Author: Karen Redick

A unique hand hewn post and beam house was designed for a home on 2.2 lakeside acres. The design of the house was developed by the client, architect and builder. Significant thought was paid to the interior layout and design of the home, the structural character of the house and views to the lake.

The house looked gorgeous on paper. The old existing house was demolished and the new foundation was installed; only then did questions begin and the exterior site issues become apparent. The client hired Redbud to solve the exterior site issues and consider other elements for the property.

A conceptual design was initiated to assess the site and integrate the client desires. The following specific components highlight major areas of concern, the solutions and potential cost savings that could have been realized if the exterior design of the property was considered earlier in the project.

Grading and Drainage

The elevation of the house was set too high, creating the need for a retaining wall on the right side property line to prevent runoff negatively affecting the neighbors’ property as well as significant drainage problems at the front entrance to the home. With the correct elevation, the retaining wall, additional grading and drainage components would have been eliminated or drastically reduced resulting in an approximate cost savings of $18,000.

Utilities

The location for the water lines, electric service, propane tank, HVAC, generator, etc… were also not considered in advance. All of these components require not only space within the landscape but also room below the surface. For example, electric lines cannot be buried in certain proximity to gas lines. When all of these elements were assessed as a whole the propane tanks needed to be located significantly further from the house than was ultimately necessary which caused additional excavation expenses of $3,600.

Patio Spaces, Walls & Septic Field

Outdoor entertaining spaces are typically designed as a natural extension of the home. In this case, a 15-foot by 55-foot patio was originally planned along the lakeside of the house. However, to preserve the views from the master bedroom and great room, only an 18- to 20-foot section near the kitchen could realistically serve as the main family entertaining area—leaving limited space for the desired features.

The site’s elevation created another challenge. The patio sits nearly six feet above the lawn, requiring approximately 145 feet of retaining walls and steps to be constructed along the lakeside of the home. While these walls will ultimately enhance the landscape visually, they also add significant cost to the project.

These structural requirements also consumed valuable space on the property, further limiting the area available for the septic field. With the location of the house, required property line setbacks, and shoreline restrictions already in place, the septic system ultimately had to be carefully fit into the remaining space.

If the outdoor entertaining area—and its associated elevation and slope—had been considered earlier in the home’s design process, the retaining walls could have been significantly reduced. Doing so would have lowered the overall construction cost by approximately $48,000.

Existing Vegetation

The property has a number of mature trees; one in particular is a large sugar maple standing 45’ tall directly behind the new garage. Unfortunately, under this majestic beauty was the illogical space chosen for all the contractors to park their trucks and equipment. An initial site analysis would have dictated a different construction staging area and guaranteed the survival of this tree. Now, approximately $4,700 will need to be spent to feed, prune and manage the health of the tree over the next several years to ensure the tree will live and be a permanent fixture of the property.

Since the design of the house was completed and construction commenced prior to any consideration for the landscape elements, there were limited opportunities to modify the design of the house to better integrate the functional and aesthetic exterior elements. The involvement of a landscape architect is much more constructive and cost effective when introduced to the project before the building is complete, even before ground-breaking, in the early concept and planning stage.

Landscape architects can assist clients with understanding the budgetary considerations of the functionally required aspects of the site as well as planning for the more recreational, creative and artistic accompaniments. This client is now forced to allocate approximately $74,000 of their overall house budget to fix problems that could have been mitigated with some forethought.

Looking for a landscape designer around Sacandaga Lake? Contact us today at 518-691-0428 to schedule a consultation!

43.4878709,-74.4204572

Your home deserves this level of care. Let’s start with a conversation about what’s possible.

Redbud was invited to this single-family residence in an older district of Saratoga Springs. The house is relatively small and is in need of repairs and/ or upgrades both inside and out.

The property measures approximately 25’ x 130’, with the house positioned nearly on the property lines. The client purchased the home as an investment opportunity while also envisioning it as a place to work remotely or stay when commuting to New York City.

During the initial meeting, several key objectives for the property emerged.

Design Intent: Create a relaxing, inviting backyard that provides greater privacy, softens the visual impact of the neighboring barn, and embraces the character of the surrounding urban setting.

• Patio Space – Designed to comfortably entertain 6–8 adults, using reclaimed brick or a similar rustic paving material.
• Outdoor Kitchen – Integrated cooking and seating area for entertaining.
• Water Feature (Optional) – Consideration for a feature that adds sound and visual interest.
• Low-Voltage Lighting System – Subtle lighting to enhance safety, ambiance, and nighttime use of the space.
• Carriage House – Integrated into the overall design, with flexibility for alternative uses if construction is postponed.
• Off-Street Parking – Parking located at the rear of the property.
• Rear Wraparound Porch – Porch addition with stair access connecting the home to the backyard.
• Overhead Structures – Potential pergola or similar structure to create shade and architectural interest.
• Hammock Area – Dedicated space for relaxation within the landscape.

