You may have been thinking about your outdoor space for months, or even years. Perhaps you have saved inspiration, started planning a pool or entertaining area, or simply reached the point where the existing landscape no longer works for the way you live.
A professional landscape design consultation is where those early ideas begin to take shape. It is an opportunity to look at the property as a whole, discuss what you want to achieve and understand what is realistically possible based on the site, your priorities and your budget.
At Lynx Landscaping, landscape design and construction are considered together from the outset. Because our team manages both the design and the build, we can look beyond how a concept might appear on paper and consider how it will function, what it is likely to cost and what will be involved in constructing it on your property.
Key Takeaways
- Your first consultation is about understanding your property, lifestyle, priorities, budget and project goals, rather than producing a finished landscape design.
- Bring along any site or house plans you have, inspiration images, your priorities and some thoughts on how you want to use the finished space.
- Be prepared to discuss budget openly. This helps the team recommend ideas that are realistic for the level of investment you are considering.
- Site access, levels, drainage, existing structures and orientation can all influence both the design and the way the project is constructed.
- The consultation gives you professional advice, realistic direction and a clearer path forward, but it does not include a completed 2D or 3D landscape design.
- If you decide to proceed, detailed landscape design is the next stage, turning the direction established during the consultation into a plan that can ultimately be built.
What Is the Purpose of a Landscape Design Consultation?
The first consultation is about understanding what you want to achieve and assessing how that can work within the realities of your property.
That starts with the bigger picture: how your household currently uses the outdoor areas, what is not working, what you would like to change and which elements matter most to you. From there, the discussion can begin to cover design preferences, project scope, likely investment and any opportunities or constraints presented by the site.
Importantly, the first consultation is not where you receive a finished landscape plan. Instead, it creates the foundation for the detailed design that follows.
This early stage is also where having design and construction knowledge within the same team becomes particularly valuable. A landscape concept may look appealing, but it also needs to work with the levels, access, drainage, structures and practical construction requirements of the property. Considering those factors early helps reduce the likelihood of costly compromises or surprises later.
How to Prepare for Your First Landscape Design Consultation
You do not need to arrive at the consultation knowing exactly what you want.
Some clients come to us with detailed inspiration boards and a clear list of priorities. Others simply know that their existing outdoor space is not working and want professional guidance on what could be done with it. Both are completely valid starting points.
A little preparation, however, can help make the consultation more productive and give the design team a clearer understanding of what matters to you.
Think About How You Want to Use the Space
Before focusing too heavily on how the finished landscape should look, consider how you want it to function.
Think about the way your household will actually use the space, including:
- entertaining and outdoor dining
- pool use and who will be using it
- children, family and pets
- privacy from neighbours or the street
- lawn and open areas compared with garden and planting
- shade and storage
- how much ongoing maintenance you want
- how the different outdoor areas should connect
- how you want to move between the home and the landscape
These practical considerations often provide a much stronger starting point for landscape design than choosing individual finishes or features.
Gather Plans and Property Information
If you have existing plans or property information available, it can be useful to send these through before the consultation.
This might include:
- house, building or architectural plans
- site plans or surveys
- pool plans, where relevant
- photographs of the property
- mood boards or saved design inspiration
- information about any known easements or site constraints
None of these are essential. If you do not have formal plans or surveys, the consultation can still proceed. They simply provide additional context where available.
Save Inspiration, But Do Not Feel You Need a Finished Vision
Inspiration images can be extremely useful because they help communicate the style, materials, planting and overall feel you are drawn to.
Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram, architectural publications and completed landscape projects can all provide useful references. It can be equally helpful to save examples of things you do not like.
The aim is not to find a landscape that can be copied. Instead, these references help the designer understand your preferences and identify recurring elements that could inform a design suited specifically to your property.
Consider Your Priorities
Most substantial landscape projects involve a combination of essential requirements and optional features.
