "I like this one."
  
  
• Write down your questions, including any about financing. Financing options are available, and the first conversation is the place to ask about them. Three questions worth asking: which steps does my project call for, what does each step cost and include, and can the work be built in stages?
  
  
• Before the site walk, make sure the gates and the back yard are reachable, secure pets, move vehicles that block access, and be ready to point out the spots you photographed.

How your answers change the conversation

Intended use. "A patio" means one thing for two people with coffee and another for twenty guests. Guest count changes the size, the path to the house and what sits nearby; kids and pets raise questions about lawn, surfaces and containment. We want to know whether you plan to entertain, sit somewhere quiet, give children room to play or have less lawn to look after.

Maintenance preference. Say honestly how much upkeep you want. A gardener can take on more beds than someone who wants to do little beyond mowing, and the answer reshapes the planting plan. If someone already maintains the property, mention that.

Timing. Say if a date matters, such as an event or a move. An exact date is not needed, and it is fine to say you are just researching.

Access. Excavation and material delivery often need a machine or truck close to the work area. A narrow side gate, a fenced backyard or a steep drive can shape how a project is built. Note anything that would limit heavy equipment.

Site conditions. If your yard has a noticeable slope, mature trees, standing water or a recently built lot, say so and photograph it. We have guides to sloped yards, mature trees and new-construction lots, and one on standing water in clay soil.

What the Design Questionnaire asks, and why it matters

The Design Questionnaire lets you share your property and plans in more detail than a phone call allows. Its questions cover contact details and the property address, property type and ownership, who is involved, lot size and a survey, how you will use the space, features and styles you like, which areas are included, maintenance, investment range and payment approach, timing, site conditions, HOA restrictions and access for heavy machinery, with room for inspiration links and photos.

A few answers are worth preparing at home before you open the form:

• Who will be involved, you, a spouse or partner, an architect or builder, so the plan reflects everyone who decides.
  
  
• Whether you have a survey, and the lot size, which show how much information already exists.
  
  
• A realistic investment range, whether it is fixed or flexible, and how you plan to pay. The questionnaire also asks whether you are comfortable investing in professional design services, and one of its answers is "I'd like more information."
  
  
• Limits on getting heavy equipment into parts of the property.
  
  
• HOA restrictions and a contact, if they apply.
  
  
• Photos and links of things you like.

If you are planning a design or a larger change, the questionnaire is the route. For a quick question, a smaller project or when you are not sure what you need, call or send a short message through the contact page.

What happens next

After the first conversation we meet you on site to walk the property. Where your project needs them, design, renderings and a formal estimate follow, and the same team installs the work, all at once or in stages that follow the same plan. How Rohto's design process works is laid out on the Landscape Design page, and our installation timeline guide covers the order of work from the first conversation to the final walkthrough. If you are unsure whether you need a designer, a landscape architect or a landscaper, see our guide to designers, landscape architects and landscapers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a survey before I call?

No. A survey is useful if you have one, but you can describe your project without it. If you are not sure whether one exists, check your closing paperwork or ask whoever handled your closing, and ask on the first call whether one will matter for your project.

What if I do not know what I want?

That is a normal place to start. Describe what is not working today and how you would like to use the space, bring photos, and we can talk through which steps make sense.

Will the first conversation give me a firm price for the whole project?

No. The first conversation is where we explain how pricing works for your project. Design and formal estimates are separate steps, so use the call to learn which steps your project needs, not as a quote.

What if I am only researching?

You are welcome to call. If you are not sure what you need, call or send a short message through the contact page; the questionnaire also has a "Just researching" option.

What if I do not own the property yet?

The questionnaire asks whether you own the property and includes "Not yet" as an answer, so you can still describe what you are considering. For what you may change before closing, ask the seller, builder or an attorney.

Next Step

Read how the process works on the Landscape Design page. If you are planning a design or a larger change and want to share the full picture of your property, start the Design Questionnaire. If you have a quick question, a smaller project or are not sure what you need, call 248-205-8723, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern, or send a short message through the contact page.