Help Guide #1

Help Guide Section 1: Preparing Your Information

(What we need from you.)

This section guides you through compiling the information needed for SOD Landscape Design Support to create your CAD drawings efficiently and accurately.

1a. What Information Do I Need to Provide?

To streamline the process, consider these two key questions at the start of every project:

  1. What existing features will remain unchanged? (e.g., trees, structures)
  2. What new features are you proposing? (e.g., patios, walkways)

Thinking about these questions while assembling your design files significantly reduces turnaround time and ensures our team can deliver exceptional results.

Recommended Information:

Existing Features:

  • Site Plan: Provide a copy of the pre-design site plan. This helps us understand the existing conditions and differentiate between existing and proposed elements. (See if you can get a Plot Plan certified by a surveyor or engineer is best)
  • Feature Survey: If you have a survey with contours and spot levels, especially relevant for designs involving retaining walls, re-grading, or level changes, please include it. (A topographic survey is great!)
  • House Plans: Information about the client’s house is crucial, particularly if 3D modeling is desired.
    • For 2D CAD plans, the house’s outer footprint suffices. However, floor plans showing ground floor doors and windows are always appreciated and will be incorporated into the design.
    • For 3D modeling, we require house elevation drawings ideally from a complete architectural plan set. If unavailable, clear site photos following our “Simple Guide to Taking Site Photos” can be used.
  • Site Photos: Photos offer a quick way to understand the site and verify the information on the plans. Whenever possible, take photos directly facing the subject (refer to our “Simple Guide to Taking Site Photos”).

New Features:

  • Landscape Concept: Provide a scaled landscape concept drawing that adheres to our Minimum Requirements outlined in the next section. The most common pitfall is rushing the drawing. Taking extra time to ensure clear and accurate representation significantly improves the process. (Enlarging the Plot Plan so you can draw on it is easiest way to communicate the concept )
  • Supporting Images: We encourage including images of any design elements like products, materials, furniture, fire pits, planters, barbecues, finishes, or specific trees and shrubs. This helps us visualize your design intent.

Section #1b: Minimum Requirements – Your Key to Fast Turn-Arounds

At SOD Landscape Design Support, we understand you’re busy creating amazing designs.  The last thing we want is for compiling information to be a hassle.

However, there are a few essential details we need to ensure your project runs smoothly.  Consider these as our “Golden Rules“:

5 Essentials (Golden Rules) for Crystal-Clear Communication:

  1. Include a North Arrow: This helps us understand the site’s orientation.
  2. Mark One Known Dimension: This establishes a scale for the plan.
  3. Maintain Legible Text: Clear text ensures everyone involved can easily interpret the design.
  4. Use a Ruler for Straight Lines: Clean lines enhance the professionalism of your submission.
  5. Scan All Plans (Minimum 300 dpi): Scans provide clear digital copies for accurate representation in CAD drawings.

These aren’t complex requirements – they’re simply best practices for designer-to-designer communication.

What Happens if a Rule is Missed?

If we encounter a submission missing a Golden Rule, we’ll kindly request the missing information. This ensures your project stays on track and avoids any delays.

Section #1c: Photos: Your Guide to Taking Just the Right Shots

Hey there! Site photos are a big help for our 2D projects and absolutely essential for those stunning 3D presentations we create.  This applies to sites with existing buildings or even vacant lots – every project benefits from good photos!

Hold on a sec – not all photos are created equal!

The pics you take for yourself might not be exactly what we need. Think about what we use site photos for:

  • Keeping the Old Stuff: Existing landscape features you want to stay put.
  • House Intel: Elevations (think height and depth) of the house, including doors, windows, balconies, and rooflines.
  • Looking the Part: Materials, colors, and finishes used on the house and property.
  • Boundaries and Beyond: Boundary walls, fences, and any changes in elevation (slopes or hills).
  • The Bigger Picture: The surrounding area – what’s the neighborhood like?

So, what exactly are we looking for?

  • A Documented Journey: A set of photos that clearly shows the entire site. Rename the files so we know exactly what we’re looking at in each picture (e.g., “FrontYard.jpg”, “BackPatio.jpg”).
  • Straight Shooter: Take photos as square as possible to the subject (think 90 degrees).
  • Full Picture: Whenever possible, capture the entire height and width of what you’re photographing.
  • Overlapping is Okay: For large objects that won’t fit in a single frame, take overlapping photos so we can stitch them together later.
  • CLEAR LABELING: Rename each photo to reference the specific site or feature it shows (e.g., “SideFence.jpg”).
  • Size Matters (but not too much!): Keep file sizes under 3MB. Need help resizing? Check out [link to info on resizing photos] for some quick and easy tips!

By following these simple steps, you’ll provide us with the photos, a base plan, and the concept we’ll need to create amazing designs for your project. Let’s capture that site and make your vision a reality!

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