Working with clients at Landscapers Horsham, one thing becomes clear pretty quickly: the homeowners who prepare properly before we arrive get far better results and fewer headaches along the way. Nobody wants to discover halfway through a project that there’s a drainage pipe exactly where the new patio was meant to go, or that access is so tight we can’t get materials through without dismantling a fence. A bit of groundwork before the landscapers turn up makes everything run smoother.
Sort Out Access Early
This sounds obvious, but access issues cause more delays than just about anything else. Modern landscaping projects need machinery, materials, and somewhere to put the muck that comes out. A mini digger needs to get in. Pallets of paving slabs need delivering. Tonnes of soil and rubble need removing.
Walk the route materials will take from the road to the garden. Is there a side gate wide enough for a wheelbarrow, let alone anything bigger? Are there steps, narrow passages, or overhanging plants that’ll cause problems? If the only access is through the house, that needs discussing upfront. Some projects simply aren’t viable without decent access, and finding that out on day one wastes everyone’s time.
For larger projects, hiring a skip makes sense. Work out where it can go legally without blocking pavements or annoying neighbours. Getting this organised beforehand rather than scrambling on the first morning keeps things moving.
Clear the Area Properly
The garden doesn’t need to be immaculate, but removing personal items, garden furniture, pots, and ornaments before work starts helps enormously. Landscapers can’t be responsible for every garden gnome or delicate pot plant that gets caught up in the chaos.
If there are plants worth keeping, mark them clearly or move them to a safe spot. Once machinery starts moving about and materials start piling up, it’s easy for things to get damaged or buried. Anything precious should be well out of the way.
Sheds and outbuildings that’ll be staying need protecting if they’re near the work area. Dust, mud, and the occasional stray brick have a way of finding their way onto surfaces. Covering them with tarpaulin takes five minutes and prevents grief later.
Check for Underground Services
This is critical. Water pipes, gas lines, electricity cables, and drains all hide underground, often with no obvious indication of where they run. Hitting a water main or cutting through a power cable isn’t just inconvenient, it’s dangerous and expensive.
If there’s any uncertainty about what’s buried where, getting the utility companies to mark things out is time well spent. Most offer free services to identify cable and pipe locations. Old building plans sometimes show drainage runs, though they’re not always accurate if previous owners have added extensions or outbuildings.
Knowing where services run allows the landscaping plan to work around them rather than discovering problems with a spade through a drain pipe.
Deal with Boundaries and Neighbours
If the project involves work near boundary fences or walls, having a conversation with neighbours beforehand avoids awkwardness later. Nobody enjoys noise, disruption, and dust unexpectedly appearing next door.
Explaining what’s happening, how long it’ll take, and checking there are no shared ownership issues with fences or walls keeps things civil. Some boundary structures are jointly owned, and making changes without agreement causes problems that can drag on for months.
If scaffolding or machinery needs to overhang a neighbour’s property, even temporarily, getting permission in writing prevents disputes. Most people are reasonable if asked politely in advance rather than presented with a fait accompli.
Think About Timing
Landscaping projects create mess and noise. Trying to run one whilst working from home in the next room or during school holidays when children need to use the garden makes life harder than necessary.
Weather matters too. Heavy rain turns gardens into quagmires, making work slower and messier. Frozen ground stops digging. Scheduling projects for spring or early autumn generally works better than the depths of winter or a baking hot August.
If the garden is the main route to get washing out, bins out, or generally move about, working out alternative arrangements for a couple of weeks prevents daily frustration.
Be Realistic About Disruption
Professional landscaping projects are messy, noisy, and disruptive. There’s no way around that. Mud gets traipsed about. Lorries turn up. Machinery makes noise. Accepting this upfront rather than being surprised by it makes the whole experience less stressful.
Gardens often look worse before they look better. Halfway through a project, when everything’s been dug up but nothing’s been laid yet, things can look pretty grim. That’s normal. The transformation comes at the end, not during.
Communication Makes Everything Easier
Before work starts, having a proper conversation about expectations helps enormously. What time will work start and finish each day? Where will materials be stored? What happens if something unexpected crops up, like discovering rotten fence posts or drainage issues?
Being available during the first day or two means any questions can get answered quickly. Once everyone’s clear on what’s happening, projects tend to run themselves, but those initial conversations prevent misunderstandings.
If circumstances change during the project, like needing to add extra drainage or adjust levels because of ground conditions, discussing it promptly rather than waiting until the end avoids surprises when the bill arrives.
The Payoff
Preparing properly doesn’t just make life easier for the landscapers. It makes the whole experience less stressful for homeowners and usually results in a better finished project. Problems get identified and solved early rather than becoming expensive surprises halfway through.
A bit of planning, some practical preparation, and clear communication set the foundation for a landscaping project that delivers what was promised, on time, without the kind of chaos that makes people regret starting in the first place. That’s the difference between a project that’s endured and one that’s actually enjoyed.
