Category: Landscape Construction

When it comes to landscape construction projects, commercial properties are ripe with potential. Construction projects give our team the opportunity to elevate your property’s functionality and appearance to a new, more refined level. While we’ve spoken about the value that lies in landscaping construction, we’ve never touched on material specifics. In this article we’ll take a look at one of our favourite materials to work with – timber. Timber is full of character, and as simple as it may seem, is one of the best tools for subtly but improving your property.

The beauty of timber is often forgotten

At Civil and Scape, we love working with timber. It’s a material that’s full of character and different features, depending on the type of wood that it is. However, we don’t often get to utilise it in our projects, because many clients prefer concrete, steel, aluminium and other more popular products.

Timber is a natural material and perfect for any commercial property interested in evoking the following qualities:

• Rustic charm
• Coastal chic
• Bohemian 

Timber is also an environmentally-friendly material and perfect for commercial properties that want to portray themselves as eco-conscious. It often is a popular choice by yoga studios, spas, wellness centres and some restaurants.

Timber is as versatile as it is diverse

Timber’s versatility comes from its different varieties. We use many types of timber in our landscape construction projects as they allow us to provide clients with different finishes, grains, features and possibilities. 

Here are a few of the materials that may be utilised in our landscape construction projects:

Spotted Gum

This is a beautiful and striking material that offers durability. It is a popular choice by our clients for flooring as well as for other applications that require weather resistance. In appearance, it is light to medium brown and quite warm, offering businesses a beautiful and versatile element.

Merbau

Merbau wood offers natural lustre in the form of deep red tones. Often a love it or hate it material, Merbau is excellent for restaurant and hotel decks as it is less prone to cupping and movement. While this type of timber has its positive features, it can be difficult to find ethically sourced Merbau.

Blackbutt

Blackbutt has a light, airy and golden cream colour. It is extremely popular with a number of our clients as it is an excellent choice for bushfire-prone areas. The Blackbutt tree grows quite quickly and is seen as a sustainable option for landscaping construction. It’s excellent for fencing, decking and even framing. 

Rosewood

This is an incredibly heavy and durable type of timber, making it a suitable choice for furniture and exterior flooring. While it is one of our most expensive options, its longevity makes this material a great investment, particularly for commercial properties. In appearance, it offers a silvery natural appearance.

Pine

Pinewood is one of the most affordable materials for landscaping construction. It is a softwood and is therefore prone to denting and scuffing. We do not like to use it for exterior flooring, however, it is a great material for furniture and bordering/framing.

Where do we use timber in landscaping construction?

Elevating your landscape with timber takes a deep understanding of landscaping design as well as technical knowledge of timber and its specific features and qualities. Bearing in mind the characteristics of different types of timber, below is a list of ways that we utilise timber in landscaping construction to elevate properties.

Add charm and rusticity

By nature, wood adds an effortless charm to properties. We especially find that Spotted Gum is excellent for this effect because the shade of brown it provides is rich, warm and inviting. Adding charm or rusticity to your commercial property sets the tone for the rest of your landscape’s aesthetic. It is particularly effective for law firms, restaurants and hotels in search of creating an endearing environment.

Contrast with harsh or cold materials

As neutral colours, cool tones, concrete and aluminium have become increasingly popular over the last decade, it’s now very easy to mistakenly create a cold and uninviting landscape. To break up the detachment of the landscape, timber’s natural warmth can balance the overall aesthetic and create a more welcoming space for your customers, visitors and employees.

Provide uniqueness with a monochrome palette

Similarly to our last point, monochrome palettes have crept up in popularity over the last few years – even in one’s landscape. While there is certainly the time and place for this design aesthetic, often you can find that it bears little impact and requires an element to add another more effective angle. Timber’s uniqueness comes in the form of its grains which provide effortless character. This can elevate the rest of the landscape’s appearance, whether it is used in screens, decks or furniture.

Thinking about adding timber to your landscape? Contact our team to find out how we can help you.

Landscaping construction projects can be transformational for your Sydney business, however, like anything related to construction, it can be overwhelming and stressful. Generally, construction projects require the coordination of different teams, input from several technical experts and often encounter hiccups along the way; this is why many business owners become nervous over the successful completion of their projects. While at Civil and Scape, we guarantee an on-time, budget-conscious project that is completed according to your specifications, there are a few things that you, the client, can do to help guarantee a successful execution.

