Appointing a Landscape Architect

Chartered landscape architects offer a wide range of general and specialist services, sometimes working as members of multi-disciplinary teams, but commonly acting as the sole adviser to their client.

Generally, landscape architects are willing to discuss a potential appointment with a prospective client without obligation. Both parties can benefit from an early understanding of the location and type of project that might be involved, the budget for the proposed works, the various needs for consultancy services, the timescale for the works and the involvement of other professional advisers that may be working on the client's behalf.

Design competitions are an alternative way of discovering the range of design options that may be available on major projects. Drawing up a select list of 3-5 competitors is an efficient way of developing participants' enthusiasm for producing a satisfactory outcome of quality. Clients who can agree to cover some of the costs of each competing practices output, recognise that this is a fair and reasonable compensation for valuable creative work. The Landscape Institute has an established procedure for initiating and regulating competitions which may be held on a local or national scale. Please contact the Institute for details.

Landscape architects have a standard form of appointment, The Landscape Consultant's Appointment, which helps clients identify the services they may require and a simple Memorandum of Agreement and Schedule of Service and Fees is also available to confirm matters in writing. The Landscape Institute also publishes a Guide to Procedure for Competitive Tendering which offers advice on the various methods of appointing a landscape architect, together with detailed guidelines for competitive tendering.