Before the consultation, it can help to think about your ideas as:
- must-haves
- nice-to-haves
- lower-priority additions
This does not mean decisions need to be finalised immediately. It simply gives the design team a better understanding of where to focus the available space and budget.
Be Prepared to Talk About Budget
Budget is one of the most useful conversations to have early in the process, even if you do not yet know exactly what your project is likely to cost.
Many homeowners have never undertaken a full landscape transformation before, so it is completely reasonable not to have a precise figure in mind.
If you do have an investment range, sharing it gives the team a clearer framework to work within. It allows us to identify what is realistic, where different features may have the greatest impact and whether the scope of the project broadly aligns with the level of investment being considered.
For homeowners who are still working out what a substantial project might cost, our guide to how much a full landscape transformation costs on the Gold Coast provides indicative ranges and explains some of the major cost factors.
What Happens During the Landscape Design Consultation?
The on-site consultation runs for a minimum of one hour and is attended by a landscape architect and sales estimator. This gives the team time to understand what you want to achieve, walk through the property with you and consider both the design possibilities and the practical realities of the site.
Having design and estimating expertise involved in the same conversation also means the discussion can extend beyond ideas alone. Site constraints, construction requirements and likely costs can all be considered as the potential direction for the landscape begins to take shape.
Understanding Your Goals and Lifestyle
The consultation usually begins with a conversation about the property and the way you want to use it.
We will discuss what currently works, what does not and what you would like the finished landscape to provide that the existing space does not.
That can include entertaining needs, pool use, family requirements, privacy, maintenance preferences, architectural style and the overall look and feel you are hoping to achieve.
This part of the consultation is important because good landscape design should respond to the people using the space, rather than simply arranging a standard list of features around the property.
Walking Through the Property
The next step is to walk through the site and look at the practical conditions that will influence the design.
This may include:
- levels and slopes
- access for machinery and materials
- drainage and how water moves through the site
- sun and orientation
- privacy and views
- existing vegetation
- existing structures and retaining walls
- potential pool locations
- how people move through the property
- how the house connects with the outdoor areas
These site conditions are not simply obstacles to work around. In many cases, they can help shape the design itself.
A change in level, for example, might lend itself to a raised deck, sunken entertaining zone or terraced planting. A particular outlook may influence the location of a pool, pavilion or seating area.
Discussing Ideas, Materials and Functionality
Once the goals and site conditions are understood, the consultation becomes more collaborative.
The team can begin discussing possible layouts, outdoor living areas, pool integration, hardscaping, planting, materials and other features that may suit the property.
Often, this is also where opportunities emerge that the homeowner had not previously considered.
The discussion remains at an initial concept level. Final plans are not drawn during the consultation, but the conversation provides the direction needed for the detailed design stage.
Where relevant, we can also begin discussing priorities and whether some components of the project could be staged.
Considering Buildability and Site Access
Cost is also discussed during the consultation.
Because a sales estimator is involved alongside the landscape architect, we can provide greater context around the likely construction costs associated with different ideas and project elements.
This is not the same as receiving a detailed construction quote on the day. Instead, the aim is to establish whether the proposed scope and investment are broadly aligned.
It can also help identify where your budget is likely to have the greatest impact and whether some priorities should be adjusted before detailed design begins.
What Should You Expect to Know After the Consultation?
By the end of the consultation, you should have a much clearer understanding of both the possibilities and practical considerations associated with your property.
This may include clarity around:
- the potential direction for the landscape
- major design opportunities
- site constraints that need to be considered
- the likely overall scope of the project
- whether staging may be appropriate
- realistic expectations around construction costs
- the next steps if you decide to proceed
The aim is for you to leave with a clear path forward rather than simply a collection of disconnected ideas.
Following an on-site consultation, Lynx sends through a design proposal within 24 hours, outlining the next stage of the process.
How Much Does a Landscape Design Consultation Cost?
An on-site landscape design consultation with Lynx currently costs $440 and is attended by both a landscape architect and sales estimator.
An online consultation via Teams is also available for $330.
