Jonathan J. Bob

Keith,  There are other sources for NJ CEC’s.  Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in PA. has a Land Ethics Symposium that gives 5 CEU’s (at least the 2011 session did). 
 
Jonathan
 

Jason,
     You are forgetting the major tenet of modern/contemporary design…”coolness over function”

Jason,  it came in on my BB Storm just fine. 
 
Jonathan

I’m in design/build.  I just went to a Techo-bloc seminar and they have an app for iphones and ipod touch that allows you to calculate areas.  You set your pace distance, hold the phone flat and pace the perimeter of the area for the proposed patio and/or walls.  You can then input which of their products you want to use and it will give you th…[Read more]

What letters you put after your name will also depend upon in which state(s) you are licensed.
In New Jersey, LA’s are Licensed Landscape Architects.  Since I am licensed in NJ, PA and NY
I just use Landscape Architect after my name since in all states on licensed professionals can use
the title.  And for some reason whenever I see a lot of l…[Read more]

Just because you are licensed in one state, it doesn’t automatically guarantee reciprocity even if the state has a reciprocity agreement.  I was licensed in NJ in the 80’s (the first year they had licensing), met the education and experience requirements and passed the UNE.  In 2005 I applied for licensing in NY via reciprocity.  I had to pro…[Read more]

Visit Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Church (even if you can’t get in). Go to a bar, drink sangria made from Cava, eat tapas, and think about the insanely amazing detail and the fact Gaudi was able to “sell” his design. Oh, and its going to take about 150 years to build. I was there in October and I plan on going back in ten years (or when it’s finished)…[Read more]

I agree that $100/hour seems right however since this is a side job can you make due with less. You need to charge enough so you don’t feel you sold yourself short. Figure out how many hours you think it will take, figure out what a fair price would be. Add on 10-15%. What does the hourly rate come out to be? Will you be happy with that? Also jobs…[Read more]

Andrew,
Why would someone previously self-employed in design/build be less desirable as an intern? Would it be their drive to start their own company in a recession? Would it be their knowledge of how things are actually built and real world experience? I think that if Glenn decides in the future to go the “office” route, his practicle experience…[Read more]

When i meet with a client and discuss my fee, occasionally I will get “ABC Landscaping will do a free design or that they will credit back the cost of the design fee if we contract with them to do the work”. I then explain that “free” design is often worth what you paid for it and that if a contractor is “refunding” the design fee back if he does…[Read more]

First I’m a dinosaur, I took the UNE (precurser to the LARE) in 1986 in NJ. THis was before the advent of the CLARB (I think). But I believe to obtain licensure through reciprocity you will need to have a current, active license in another state. I obtained my original license in NJ, got my PA license via reciprocity (fairly easy at the time) and…[Read more]

I think that it is important to realize that how much a designer charges is based upon multiple factors. While experience tends to be the obvious, overhead may be the most important. With all things being equal, two designers with equal experience, sales ability, etc., may charge two very different rates. Designer “A” may be have less need for a…[Read more]

I don’t think that LA’s as a whole are better qualified to design these “structures” but I think we are better qualified to Design these “structures”. There is more to the design than getting the calculations and math correct. As Design professionals we are better equipped to handle what comes after the calculations.

I’m currently working on a…[Read more]

Jason,
According to the ASLA’s 2008 survey, 32% of the respondents billable hours were for residential design. Certainly not a small part of the profession. I think the broad scope of the profession, in some ways, allows for the general public’s confusion and misconceptions (and the fact that ‘Landscape” is in the title). Architects for the most…[Read more]

The perfect dinner-ware for me to pile my mash potatoes into the shape of Devil’s Tower.

Chad,
I’m assuming (I know, bad to do), that you are in a state that has a practice law. The main advantage is that a landscape architect is a licensed professional, with the education/training and liability that goes with licensure. I don’t know if there are requirements in the location in question for being a “landscape designer”. If LA’s are…[Read more]

Andrew,
I’m not sure I agree with you about the profession not being respected. Certainly there are people that don’t respect Landscape Architects/Architecture because they don’t know what we do or what it is (back to the “can you do my backyard” theme in another discussion). Then there are people (clients) that want a landscape architect involved…[Read more]

Lindsey,
What size structure are you looking to build? I’ve been toying w/ the idea of creating a roofed structure over an outdoor kitchen/seating area that would incorporate a green roof. The size at 20′ x 20′ would be managable for residential scale without being cost prohibitive. Additional runoff would be collected for irrigation use. Pehaps…[Read more]

Yes I can do your back-yard, what do you think needs to be done? I’ve been in primarily residential design/build for the past 27+ years so I’ve “done” alot of back-yards. And front-yards also residential developments, corporate buildings, parks, etc. Perhaps because of my residential slant or because I’ve developed a tougher skin, people’s…[Read more]

Wes,
I don’t know who wrote that but as an LA involved in Design/Build for 27+ years, I agree with most if not all of it.
However, one downside I’ve seen is that a Design/Build-LA/contractor can, after a time, design toward the strengths of their workers and abilities. If they are good and fast at paver installation they may hesitate to install…[Read more]