Services

Next Step Services

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Our Services Include:
Full-service landscaping including consultation, design only, design deliver,design deliver and layout, or total design and installation.
Designs and installations including paving for walkways, driveways, entry courts, patios and pool surround areas.
Retaining walls of all materials, carpentry decks, arbors, pergolas, gazebos, pavillions, two/three or four season enclosures. Plant materials of all kinds. Low or full voltage lighting systems and lawn and bed irrigation systems. Outdoor living spaces including cooking and dining areas along with fire pit and/or fireplace. Water elements can include ponds, streams, waterfalls, fountains, spas, swim spas or swimming pools and fences of all variations.

Contact Us Today for a complete list of services and photographic examples of product, scope and installation quality and detail.

See Next Step Service Details Below:

1. Landscape consultation only

1. Landscape consultation only

On-site review of features, interests and/or concerns

Project feasibility confirmation

Establish priority/phasing of installation elements

Ballpark estimate of design and/or installation elements
Qualify installation phase financial costs and funding sources
On-site conceptual sketch of desired improvements
Project examples: removal and/or addition of trees or shrubs; assess water related

issues, grading, drainage, retaining, water collection components, water diversion
components; assess/repair/replace existing pavement surfaces or add new walkways,
entry courts, stoops, steps, driveways, garage floors, patios and/or pool deck surfacing
(permeable and impermeable surface available); assess/repair/replace existing deck or
add new deck surfaces or elevated paved terraces

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2. Landscape Design and Development only

2. Landscape design development only

This level of service will include all selected components from prior category #1 plus;
Detailed layout design for:
Drainage (roof water, surface water and/or subsurface water)
Retaining walls (single level, multi levels, planters, stairs, benches, columns/pillars)
Paving (driveways, aprons, garage floors, walkways, entry courts, stoops, steps, perrons

(elongated treads), landings, terraces, patios and/or pool surround pavement, (i.e.
broom finished concrete, exposed aggregate concrete, colored concrete, imprinted
concrete, permeable or impermeable concrete or clay pavers, dry/sand laid natural
stone, mortared natural stone, asphalt and imprinted asphalt surfaces)
Plantings for foundation, shade, screening and islands (shade, ornamental and fruit
trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens, ground covers, annual and/or perennial flowers,
and herbs.

Irrigation systems for lawns, shrub beds, flower and/or vegetable gardens
Lighting systems for safety, security, highlights and/or extended use areas (i.e.

driveways, walkways, entry courts, patios, pool surrounds, special use areas, tree,
plantings, flower bed, features and/or house definition)

Carpentry elements including decks, pergolas, arbors, lattices, bridges, gazebos,

two/three/ or four season additions and fences.

Water related features including ponds, streams, waterfalls, fountains, spas, swim spas,

poly liner or concrete pools, dry streams and/or drainage swales.
Masonry related including flat or vertical surface natural stone, manufactured stone
veneers, poured backup walls, modular block backup walls, clay brick, cut stone, benches, columns, posts, mailboxes, natural stone sills, keystones, address stones and cap stones. Stone tuck pointing and stucco applications available.

Privacy or security fencing including wood, cyclone, vinyl covered cyclone, tubular

aluminum and wrought iron applications offences, gates, posts, post columns, service
access panels and trash enclosures.

3. Landscape Design and Material only

3. Landscape design and material delivery only

This level of service will include all selected components from prior categories # 1 & 2

plus; provide delivery of the products to your project site location (i.e. everything
needed on-site for homeowner to install components themselves/do it yourself
installation)

4. Landscape Design Material Delivery and Installation Layout

4. Landscape design, material delivery, and installation layout only

This level of service will provide all selected installation components from prior

categories #1-3 plus; provide on-site project layout assistance in painting the layout of
the improvements on the ground and additionally providing sufficient elevation
surveyed grade stakes to establish drainable surface elevations and assure state building
code compliance for acceptable drainage and handicap accessible surfaces. Grade
stakes will also confirm the number of steps required and riser/tread dimensions.

5. Landscape Design Material Delivery Installation Layout and Guidance

5. Landscape design, material delivery, installation layout, guidance and direction as required

This level of service will include all the selected installation components from prior

categories #1-4 plus; as needed phone, fax or email questions and on-site visitations and
direction(s). Some multiple component/phased projects will require sequential
directions, qualifications and recommendations. Please note that any/all additional
service requirements will be charged at a $75.00/hour fee including phone, travel and
site time requirements, with % hour minimum increments. Any/all supplemental
services will be due and payable, by cash or check, at the end of the service.

6. Plant Material Selection

6. Plant material selection at elected grower, wholesaler and/or retail facilities.

Selections by plant material supplier staff
Selections by homeowner and Next Step personnel to assure material quality and

sufficiency or preference of alternate or substitute plant varieties. Eliminates
unacceptable recommended plants or unacceptable available plants at sources.