Our approach to landscaping construction projects

Collaborative efforts

Landscaping construction projects require a collaborative effort between our Civil and Scape team and the client. We believe that the client’s input is invaluable and key to executing a project that completely aligns with their expectations. 

Scope

Whether it be something as simple as installing street furniture or as complex as a large-scale revegetation project, it is important for us to know exactly what the clients expect. ‘Expectation’ is a loaded term that encapsulates their vision as well as budgetary limitations and time constraints. These are all important factors for ensuring the successful completion of a project.

Communication 

We work hand-in-hand with the clients, ensuring that they are informed of the progress of their project and each step taking place. Our team believes that this is how you acquire meaningful input from clients; this is key in accurately bringing to life the vision of our client.

Clients can also play a part in ensuring the success of a landscaping construction project. In this article, we’ll outline a few tips that will help our clients become better clients. Ultimately, this should make any construction project process much smoother.

4 tips for clients to ensure success with their landscaping construction project

• Clearly outline your vision

The first step to ensuring that a company executes your vision is to make sure that they know exactly what your vision entails. 

At Civil and Scape, as a starting point we make sure the client outlines the full scope of the project complete with all specifications. As the client, ensure that you know exactly what you want for your business so that you can effectively relay it to your contractor.

• Define your limitations (and be realistic)

Every client has their limits. Civil and Scape and many other companies are often comfortable working within most limitations, however, they must be realistic and expressed openly.

Ensure that you specify your budget and deadline, leaving enough time and financial backing to execute what you want. If you approach our company with unrealistic limits, we will communicate to you that it is not feasible or possible, however, some other companies may not. In this case, you’ll end up with a project that either misses your deadline, is over budget or simply, not executed to your standards.

• Collaborate with your landscaping construction contractor

At Civil and Scape, we value the input of our clients, after all, no one knows what the result should look like better than you. Be communicative with your contractor and ensure that you relay your concerns about the project. If you’re having second thoughts about some element of the project, then communicate that to the contractor. Our landscaping construction experts prefer that you tell us about your concern  earlier rather than later; every challenge is an opportunity to be innovative.

• Be flexible and understanding, but steadfast

Unfortunately, issues happen with construction projects. It’s no fault of the client or company, it’s just the nature of the industry. It’s important that, as the client, you are understanding and flexible with solutions. However, you should also, never let a decision or solution severely alter the overall result of the project (unless you want it to). This is a difficult line to walk, but our team will guide you through your decision-making process.

We hope that these tips help to make your next landscaping construction project successful. Remember that all projects have their hiccups, but it’s how you approach the entire process that dictates its success. If you choose to work with us, we promise to support you throughout the project’s lifecycle. 

If you’re interested in seeing some of our landscaping construction work, browse through our gallery to view our past projects.

Want to have a chat? Give us a call on 1300 457 457 or shoot us a message here.

Making the decision to hire a landscaping construction company is relatively simple when compared to selecting the best landscape construction company for your business. Many business owners do not realise how important the research process is when it comes to picking a landscape construction company. While service may be the same on paper, in practice, the quality delivered by different landscape construction companies in Sydney can differ greatly.

Unlike softscape elements of landscaping, landscape construction provides functionality to your business’ environment. For this reason, you should more carefully consider the company that you pick to execute your landscape construction project. Understandably, many business owners will not even know where to begin which is why many end up with a company that is sub-par. To prevent a situation like this, we’ve outlined a guide for finding the right landscape construction company for your business as well as a few warning signs that you should look out for.

How to choose the best landscape construction company for your business

Research the prospective landscape construction company’s past projects

Researching the landscape construction company and its previous projects gives you what the company’s team is strong in as well as the kind of experience that it has. First, when it comes to the expertise of the team, most companies will have a team page that details the experience of the team member. Use this as a rough guide of what the company is specialised in. For example, an employee may be qualified in civil construction or have project management qualifications, indicating that the company can execute civil construction or large scale projects.

