Common
questions.
Four sections — budget, process, stewardship, fit. The honest answers, not the marketing answers. If yours isn’t here, write it down and bring it to the first walk; we’d rather answer in person.
What's the minimum budget?
Master Plan only: $28k. Design + Build: $180k. We'll be honest at the brief stage if it's borderline; we'd rather walk away early than work through a misalignment.
Median project budget?
$280k for Design + Build. The range runs $180k to $1.4M. Roof gardens and small courtyards typically come in lower; multi-acre projects or vineyards run higher.
Why so expensive?
Three reasons. The materials we specify last (granite over concrete, ipe over composite). The build crew is in-house at fair wages, not subcontracted. The stewardship is built in for year one — replacements are free.
How long does it take?
Nine months median, consult to handover. Schematic design takes 8 — 16 weeks; design development another 6 — 8; build runs 14 — 26 weeks; year-one review at 52.
Why a 90-minute first walk?
Less than that and we don't read the site. More than that and we're inventing scope. Ninety minutes lets us see grade, light, and bones, with room for the conversation to breathe.
Do you do drawings remotely?
Schematic design and CDs, yes. The first walk and the build, no. We don't accept projects we can't visit at the relevant phases.
Can I bring my own contractor?
On Master Plan only, yes — that's the use case for that scope. On Design + Build, no — we run the build with our own crew because the build quality follows the relationship.
What about permits?
We handle all city permits as part of Design + Build. About 60% of projects need at least one permit; sites in Marin, SF, and Atherton most often.
Is stewardship required?
No. About 70% of clients sign on for it; the rest go to a peer firm or self-manage. The handover documentation is the same either way.
What does stewardship cover?
Monthly visits in growing season, quarterly in winter. Plant replacement is free in year one. Year-two onward, replacements are at material cost. Annual plant census with photographs.
Can I leave stewardship after a year?
Yes — 30-day notice. We don't run multi-year contracts. About 8% of clients leave each year; we send the as-built drawings and the plant census on the way out.
How do I know if Verdant is the right firm?
If you want a garden that gets better with the seasons rather than a yard that's been turned over, we're probably a fit. If you want a fast turn-around or a low budget, we're probably not.
Do you turn projects down?
Roughly half of inquiries don't lead to a project. The reasons are usually fit (sub-quarter-acre, aggressive HOA constraints) or scope (sub-budget, sub-timeline). We refer to peer firms when we can.
Do you have a waitlist?
Yes. Twelve commissions a year is the cap. The waitlist is currently 4 — 6 months for a first walk; the build itself follows the standard 9-month sequence from there.