Selections of plant material by Next Step personnel. With this option the homeowner

must provide freedom of discretion to the Next Step representative in choosing
appropriate plant material. On some occasions supplier inventories may change daily or
weekly and necessitate alternate plant material variety utilization. Total conformance
to a planting design list would necessitate selection and delivery from two or more sources increasing selection time and delivery costs. Inventories are not guaranteed by the nursery stock provider(s)

7. Hardscape Material Selection

7. Hardscape material selections at manufacturer showrooms, wholesale or retail facilities.

Selections by hardscape material supplier staff

Selections by homeowner and Next Step personnel to assure suitability and acceptance of materials recommended

Selections of hardscape materials by Next Step personnel. With this option the

homeowner must provide freedom of discretion to the Next Step personnel in
choosing appropriate hardscape materials.   Please note that brick and block
products will vary in shape, size, color, texture, and pattern variables. We will
do our best to match and/or coordinate with the character of the house and
environment that we are creating. Acceptance of delivered materials will be the
responsibility of the homeowner at time of delivery.   Unloaded materials will
require additional time and expense to reload.
Homeowner will be responsible for whatever number of deliveries occur.

8. Landscape Architect Referralof Specialty Products and Subcontrator Services

8. Next Step Landscape Architect referral of specialty products and subcontractor services

Next Step Landscape Architect will research product quality, cost, delivery costs,

production and delivery schedules along with guarantee provisions. Care will
be taken to assure you that all recommended specialty products will be
complimentary to other products utilized on your site. Quality specialty service
subcontractors will be prequalified and recommended to the homeowner.

9. Total Project Design Materials Layout and Construction Management

9. Total (turn key) project design, material selection, material delivery, layout, installation and
quality control construction management services.

This level of project service will include all selected components from prior

categories # 1-8 plus;

Next Step Landscape Architect and personnel will prequalify, select, schedule

and integrate any/all specialty service products and installers.

Next Step Landscape Architect will provide total project quality control with

daily phone, fax, email correspondence or on-site visitation with each specialty
subcontractor to assure quality sufficiency of products and labor, production
proficiency, any/all schedule coordination requirements. Landscape Architect
will give a daily update to the homeowner by correspondence of choice. Final
inspection of each specialty subcontractor's work input will occur prior to their
site departure. These service providers will complete any/all revisions required,
along with any noted incomplete items, identified on the job completion punch list prior to project departure. Acceptance of completed punch list items will be confirmed and accepted by either the homeowner or the landscape architect prior to the specialty subcontractor leaving site. Acceptance of the completed punch list only will authorize final pay authorization to the specialty subcontractor.

Industry Awards and Recognition

1. N American Concrete Paver

1. North American Decorative and Durable Concrete Paver Award

First Place Winner in 2006 - Score Residence in Hudson Wisconsin.
Home Owner: Orin and Lois Score
Designer: James H. Christensen
Contractor: Villa Landscapes
Paver Supplier: Willow Creek Pavers
icpi_award_crop450

From Interlocking Concrete Paver Magazine February 2007
"Tiers in my Eyes"
This multi-tiered raised patio makes use of almost 2,000 sf (200 m²) of concrete pavers and the same vertical area of Versa Lok retaining walls. Circles define the dining area for daylight enjoyment and the firepit for taking in fine Wisconsin summer evenings. the retaining walls, stairs, landings, benches, planters and columns were constructed on 6in. (150 mm) depth class #5 base material. Three-quarter inch (20 mm) wash stone over geotextile supports the paver landings, terraces and patios.

This year's North American Decorative and Durable Concrete I Pavement Design contest winners demonstrate the supporting role of concrete pavers around innovative and important residential and commercial buildings. It’s difficult to imagine these projects without concrete pavers as their support is vital to the functional success as well as the spirit of each project. Tumbled pavers continue to dominate residential projects with their relaxed and informal stone like character. Commercial projects make bold and subtle use of colors and patterns with rectangular and square shapes, some tumbled and some not. All entries speak to the project designer’s intent and satisfying the owners’ needs.

Organized by Concrete Products magazine, this year’s contest winners are a result of a response to a call for entries issued last fall. This was followed by collecting and categorizing the entries as well as providing a location for the judges and selecting the entries. We appreciate the time and efforts by these judges, Concrete Products Editor Don Marsh and his staff. Two judges reviewed 40 precast pavement entries and rendered ties for honorable mention on the residential category. Every year’s entries express an increasing level of design and workmanship, and this year’s submissions continue this trend.

The judging criteria include integration of color, texture, patterns with the larger site and architecture. Other considerations included craftsmanship, ecological conservation, historic preservation and the project’s contribution to local economic and/or cultural development

NexStep Landscape Design and Service

Next Step can provide Licensed Landscape Design & Landscape Architectural Service.

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Next Step Services

Industry Awards and Recognition

1. N American Concrete Paver

2. Star Tribune

3. Landscape Management Mag.

4. Minnesota Monthly