The team’s experience is not always a guarantee of a company’s capabilities. One of the best ways to determine this (apart from asking them) is to take a look at their recent projects. Have they completed projects similar to yours? Is the scale or the elements like yours?

Understand what you need and know your budget

Before looking for a landscape construction company, you should have an idea of what you want as well as the budget you have in mind. There are a number of different landscape construction companies all with varying price points for the same service/project. Knowing this information helps you to weed out the companies that your business can’t afford.

Civil and Scape are different from other landscape construction companies because they work with your budget and with you to come up with landscape construction solutions that are right for your business.

Do a thorough check of their reviews

The best way to find out if a landscape construction company satisfies its clients’ needs and expectation is to thoroughly research their reviews. Whether you check Facebook, TripAdvisor or Google, unfiltered reviews from past customers are the best way to determine their quality.

Additionally, you can also request client references from companies. Though these won’t be unfiltered, a client will never agree to be a reference if they weren’t happy with the service offered by the landscape construction company. 

Ask about their resources

A company’s human resources in addition to the access it has to specific types of equipment and machinery will give you an idea of their capacity and the type of work that they can execute. Ask the company directly about the equipment and machinery that they have access to. You can also ask about the size of their team and how many people you should expect on your project. If you have a more large-scale landscape construction project, these questions will identify two important things: whether the company has the capacity to execute your project and if they can do it by your deadline.

What warning signs should you look out for?

If we’ve caught you too late in the game and you’ve already hired a landscape construction company or had your initial consultation, then here are a few signs that you should be wary of:

• No experience with your scale of your project
• Late to your meeting
• Unwilling to show past projects/give client references
• Not familiar with some of your landscape construction requests

Civil and Scape’s landscape construction team is trained in advising business owners on what elements will work best for their company.  We provide proactive, innovative and sustainable solutions, ensuring to deliver a successful outcome.

Summer in Sydney is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The sun shines brilliantly, the weather is fantastic and the views become even more impressive. For companies in Sydney, this is the prime time during the year to get landscaping works, particularly landscape construction works done. The only issue that companies face is figuring out what landscaping construction services are needed. The key to figuring out this is determining what is needed versus what is wanted has to do with your business’ budget, the nature of your business and of course, what is missing from your current landscaping.

Landscaping construction is a little different from soft landscaping in that it deals with more functional and technical elements of a landscape. For example, where soft landscaping might include turf laying, landscape construction will involve the construction of a pathway beside the turf. As it still is a form of construction, it’s easy to see why businesses wait until the summertime to get it done.

To guide businesses through their decision, we’ve identified four landscaping construction services that you should engage during the summer. For more personal advice, contact our landscaping construction team. They will gladly walk you through your needs and provide professional guidance.

4 landscaping civil construction services your Sydney company needs

Kerbing

Kerbing, while not often thought of with landscaping, can provide several functions for your business’ landscape. Aesthetically, kerbing provides a neat border for your turf or section of shrubs. While some businesses use stone kerbing, Civil and Scape provides concrete kerbing which is uniform and refined and presents a professional border for your landscaping.

Functionally, kerbing alongside a pavement or road on your commercial property guides cars and prevents them from driving onto access paths and pavements. Additionally, kerbs provide structural support to pavement edges and can be used to channel runoff water from rain into storm drains.

Timber decking

A timber deck is one of the best features for any Sydney business during the summer. However, timber decking is only suitable for specific businesses, mostly those in hospitality such as restaurants, bars and hotels. Though we recommend installing timber before the summer rush, it’s never too late to call Civil and Scape. A timber deck allows your customers and employees to enjoy the sun, beautiful weather and views during the summer. While a costly investment, it pays off by extending the number of customers your business can hold and by simply being a value-added feature that is sure to attract customers.

Outdoor sitting area

Similar to timber decking, an outdoor sitting area is a must-have during the summer. Again, this feature should be installed before summer hits, however,  constructing a sitting area at the beginning of summer gives your business enough summer and fall time to benefit from it. 

An outdoor sitting area in your business gives your employees a recreational area with fresh air, which ultimately helps them to feel more motivated and happier at work. For clients and customers, it is an attractive feature that signals them to stay longer at your business. Lastly, for restaurants, cafes and bars, it provides more space for customers. It is also seen as an attractive feature for prospective customers who may be more inclined to visit your business as a result.

