Stop Wasting Time On Site Visits

Posted July 28, 2022

Find out how to use that all important first site visit to gather information for your garden design.

Your on-site consultation is not just an opportunity for you to meet your potential client. It’s your one and only chance to make a great first impression. Not only that, if you use your time wisely, you can gather all of the information you need for your garden design in one go. Saving you having to make a repeat visit….and we all know how much repeat visits eat into your day and cost a fortune in fuel.

We estimate that for the average project, you should be able to gather and upload all of the necessary information in under an hour. So much quicker than designing the garden yourself or trying to find a garden designer with availability within your client’s time scale.

I’m not going to tell you that for your site visit you need to dress smartly, smell sweet and resist swearing – you already know all of that. So let’s get down to the basics.

Tasks For An Information Gathering Site Visit

Be Prepared

Sign up for My Garden Design (if you haven’t already done so
Pack your van with everything you need to gather and record information (see suggested list below)
To save time later, create a project on your My Garden Design dashboard
Think about how you will sell the concept of garden design
Print off the garden design brief forms to hand to the client on site.

On-Site Information Gathering

Taking Photographs to upload them to your project on the My Garden Design website.

Take photos from as many angles as possible – the more information our designers have, the better your design will be.

Measure perimeters and draw a quick sketch of the garden shape – it needn’t be to scale
Measure and record any objects that will be kept in the garden
Provide triangulation measurements for maximum accuracy – particularly for features such as cess pits, oil tanks, existing trees etc
Take running measurements and mark the position and dimensions of doors, gates, windows, downpipes etc
Take a picture of your sketch map(s) and upload to your project on the My Garden Design website.

The Garden Design Brief

Discuss the importance of garden design and use the quick quote facility on the My Garden Design website to confirm the price. Simply enter the length and width of the garden into the online tool and the price will instantly appear on screen. No need for guesswork or phonecalls.
Either – Go through the garden design brief questionnaire with your clients. You can complete the online version whilst with them, or take photo’s of the paper version to upload. OR, for maximum efficiency, hand them the printed form and ask them to send it back to you

Back At The Office

Send the client an invoice for their design fee
If you haven’t already done it, create a project on you My Garden Design dashboard
Upload site photos, dimensions and the completed garden brief questionnaire
Upload your company logo which will appear on the finished design
Click on the ‘buy now’ button to start the garden design process

Making sure that you complete each of the steps above will help ensure that you get the best possible value from your site visit. If you remember to take photos, accurate measurements and gain a strong sense of your clients needs, then you won’t need to make follow up phone calls or a return visit. At least not until their garden design is ready to be presented to them.

Working efficiently in this way will not only save you time, it will give your client confidence that you offer a good service.

Your garden measurements sketch needn’t be to scale – provided the designer can read the information, something like this is all you need

Site Visit Essentials Check List

This is the list of items that I usually take with me to a site visit. I have my ‘visit pack’ in a storage box in the truck most of the time. It’s there in case I get the opportunity to call in and see a potential client at the end of the working day.

Fully charged smartphone or tablet to connect to the internet.
Have your device logged into you My Garden Design account.
“Guide to Garden Design” leaflet to help you sell your design service. (download for free from our Useful Documents section)
Notepad and a pen/pencil
Tape measure. (30 metre length is ideal)
Compass to find which way the garden faces – I use the one on my smartphone.
Printed blank copy of the garden design brief questionnaire – it’s a good idea to take a spare copy too.
Digital camera (the one on your smartphone or tablet is perfect)
Diary – to make an appointment to present the garden design and/or landscaping quote.
Business card or flyer with your contact details to leave with the customer.

What Photographs To Take On A Site Visit

A general overview of the area. Is it a housing estate, rural location, new property, overlooked by neighbours ….that kind of thing.
Photos of entry points to the garden. What is access like? How about parking and/or storage space for materials?
A view of the garden from each entry point and, if possible, from inside the home – what will the clients see when they look out of their window?
Stand at each corner of the garden and take pictures from all angles.
Problem areas – dodgy downpipes, boggy bits, dry bits, soil type, deep shade, no shade, parts of the garden overlooked by neighbours etc
Any plants, trees and features that will remain in the garden. Eg shed, pond, mature trees, pond, trampoline.
Anything that the client would like screened from view.
Show us the size, shape, style and colour scheme of the property as seen from the end of the garden and various points within the garden.

You cannot take too many photos! Our designers need to get a really clear idea of the garden’s potential.

Once you have uploaded all of the documents to your project on My Garden Design, it’s simply a matter of clicking on the ‘buy now’ button and entering your payment details to commission your design. Of course, if you have any questions or need additional services such as 3D rendering or panoramic views, we’re always here to help. Simply call Paul Baker on 0333 577 9886 or email [email protected]