The consultation fee covers professional advice specific to your property and project. It gives you the opportunity to discuss your ideas, understand the practical considerations involved and gain a clearer sense of what is realistically achievable before deciding whether to move into detailed design.
There is no requirement to proceed beyond the consultation.
What Happens After the Initial Consultation?
If the consultation confirms that the project is a good fit and you decide you would like to continue, the next stage is detailed landscape design.
This is where the initial ideas and direction discussed during the consultation are developed into a comprehensive plan for the property.
Moving Into Detailed Landscape Design
The landscape architect begins by refining the layout and key landscape elements, considering how the individual parts of the property work together.
Depending on the project, this can include pools, entertaining areas, pathways, garden areas, planting, structures, materials and other major landscape features.
The design is then documented as a detailed 2D plan, with 3D visualisation also available.
A 3D render can be particularly useful for understanding proportions, levels and the relationship between different areas before construction begins.
What Does Landscape Design Cost?
For a substantial residential project, a detailed 2D landscape design is typically around $6,500.
A design package incorporating both 2D plans and 3D visualisation is typically around $8,000.
The final fee depends on the property and the scope of the design, so these figures should be treated as indicative rather than fixed prices. Design fees are also separate from the initial consultation.
If you would like to see the level of detail involved before proceeding, you can download a free sample landscape design based on a real Gold Coast project.
From Landscape Design to Construction
Once the design has been resolved, it provides the framework for the construction phase.
By this point, there is much greater clarity around what is being built, how different elements relate to each other and what needs to happen during construction.
Because Lynx manages both landscape design and construction, there is continuity between the design intent and the team responsible for delivering it on site. Practical considerations such as access, sequencing, excavation, materials and construction requirements can all be accounted for as the project moves forward.
For a broader overview of how this works, our guide to what is involved in a full-service landscaping project explains the process from initial planning through to completion.
Ready to Start Planning Your Landscape?
You do not need to have every detail decided before speaking with a landscape designer.
A clear understanding of how you want to use the property, the features that matter most to you and any budget expectations you already have provides a strong starting point. From there, the consultation can help establish what is achievable and the best way to move forward.
If you are planning a substantial landscape transformation on the Gold Coast or in Northern NSW, contact the Lynx Landscaping team on 0491 303 867 or complete our online enquiry form to arrange a landscape design consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much does a landscape design consultation cost?
An on-site consultation with Lynx Landscaping currently costs $440 and runs for a minimum of one hour. It is attended by a landscape architect and sales estimator. An online consultation via Teams is also available for $330.
What should I bring to a landscape design consultation?
If available, bring or send through any house plans, site plans, surveys, pool plans, property photos and inspiration or mood boards you have collected. It is also useful to think about your priorities, how you want to use the space and any broad budget expectations. None of these documents are mandatory.
Do I need to know exactly what I want before meeting a landscape designer?
No. You do not need to arrive with a finished vision. Understanding how you want to use the property, what is not currently working and which features matter most is often enough to begin exploring suitable design options.
Should I have a budget before my landscape consultation?
A broad investment range is helpful because it allows the design team to discuss ideas that are realistic for the level of investment you are considering. If you are unsure what a substantial landscape project costs, gaining greater clarity around likely costs is also part of the consultation process.
Will I receive a landscape design during the first consultation?
No. The consultation provides professional advice, site assessment and an initial direction for the project. Detailed 2D or 3D landscape design is a separate stage. Following an on-site consultation, Lynx sends through a design proposal within 24 hours.
How much does professional landscape design cost?
As a guide, a detailed 2D landscape design is typically around $6,500, while a package including both 2D design and 3D visualisation is typically around $8,000. The final fee depends on the property and scope of the project and is separate from the initial consultation fee.
Am I committed to construction if I book a landscape design consultation?
No. The consultation, detailed design and construction stages are separate decisions. Booking a consultation does not commit you to proceeding with the design, and commissioning a landscape design does not commit you to engaging Lynx for construction.