Accessible access paths

Access paths such as ramps and staircases in businesses are integral for facilitating access for people of all abilities to your business. This makes it a key part of your business structure and as a result, should be one of the first civil construction features that you invest in. Ramps allow persons who use wheelchairs and parents with strollers to access your building while a staircase is important in case of a power outage.

We recommend that you secure your customer base and avoid excluding disabled persons and parents from your business by ensuring that your construct access ramps in your business.

We hope that our suggestions for civil construction services help you to determine what you need for your business. Every business is different and will require different features. If you’re unsure of what you need for your business, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Work with our team today for a seamless experience and perfect execution. Browse through our gallery to view our past projects.

Landscape construction is one of the key elements of landscaping and makes many important and functional features possible. Landscape construction includes designing, laying pavers, building retaining walls, constructing irrigation and drainage systems and paving driveways and other areas. At Civil and Scape, our landscaping construction services are important for many of Sydney’s businesses. However, some businesses attempt landscaping on their own, while others never bother to invest in our services.

A business’ landscape is one of the most important elements of its physical property. The landscape is one of the first things noticed by customers, clients and employees and goes a long way in attracting people to your business. Even if your company is business to business (B2B) and does not require its physical property to be attractive to customers, having a polished and refined landscape presents a professional appearance for clients, visitors and employees.

Despite the possibilities and advantages of landscaping construction, many companies are still on the fence about whether or not they should dedicate a portion of their budget towards hiring a construction company. In this article, we’ll outline the reasons why your business should hire a landscaping construction company in Sydney.

4 reasons why your company should hire a landscaping construction company in Sydney

1 Ensure your business stands out at night

Many businesses suffer from going unnoticed at night. This can be from a combination of factors including overgrown bushes, and dim or non-existent lighting. A landscaping construction company can help to mitigate these factors by ensuring that your company’s physical property is well-lit at night, allowing potential customers and clients to notice your building. A landscaping construction company upon inspecting your site will advise you on the best places to install lights on your landscape and what types of lights are suited to your landscape and company. For example, for a company that prides itself on sustainability, Civil and Scape may suggest solar lights to keep your energy star rating high. This indicates that as a business, you take pride in your physical appearance and are willing to inject money into the comfort and appearance of your landscape.

2 Avoid common mistakes and optimise your landscape functionality

This is especially important if your business attempts its landscaping construction services or outsources from different parties. Every business’ landscape is different and will have various needs. A landscape construction company can offer specialised advice that takes the qualities of your landscape, your business’ needs and your local weather conditions. This avoids common mistakes that companies or labourers may make because of the lack of specialised advice. Additionally, many times a landscape’s functionality and potential are not maximised. A landscape construction company will be able to advise you on adjustments that you can make to the landscape to improve your space, accessibility and comfort.

3 Benefit from  local climate advice

Even though Australia is known for its beautiful warm and sunny weather, it is also prone to rainy days and high winds. Specialised advice from a landscape construction company is needed to understand how to design one’s landscape and what facilities need to be installed. For example, stormwater management, while a council requirement, is pertinent for ensuring that water is drained properly from your business’ property during heavy rainfall. A landscaping construction company will know what system works best with your business’ physical layout and needs.

4 Take advantage of other services

Civil and Scape does not just offer landscaping construction services, we also offer soft scape services such as the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers, maintenance programmes, turf laying and seasonal curation of flowers. While not important for functionality, it plays a major role in the beauty of your business’ physical property and is key in maintaining a polished and attractive landscape throughout the year.

5 Create a more comfortable environment for your company

Great businesses understand the importance of creating a comfortable working environment for employees. Part of one’s working environment extends to the exterior of a business’s physical property. A landscape with street furniture such as tables and chairs for employees to congregate and have lunch and water features for a serene atmosphere help to create a positive environment. A landscaping construction company can advise on these additions, guide you on where best to locate them and install it.

Civil and Scape’s landscaping construction team is trained in advising business owners on what will work best for their company and goals.  We provide proactive and sustainable solutions, ensuring to deliver a successful outcome.

Work with our team today for a seamless experience and perfect execution. Browse through our gallery to view our past projects.