• Southern Property Line – A two-story multifamily residence and a large red barn overlook the backyard, creating significant privacy concerns and direct sightlines into the space.
• Northern Neighboring Home – A nearby single-family house also has direct views into the backyard.
• Property Line Setbacks – Zoning setbacks limited where structures, patios, fencing, and other features could be located.
• Dual Street Frontage – The property is bordered by public streets at both the front and rear, adding additional planning considerations.
• Impervious Surface Limits – Local footprint regulations restrict the amount of allowable impervious coverage on the lot.
• Existing Sewer Line – A 30+ year-old sewer line runs beneath the backyard, creating potential maintenance considerations for future construction.

After reviewing the client’s goals and the site constraints, we recommended a collaborative design approach that included bringing an architect onto the project team. This allowed all components of the project to be integrated into a single comprehensive concept rather than developed independently.

The goal was to create a complete conceptual design that incorporated every desired element while also identifying additional opportunities for improvement. The final plan was structured so the project could be built in phases, allowing the client to move forward with construction over time while maintaining a cohesive long-term vision for the property.

The client’s initial plan was to build the project in phases—constructing the patio first, then the carriage house, followed by the deck and other elements. At first glance, this seemed like the simplest approach and would have required minimal approvals from the local planning and building departments.

However, because of the site’s restrictions and setbacks, this strategy could have created major problems. The patio likely would have been built in what appeared to be the most logical location. Later, when the client attempted to add the deck or carriage house, the city could have required a variance to meet zoning requirements—or even required the newly built patio to be removed.

The variance process can take three to four months, often involves additional costs, and adds significant uncertainty and stress. There is also no guarantee that the variance will be approved.

By investing $3,000–$6,000 in conceptual design services upfront, the client gained a fully integrated plan for the property. Not only did this approach produce a more thoughtful and cohesive design, but it also helped avoid an estimated $30,000–$50,000 in potential construction and redesign costs later on.

43.0821793,-73.7853915

Your home deserves this level of care. Let’s start with a conversation about what’s possible.

The owners of a residence in a modest development in Clifton Park had several design and construction challenges they wanted to address at their home and with a very focused budget.

The overall design intent was to create an inviting front entrance, develop a small sitting area where the owners/ guests could sit and enjoy the quaint street life. Overall, they wished to enhance the curb appeal of the house, not only using plant material, but architecturally as well.

One of the most important aspects of the design was the client’s strong desire to preserve a large Japanese Maple specimen tree measuring roughly twenty-five feet tall and twenty-five feet wide. The challenge was its location. The tree sat directly in front of the home’s entrance, blocking the view and circulation to the front door.

Leaving the tree in place would have compromised the overall design of the entry. Relocating it, however, would require a significant portion of the construction budget. After careful consideration, it was ultimately decided that relocating the tree would provide the best aesthetic solution.

The final design included the relocation of the maple and the construction of a modest boulder wall to create level ground for the tree’s new location. A new random dimensional bluestone walk was also installed, along with additional plant materials to add color and visual interest to the landscape.

Architectural improvements were also made to the front of the home. These included adding a dormer to the existing front porch roof, removing the original railing and support posts, and installing two larger, more prominent columns. Additional updates included upgraded porch lighting, a new entrance door, and replacing the existing window trim on the front façade with larger, more substantial trim work.

The project also required addressing the steep slope along the east side of the house while carefully working around existing utilities that ran from the corner of the home to the street. All design and construction work was completed within the client’s strict $42,000 budget.

After developing and reviewing several design solutions and consulting with architect Tim Gallagher of Architex in Latham, the final design was approved by the homeowner.

Work began with the relocation of the maple tree—a complex and delicate process due to its enormous weight, estimated at several tons. The root system was first excavated by hand with the assistance of an air spade, a specialized tool that uses high-pressure air to remove soil from around the roots. When used properly, this process clears excess soil without damaging the tree’s root structure.

Once the tree was carefully moved to its new location, a boulder wall was constructed around it to level the surrounding space and provide a stable soil bed for the root system. The root ball itself measured roughly 35 feet in diameter when it was relocated.

With the tree successfully established in its new setting, the remaining landscape work moved forward. A new bluestone walkway was installed, plant materials were added throughout the landscape, and new lawn areas were seeded.

Finally, improvements were made to the front façade of the home, including new window trim, a new front door, and the addition of a dormer above the entrance supported by heavier columns. Additional upgrades included irrigation system improvements and the installation of outdoor lighting fixtures.

The collaborative working relationship between the client and Redbud allowed us to have focused and honest discussions about project goals, desires and budgets. The client was given many different options and had to do some tough prioritizing in order to stay within their budget. We were very pleased that they chose to invest a portion of their budget to save a beautiful old tree instead of simply cutting it down to get it out of the way.

In the end, as we continually declare, having a thorough and well thought out design in placed allowed us to organize and coordinate the multiple trades needed to implement the work and maintain a strict timeline therefore keeping the budget in check.

42.8631868,-73.7812103

Your home deserves this level of care. Let’s start with a conversation about what’s possible.