HARDSCAPES & DESIGN

BY SARAH WEBB

When it comes to installing water features, the process is much easier if hardscape contractors have already established a clear flow of procedures.

Evan Hill, owner at Earth Works Outdoor Builders in South Lyon, Mich., discusses the process his company follows and offers advice for other hardscape contractors interested in offering water feature installations.

1. The customer inquiry

Earth Works Outdoor Builders accepts project inquiries in three ways: through email, through a consultation form on its website and via direct phone call.

“When I talk to the customer, I just get them talking about their idea and their plan,” Hill says. “Most of the time, they’re really excited about the project, and they’ve been thinking about it for a long time. It’s a lot different than just going in and laying mulch or mowing lawns.”

2.

The consultation

From there, Earth Works Outdoor Builders sets up a consultation meeting, charging a $150 consultation fee for consultants to meet with the customer for an hour, walk the landscape and talk about the vision.

Additionally, Hill says Earth Works always asks for photos of the proposed installation or rebuild area in advance.

“A lot of times, customers will also present pictures they have from Instagram or Google or something they saw in real life on a trip or something like that,” Hill says. “I may come back to them and say this type of water feature will look too tall or out of place and offer them other options.”

In order to determine the best type of water feature and location of that feature, Hill says there are several items that must be considered.

First and foremost is budget.

“I’m always discussing budgets, and if they have a budget range, I can offer up a few options,” Hill says. “If it’s a case where they really want a specific function, I advise them to wait until