Home|Design and Build|Questions and Answers|Sage Style
introduction
Sage Exteriors is an exciting new partnership of Skilled
designers and craftspeople, who create and maintain Individually
designed gardens, courtyards and roof terraces, combining
Minimalist/modern styling and high quality, hand-crafted detailing.
the design and build process
- Our designer will visit you at home to discuss
your requirements, your budget and to survey
your exterior space(s). He will also show you examples of our previous work, in order to
gauge what garden layout will suite you best.
We charge a nominal consultation fee for this
visit (currently £70.50 including VAT) to cover
our expenses. This fee is refunded if you go
ahead and book a Sage Exteriors garden
installation.
- On the basis of this visit, he will prepare a
sketch proposal and quotation. If you are happy
with the proposal and quotation, then we will
ask you to read our terms and conditions,
sign a contract and pay a non-refundable
deposit.
- If you are not completely happy, then he will
adjust the proposal and quotation until you are
happy; or, if you prefer not to proceed, tell us
so: you are under no obligation to pay anything,
apart from the initial consultation fee, until you
have signed our contract.
- Once a contract has been signed, our
installation manager will discuss the logistics
of the installation work with you, and the
designer will draft more detailed construction
drawings, to show you exactly what the finished
scheme will look like. You can still ask us to
adjust the design at this stage, but you should
be aware that this may impact on the final
cost of the project.
- Our installation team will carry out the work
cleanly, accurately, politely and to the
pre-agreed timescale. Depending on the size
of the project, we may ask you for interim
payments, between deposit and final
settlement. These would be detailed in the
quotation.
- As part of the original quotation and contract,
you will be asked to sign up to a Sage Exteriors
garden maintenance contract. This will provide
your garden with regular maintenance visits
by our experienced gardeners for at least the
first year after installation. (The Sage Exteriors
garden maintenance contract is extendable
indefinitely.)
- All fixtures and fittings are guaranteed for one
year from the date of installation. All plants
are guaranteed for the life of the garden
maintenance contract.
questions and answers
Q Why a consultation fee?
A We want to do full justice to your valued enquiry by a careful consideration of your space and your requirements. Therefore, we want to be sure that your enquiry is equally considered. A small consultation fee normally ensures that neither party wastes their time!
Q How much does a Sage garden cost?
A Not surprisingly, it depends! On the size of space, on the density of planting, on how technically complex the design is, on logistics (are you on the twelth floor or on the ground?). The aim of the initial consultation is to size up the site, establish roughly what your budget is, and to tailor the design accordingly. Obviously, if nothing can realistically be achieved within the stated budget, our designer will tell you so.
Q At least give me some ball-park figures?
A It is best to think in terms of the cost of a new kitchen. (Those of you who have watched “groundforce” should NOT use their costings as a guide!) If you were to invest in a couple of new appliances, or some new units, you might be looking at between £2000 and £4000, including fitting. This would be equivalent to the installation of a group of planters, specimen plants and a simple irrigation system on a balcony. Splash out on a complete ‘designer’ kitchen, including lighting, flooring and all mod cons, and it is going to set you back tens of thousands of pounds. In the same way, to completely transform your courtyard or rooftop, with lighting, flooring and all mod cons, will require a similar budget.
Q How long will the installation process take?
A Our installation manager will agree a timetable with you. For a simple installation of planters, specimen plants and a simple irrigation system on a balcony, we would expect to complete the work in a couple of days. Larger projects might take a few weeks. The only things which will upset our schedule are those that we cannot control – the weather, and independent suppliers.
Q I have a roof garden / balcony on the third floor (and no lift!): how will you manage to install a garden for me up there?
A Part of the job of surveying your space will include assessing access and other logistical questions, as well as noting the maximum loading limits in the case of balconies and roof terraces. In most cases we specify lightweight planters and ultra-lightweight growing media (like compost, but not!). Our installation team have years of experience in the creation of beautiful spaces in constrained circumstances. They will go to great lengths to protect your carpets and furnishings from soiling.
Q Why do you insist on a maintenance contract for at least a year?
A We want you to enjoy you new garden looking at its best year round. All gardens require considerable care to look at their best, and balconies / roofgardens are particularly vulnerable to the extremes of the weather affecting young plants. Our years of experience have taught us that, even with the best of intentions, clients often don’t have the time or the knowledge to look after their plants properly. We guarantee all our plants for a year whatever the elements throw at them, but we insist on the maintenance contract so as to ensure that they are fed and watered regularly, trained and pruned as needed.
Q What are the advantages of extending the maintenance contract beyond the first year?
A Plants in small spaces and restricted containers either outgrow their position or die back due to constricted roots after a few years. We will keep the invaders at bay with careful formative pruning. We guarantee the health of all your plants for the life of the maintenance contract, so strugglers will be replaced with new specimens (and new soil!).
Q How much does the maintenance contract cost?
A Again, each contract will be tailored to the requirements of the individual space. A small balcony installation might only require an hour once a fortnight. The total cost for the year would be less than £600.00. A larger space might need a four hour visit every fortnight, costing around £2500.00 per annum. But rest assured, these charges would cover every aspect of the upkeep of your external space: the replacement of dead or sickly plants, cracked containers or broken watering equipment; the supply of all necessary fertilizers and cleaning fluids.
sage style
- strong, simple lines and unifying themes to create the illusion of greater space as well as privacy.
- bold, architectural planting using an exciting but appropriate palette of tough, decorative evergreen plants.
- cutting-edge materials and exquisite finishes to complement your interiors and harmonise with the environment.
- the latest technological advances in lightweight growing media and irrigation, screens and awnings.
- imaginative use of water features and sculpture to stimulate the senses and enrich the atmosphere.
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