What is online garden design worth?

Posted December 3, 2020

What is garden design worth to you? We’re taking a look at how online garden design offers more than just inspirational landscaping ideas.
Another word for “worth” is “value”. So what do you value about good garden design?

Knowing exactly what to build and where to position it
The confidence that your client knows exactly what to expect
Peace of mind when quoting
Being able to project manage and plan in advance

Good garden design is crucial for any landscaping project. And of course, there are several options for getting that design into a workable format. You could do it all yourself, sub-contract the work to a garden designer, ask the client to engage a garden designer, or outsource to an online garden design service.

I’m sure you’ve had the experience of at least 2 out of the 4 options and I’m equally sure that you might have encountered pitfalls along the way. What was the cost of those hiccups? Remember – cold hard cash is not the only way to calculate the cost or evaluate what garden design is worth.

Our online garden design service has been created to iron out some of the wrinkles and make it easier for you to profit from this valuable service

When my business is running smoothly I don’t feel the least bit guilty about finishing work on time and enjoying a nice meal with my family

Saving you time

What is your time worth? Me? Well, I aim to achieve a minimum hourly rate for myself when I’m at work (don’t always manage it!). But being able to finish work at a reasonable hour and spending quality time with my family is priceless.

Those long drawn-out days dealing with clients and colleagues don’t always help my mental health. Especially when it’s raining and cold, the wet saw has broken and the deliveries are late. Now, if I could delegate just some of the work of running a landscaping business – and trust that it will be done properly and cost-effectively – I would. Which is why I created My Garden Design.

With My Garden Design every scrap of information the garden designer needs is uploaded to a secure website. You can even upload the information while you are on site chatting with the client. That means no running to and fro to take more measurements and no lengthy phone calls because you forgot to ask about the washing line or their favourite plants.

You can use the free tools that come with My Garden Design to qualify the lead and to make the sales and information processes slicker and more efficient.

Finally, you can trust our garden designers to create landscaper-friendly designs in record quick time. No need for you to struggle with software or spend hours playing with different design ideas. Instead you invest that time in your business or go and do something that you enjoy.

Software investment

Modern garden design requires more than just a big piece of paper and some pens. Clients expect to see computer-aided designs – and if I’m honest – landscapers do too. Good design software costs money. Not only do you need the program, you need a suitable computer to run it on. And you probably need a sophisticated printer too.

The equipment for garden design is only part of the investment. You also need to invest in time and training to be able to make the most of it. Do you have the time for that?

My Garden Design brings you all the benefits of CAD without the headaches. And you never need to worry about branding – each design will carry your Company logo and MGD will never be mentioned.

Peace of mind

I can’t say it often enough, peace of mind is priceless. I’ve been a landscaper for 20 years and in that time I’ve worked with lots of garden designers. Some are great – their designs are workable, they trust in the landscaper and pop by from time to time with biscuits. Sadly not all garden designers understand the landscaping process and this leads to frustration on both sides.

Knowing that a design has been thoroughly researched, well thought out, and agreed by the client gives me peace of mind.

My Garden Design puts the landscaper in charge of the entire project. Our online tools help you make a comprehensive client brief and you know that the measurements will be accurate – because you’ll be organising the site survey. You will be communicating with the client and ensuring that they love the design before you start building it. And for your peace of mind, every MGD design is checked by an experienced landscaper to make sure nothing has been overlooked.

The quick quote tool on My Garden Design allows you to see what your online garden design will cost – there are no hidden extras so you know exactly what your new garden design is worth

Client relationships

Your whole landscaping business depends on client relationships. That’s how you get great reviews and word of mouth advertising. A good relationship with your client makes work a pleasure – even when things aren’t running to plan. When your client is involved in every step of the design process, in theory, they’ll be happier with the finished garden.

Sometimes there is less opportunity for misunderstanding when the whole makeover from concept to completion is managed by one person. I’m trying to be very tactful here, but I’m sure every landscaper has been in a situation where designer, client, and contractor are all at loggerheads. It really does sour the atmosphere and make you wonder if the job is worth the stress. We’re back to that word again. Worth. What is online design worth if it means less hassle on-site?

Marketing your business

So far I’ve only talked about working “in” your business and how online garden design is worth its weight in gold. What about working “on” the business. Can good garden design help your business to develop and grow? I think it can.

My Garden Design produces layout plans that carry your (and only your) logo and contact details. This means that you can market your business as “landscaping and garden design” or words to that effect. For the average client, dealing with just one organisation holds a lot of appeal. Your garden design service is a selling point. And, properly organised, it will generate extra time and another income stream. It’s got to be worth a try.

This driveway design was created for Gunns and Roses from Lincolnshire

Trade prices with healthy profit margins

As you’d expect, the online garden design services at My Garden Design are not free. BUT we are confident that our prices are worth it. If you tot up the hours you could potentially spend creating your own designs, the investment in software, the hassle factor, and the benefits to your peace of mind, how would you price up a garden design? Now take a look at our Quick Quote tool and discover what we would charge you. (There are no hidden costs, what you see is what you pay). The second price is the RRP and gives an indication of what you could choose to charge your clients.