Have you ever heard a client say his pool deck is too large? I doubt it.

It’s much more likely you’ve had clients ask for a deck expansion because the space isn’t big enough for entertaining, or they underestimated how much space furniture takes up.

Help clients avoid that regret by designing a pool deck that will meet their current and future needs. It’s your job to help them understand how much space is needed.

A pool deck can be used for a lot more than lounging and drying off, so it’s important you know how your clients plan to use the space when proposing a size.

Here are things you should consider when designing a pool deck.

Deciding to start a business can be one of the most exciting — and terrifying — times for any landscape designer.

There are so many unknown factors as you head into this uncharted territory.

Whether you’ve been thinking about starting a business for a few months or several years, you need to make sure you cover all of your bases to be successful.

Here are six things you need to do before you start your landscape design business.

Considering the numerous landscaping business models that exist — with landscape design playing an important role in each — our customers often ask us, “What is the best way to charge for landscape design services?”

As your design software partners, we know how important the answer to this question is. We’ve worked with landscape designers at all levels of expertise, with businesses of many sizes, across the country.

But no matter who you are, the best landscape designs are the ones that make money in one way or another — so it’s essential you have a firm grasp on the best fee structure for your business.

Embracing Innovation: Designer Tommy Davis has grown his company’s reach by taking advantage of all technology has to offer to delight his customers

For Tommy Davis of the award-winning, Texas-based Krause Landscape Contractors, transitioning from pen-and-paper designs to 3D computer renderings has been one of the keys to his success, helping him achieve phenomenal growth.

His decision to embrace industry-leading design technology throughout his career has served Davis well, helping his team at Krause Landscape Contractors to not just gain an edge in their market but also flourish.

Growing from Krause Landscape’s beginnings as a small lawn-mowing service, today Davis is part of a thriving full-service landscaping company that covers the state of Texas from Amarillo to Dallas while employing more than 100 people.

When your clients say they want a tropical oasis, what are they envisioning? Maybe they see a tranquil water feature, warm breeze and, of course, some lush and colorful foliage.

You can bring this vision to life for your pool clients by installing a variety of plants. The right foliage can really transform the pool area.

But with so many plant choices, where do you start?

Offering an all-natural organic pool as a pool design option to green-savvy homeowners will soon be essential to meet client demand.

After all, the organic market is a $39 billion industry— and it’s overflowing into the swimming pool design business. In fact, The Organic Trade Organization says 51% of families are buying more organic products than just one year ago. With organic consumerism on the rise, homeowners are adapting organic principles into all areas of their lifestyles and will soon influence pool builders to adapt to the green market.  

While a picture may be worth a thousand words, new research shows a video is worth much more: 1.8 million words to be exact.

And when you use a video to present your designs to potential customers, they become worth a lot more than words. You can win over potential customers, land large contracts and edge out your competition. Thousands of pool and landscape designers create videos of every project they design — but why?

We’ve all heard it before: “You need to have it in writing.” 

That’s especially true when there are thousands of dollars on the line with a pool installation. You need a contract — or agreement, as I prefer to say — that protects your business and protects the client. It also needs to clearly explain what services you’ll perform and when.

Offering your client an agreement that's clear and detailed can make the difference between building their dream pool and ending up in a total nightmare of a project. So make sure you have a solid swimming pool construction contract that includes all nine of these crucial elements. 

Subcontractors can be a vital part of your business if you’re understaffed, inexperienced with a certain task or need some quick help on a project.

Poolscape Inc.: An International Award-Winning, High-End Pool Designer Elevates His Efficiency And His Revenues With Pool Studio’s 3D Pool Designs

Barry Justus founded Poolscape Inc. in 1991 with the goal of building one-of-a-kind concrete pools for homes and estates in the Toronto area. Today, he is one of the most accomplished and recognized pool designers in all of Canada and North America.

His eye for design and commitment to quality have earned him numerous industry awards — the Best Family Recreation Centre Gold Award, the Technical Achievement Gold Award, and the Swimpsa/Current Pools Gold award, among many others. In fact, 90 percent of all Poolscape projects from the last decade have won international or national awards.

But Justus doesn’t design to win awards. He designs to wow his customers.