Activity

Thank you, in your spare time since you probably work no overtime at all  as a lowly technician, I recommend some history of art or literature courses. Then perhaps you will be as exalted as me.
Heck, man, the guys I work with might as well be called plumbers – all they do is irrigation plans for designs like everything is  an entrance to a s…[Read more]

I think it is an age thing. Professors probably grew up without computers. As soon as this crop dies off or retires, the landscape will change, and computers will be all over the university course load. They try, the universities, but if the professors are like me, they think computers are an evil that stymies good design, and that you can learn…[Read more]

As but a humble and detail-oriented technician – really nothing more than your lowly drafting slave who speaks only when spoken to, and then meekly before true designers – so obviously unable to see the importance of history, art and literature in my craft, I applaud your decision to escape the tyranny by taking the unlicensed high road.

I have a divergent view than most posters here. I am not interested in being registered – I am not a detail oriented person, and prefer to retain control at the design level and have a registered LA to stamp plans for me. I know many successful Landscape Designers, including Edwina Von Gal and I think Debra Nevins, who do not have stamps, and…[Read more]

I think it is important to note that this was an experimental paver system that the University was testing out with the manufacturer. There is a deeper story to these pavers than what is at face value. That said, they do need to fix the gravel as it is a compliance issue. Just an FYI about commenting on a project that you don’t get to the bottom…[Read more]

Yes, Bob, we are required to use structural engineers on walls over 4′. I do the layout plan with top of wall and bottom of wall spot grades, layout of stairs, height of risers and tread width. They do their structural design to match my finish design.
 
Most of the non-LA landscape designers in my area have a very difficult time designing…[Read more]

Bob,

Regarding your statement, “I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that most every State allows ANY designer to produce Landscape Designs as long as they do NOT use the TITLE “Landscape Architect,” I think you are wrong.  Your statement would be correct in states in which regulate the profession through a title act.  Most states now regulate thr…[Read more]

I think that another reason to get licensed is that it forces us to complete the whole process. Whether or not anyone knows or cares what a landscape architect is, it requires us to gain some education and experience that we otherwise would not.
 
I know that in my case I am much better positioned to compete for work that pays me enough as a…[Read more]

I think someone told me that not becoming licensed was sort of like being one course/class away from a degree.  While the exam cost of a very real concern, it’s rather small compared to the cost of the degree.  Perhaps paying out of pocket for the exam versus the “easy money tap” of student loans/parent’s checkbook makes it sting a little more t…[Read more]

Thanks for the excellent advice.
I typically base my schematic fee based on what I figure the job will take me on a per hour basis, though I do not break it down that way for my clients. Instead I spell out the scope of services and then present my time based estimate as a ‘not-to-exceed’ number. Sometimes it comes in under that number, at which…[Read more]

Bob, I don’t disagree with any of that once you are referred or have been contacted.
 
Where I have come to realize that there is a benefit by having the license is when someone is blindly searching for a designer and no nothing about us except finding a yellow page listing or, more likely these days, a web site. There are many websites done by…[Read more]

I have a secondary degree (more than a minor, but not a full degree) in environmental science. Program was good and I learned a lot, but business or construction science would probably be more applicable to my daily work.

Business. agree with the others.

How does having your name on a project w/o a license affect liability insurance?  I can’t imagine tying my license for liability on another person’s drawings, too many things could go wrong.  Is this less of a concern on residential projects? 

No matter what type of landscape design you are doing, whether it requires holding an LA license or not, you get your work based on how much faith your potential client has in you. Having the license, whether the client has a clue of what it means or not, gives you that much more gravitas or credibility.
 
I’ve never worked on a job that legally…[Read more]

Your options are pretty much limitless, depending on how YOU can make them relevant to the field, and what it is you want to do.  I had minors in computer science and Native American studies; I’ve used both in LA, though not necessarily on a regular basis.
That said, I agree with Toby that business would be a really good one.  Horticulture, fi…[Read more]

I was retorting J. Robert’s comment about being in an LA firm is the “best” place for an LA to be. In fact, it really isn’t always. I was trying to defend those of us who work outside of that world, in engineering offices, in planning offices, and in architects offices, that we are the people who can really have an impact on the profession by…[Read more]

I was retorting J. Robert’s comment about being in an LA firm is the “best” place for an LA to be. In fact, it really isn’t always. I was trying to defend those of us who work outside of that world, in engineering offices, in planning offices, and in architects offices, that we are the people who can really have an impact on the profession by…[Read more]

In some states, LAs can engineer and stamp drawings for those things, which is why they are on the test. A good number of LAs routinely size pipes and in-ground storm drainage systems, and with the current trend of designing bioswales and water infiltrations systems, it is quite lucrative for the profession to be able to design a whole stormwater…[Read more]

Jason, I hope this is not message to me…In fact, I worked as civil engineer, architectural designer, urban planning. I love art, love sketching, drawing..I also love AutoCAD, parametric design, love engineering grading
I never see those things separately. Because each field has strength and weakness. And it also depends on personalities and…[Read more]