Ladd Modern Landscape Architecture’s first contact with clients is in the form of a Consultation. Essentially, we talk about what you would like to do. We prefer to talk in person, while visiting the site. If you have questions, we do our best to answer them fully before parting company.
Ladd Modern Landscape Architecture wants to help you achieve those enthusiastic ideas for your site. We can review landscape drawings you already have, for feasibility or for helpful suggestions for improvement. We can discuss your budget and possibly find ways to help implement “champagne taste on a beer budget”. Let us know of thematic choices already made for design elements, and let us know if they are “set” or suggestions. We can compose your design around a single flower or theme, however, getting too specific early in the design phase may hinder your other options.
Note that key parties to this discussion ought to be invited to participate in the initial conversation. It is usually less, but can take up to two or more hours for us to gather pertinent information about your site and its use, as well as to fully understand your vision for the site. Daylight hours are the best time for consultations to take place. We are open to other times, if that is to demonstrate a particular problem for resolution.
If you choose to have us create a formal design for your site, some additional amount of time during the initial consultation will be used to take measurements or to investigate soil conditions at the site. You need not be present for that entire time. If you already have information such as an accurate plot plan, then we will have more time to go over your ideas for landscape design.
If a site is very large or has extraordinary challenges, Ladd Modern Landscape Architecture can help you find the services of a civil engineer, surveyor, or even a soils engineer or geologist to assess your site. This will provide accuracy for such things as: determining property lines; the steepness and stability of slopes; or drainage problems to be resolved. Expansive soils require special considerations in the design and its execution.
You may find it helpful to write down some questions for us ahead of the consultation. During or after the consultation, let us know if you would like us to proceed with more design work for you. The next steps in that case will be for us to draw up a contract for your review. After the initial consultation, it will be up to you to decide on any subsequent design work. That may be a Conceptual Drawing, or a Preliminary Drawing. 1
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Ladd Modern Landscape Architecture
P.O. Box 593
Long Beach, CA 90801-0593
562-513-3208
© Copyright 2025 by Robert P. Ladd, D.B.A. Ladd Modern Landscape Architecture. All rights reserved. No part of this website shall be copied without expressed, written consent.
- Note that the services we ultimately perform for you will be spelled out in the contract between us. Contract sum depends upon which options are chosen. The information provided on this website is to give you an idea of what we can do for you. Some services are not needed, desired nor included in all projects. All plans are schematic in nature. Figures we give for areas or quantities are to help you obtain the optimal comparison between installation price quotes. Contractors and installers must become familiar with the site before taking on the work. ↩︎