#landscape value

[davewblog]

How Much Does It Cost To Do It Wrong?

As I travel around the valley, I find myself often looking at, of all things, landscaping.  Can you believe it?  Often so intently, that I think if there was a house afire, all I would notice was what kind of shape their yard was in. 

Kidding aside, I do look at a lot of landscaping,  just as I'm sure a car dealer looks at what type of vehicle people are driving.  It's just habit.

What I have noticed a lot of lately is how much time, effort and expense many properties have expended on landscaping that, in all honesty, doesn't work.  I see plants planted in the middle of lawn grass (how you gonna mow around that and keep the grass from growing up in the middle of the plants?), new plants with no basins to hold water, trees planted too close to structures, sidewalks,  and under utility lines.  I see many, many new landscapes chock full of dead/dying plants that were either the wrong type for that area, or were just planted and left to fend for themselves in our arid climate.  I'm not just witnessing this stuff on the other side of the tracks; these are commonplace in nice, new upscale commercial and residential subdivisions.

More heightened in a struggling economy, I think landscaping is being looked at by some as an afterthought, a means to meet some minimum requirement, or at best a commodity that anyone with a shovel and a pickup truck can accomplish.  But I ask, how much does it cost to do it wrong?  Or to do it over?  How much will it cost in 10 years to remove that tree that was put in the wrong place? 

Whether it be landscaping or any other task for that matter, I believe that in the long run it still costs less to do it right than to do it over.  And we here at KN always want to be about doing it right.  And we hope that those that choose to do business with us can see that value.  What do you think?

[davewblog]

Why Do Things Cost So Much?

To buy a horseshoe at the Farm Supply store will cost about $2.00 each.  Yet when my horseshoer shows up, he charges me the equivalent of $18.00 each!  What gives!  Granted, he takes the old ones off, trims the hooves, and puts the new ones on, but that's a 900% markup!  Am I getting ripped off?

Well, understanding a bit of how business works, and having witnessed the skilled and back-breaking work involved in properly shoeing a horse, I can tell you he earns every penny.

You see, we have to look beyond the cost of the horseshoe only.  My shoer has to drive 20 miles to get to my place.  He has the cost of his inventory of shoes, supplies, nails, forge and the propane to heat it, as well as some expensive tools, let alone overhead such as insurance, etc.  Couple that with the fact that for every horse he shoes, he can plan on being bent over doing strenuous labor for almost an hour per animal.  Who all is standing in line for that job?

We often have people ask us how come things we sell and install cost so much.  From now on, maybe I should just tell them to ask my horseshoer.

[davewblog]

You Can Pay Me Now...

We recently completed some extensive re-landscaping work in a client's backyard.  The yard before was very plain and simple.  With a new two-story home going up right across their back fence,our clients wanted a more enjoyable and private outdoor living space.

The work was completed, and looked great.  We did however have only to work within their existing irrigation system limitations to provide the newly-remodeled yard with essential water. 

As efforts were made to accommodate the much different watering requirements of their new landscape, and the limitations imposed on us by the existing irrigation system, I was reminded of something from the past. 

Remember the old TV ad where the auto mechanic said "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later"?  That made-famous quote is certainly applicable to this situation.

You see, several years ago, I had spent some time at this very same house.  At that time, it was owned by someone else, who had told me upon presentation of a proposal for landscaping his new home that my price was too expensive, and he was going with someone cheaper.

The evidence of cheaper reared it's head when now, having to modify the irrigation system for the new homeowner, we ran into these limitations for expansion placed on us by the "cheaper" landscape contractor. 

These limitations included no extra wires from the controller into the backyard, which because of the layout and concrete driveway and walks now in place, would make getting any new wires into the area very difficult and expensive.  Also, the drip irrigation for the entire yard, front and back, was all on one zone.  This is an error on a couple fronts; too much drip on one zone (again, no room for expansion), and different areas of a yard having different watering requirements (i.e.: shady areas such as the north side). 

I have to think back on how the few bucks the "cheaper" landscaper saved by not doing things properly. And with the vision that a customer's yard is an ever-changing dynamic, it's irrigation system needs to be able to adapt along with these changes over time.  How much more expensive a proper fix was going to be now.

It seems what the auto mechanic ad said so long ago still holds true...

[davewblog]

Hay now!

A short time ago I was visiting with a fella  who owned a feed store in north-central California.  In his family-owned store, they sold the typical staples of rural life...livestock feed, supplements, tack, pet food, etc.  I asked him how much they got for a bale of hay, as I am usually intrigued at how much hay-by-the-bale brings in places of the country closer to more metropolitan areas, as he was to Sacramento. 

He is asking $15.00 a bale for a "three stringer"  (For those of you who know what that is).  He went on to tell me that it was certified dairy quality hay as well, had never been rained on, and would contain 17 "flakes" as they are called, whereas a standard two-string bale would have only 13 or 14 flakes, and of a smaller size than those in a three string bale. 

Not too bad actually, I thought.  I had just paid $10.00 per bale for uncovered two-string alfalfa right here in the good ol' Magic Valley.  He went on to tell me that a lot of people call up and ask how much a bale of hay is, and before he can explain the economics of his price, they hang up, justified that they can get hay cheaper elsewhere. 

It's like the analogy of buying a car.  Would you call up several car dealers in town and ask "How much does a car cost?"  Of course, you will get many questions in return if you stay on the phone long enough.  Questions like "What do you want to use your new car for?"  "What brands do you like?"  "Do you want new or used?"  and "What is your budget?"

Too often landscaping falls into this scenario.  People can get caught up in focusing on the "price" and not the long term cost or even more important, the VALUE.  Often people settle for something way less than what they want their yard to "do" for them.  And just as often, ultimately it costs more to redo later once they've figured out their mistakes.

You see, when analyzed properly, my guy in California has the best value on hay in his market.  Its his job as businessman to provide the information and opportunity for retail hay buyers to see the value in his product. 

But ultimately the onus rests with the consumer, who needs to do a little homework before bailing out on price alone.

[simsywx-blog]

Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas

Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas Have you ever planted a beautiful, and expensive, shrub in your yard and watched it slowly die because it was in the wrong location? Not enough light, too much water, improper soil, or too hot an exposure can turn the nursery-perfect specimen into an eyesore. This all-in-one guide helps you beautify your yard, not with high-maintenance imports, but with native plants adapted to your local growing conditions. Whether as a foundation hedge, mass planting, or accent shrub, native species can provide year-round beauty to your yard. While the interest in native-plant landscaping and xeriscaping (sp?) has mushroomed, the necessary "how-to," "when-to," and "what-to" has been slow in coming. In this comprehensive, richly illustrated guide, George Oxford Miller describes the best of the best. Covering wildflowers, shrubs, trees, vines, cacti, and groundcovers, the book selects the species that combine ornamental qualities, growth habit, adaptability, and year-round beauty for the highest landscape value. Chapters with photos, maps, charts, and design samples provide guidelines for species selection and planting, ongoing maintenance, landscape design, and water and energy conservation. Plant descriptions and photographs provide detailed habitat requirements for each and illustrate how each plant looks and responds to landscape conditions. New and experienced gardeners alike will find the facts and advice needed to choose the plants best adapted for their particular landscape design. The unique botanical heritage of Texas provides a treasure chest of choices for home and commercial landscaping. The ornamental beauty of our native species and the economic advantages of using plants adapted to the local climate have demonstrated that the best for our yards sometimes comes from our own backyards, often literally as urban sprawl creeps across the prairies, hills, and forests of our state. But perhaps most importantly, using native plants encourages the repair and preservation of natural plant communities and the wildlife they shelter.