Design and Estimates
Yes, design ideas are part of the estimate process: your estimator talks through layout, materials and sequencing with you. On larger projects where bringing in a dedicated designer makes sense, a design fee may apply, but only by agreement with you and discussed up front.
This page covers what the estimate conversation includes, what shapes design scope, and how to prepare. Bring the worksheet below to your free 15-minute phone consult.
Want a rough idea first? Use our Instant Quote to get a ballpark in about 30 seconds. Your firm price still comes from the on-site estimate.
The Short Answer
The estimate is where your ideas meet your yard's real conditions: grade, soil, drainage, access, and how you want to use the space.
Many Treasure Valley homeowners come to us with ideas and photos but no construction experience. That is normal. During the estimate process, your estimator walks the yard with you, talks through layout options, suggests materials that suit the space, and explains how the work would be sequenced. You can see every step in our process.
Design ideas are part of that conversation. On larger projects where bringing in a dedicated designer makes sense, for example some full backyard renovations with structures, utilities, and grade changes, a design fee may apply. That only happens by agreement with you, and it is discussed up front, before any design work starts. Your estimator explains how your project will be handled during the consult.
Design follows the same order we build in: drainage and grading, then underground irrigation and utilities, then hardscape and structures, then landscaping and finish. Planning in that order keeps your ideas buildable and helps you set priorities if you want to phase the work over time.
Key Takeaway
Design ideas are part of the estimate process. Any design fee on a larger project is agreed with you and discussed up front, never added by surprise.
What Shapes Design Scope
01
A single patio or turf area usually needs less design than a yard that combines a patio, outdoor kitchen, fire feature, and planting. Each added feature has to fit the layout, the drainage plan, and the way you move through the space.
02
Foothill lots and sloped yards may need retaining walls, steps, or terracing. Grade changes affect drainage, wall design, and where every other feature can sit, so they add planning before anything is built.
03
Shade covers, outdoor kitchens, and seat walls involve dimensions, footings, and how they tie into the house or patio. Structures usually need more detailed drawings than flat surfaces like pavers or sod.
04
Gas for a fire feature, electrical for lighting or a spa, and irrigation changes all run underground. Planning those routes before hardscape goes in avoids cutting into finished work later.
05
Many Treasure Valley neighborhoods require architectural review before work starts. Altavera pulls the permit when a project needs one and coordinates HOA review, and a submittal may call for more formal drawings than the work alone would.
06
Caliche, clay soils, and lots graded by your home builder all affect drainage design. Where water goes shapes patio slope, planting areas, and whether you need drains or grading changes.
Honest Comparison
Both start with the same estimate conversation. The difference is how much planning the pieces need to fit together, especially in a new-build backyard starting from bare dirt.
| Aspect | Single-Feature Scope | Full Yard Transformation |
|---|---|---|
| Typical example | One patio, turf area, fence line, or sod replacement | Patio, structures, utilities, planting, and drainage planned together |
| Design conversation | Layout and material ideas talked through during the estimate | Layout ideas during the estimate, possibly a dedicated designer by agreement |
| Design fee | Your estimator explains how design is handled for your scope | May apply, only by agreement and discussed up front |
| Drawings | A simple layout is often enough to plan and build | More detailed plans to coordinate features, grades, and utilities |
| HOA review | Coordinated by Altavera when your HOA requires it | Often a fuller submittal package, coordinated by Altavera |
| Phasing | Usually built as one scope | Can be phased when drainage, grading, and underground go first |
Who This Is For
Homeowners who know what they want and need one area done well, such as a patio off the back door or new sod. You still get layout and material ideas from your estimator, and the scope stays focused on one feature built to a higher standard.
Homeowners with a blank or tired yard who want everything planned to work together. It suits families with several must-haves, sloped lots, or HOA requirements, and it pairs well with phasing so the foundation work is done right before the visible features go in.
Our Process
Start with a free 15-minute phone consult. Share your ideas, photos, and priorities, and your estimator confirms whether the project is a fit and talks through how design is handled for your scope.
If it is a fit, your estimator walks the property, checks grade, soil, drainage, and access, and talks through layout and material ideas with you right in the yard.
If your project is one where a dedicated designer makes sense, your estimator explains it and any design fee before work starts. Nothing moves forward without your agreement.
You receive a written proposal that lays out the scope, the sequence, and what is included, so you can weigh priorities and decide what to build now or phase later.
A deposit puts your project on the schedule. From there, one team and one point of contact carry it from design through finish. Spring and summer book up fast.
Free Planning Tool
Print it or keep it on your phone and bring it to your consult. It helps your estimator understand your ideas, even if you have no construction experience.
Your estimator uses this to guide the conversation, and it does not lock you into any scope.
Keep Planning
Planning your project? These pages explain how to get an estimate, what drives cost, and the services most often designed together.
Altavera serves Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton, Garden City, Emmett and nearby communities in Ada, Canyon and Gem counties.
FAQ
Yes. Design ideas are part of the estimate process, and your estimator talks through layout, materials, and sequencing with you. You do not need construction experience. Bring photos and a list of how you want to use the space, and we help turn that into a buildable plan.
On larger projects where bringing in a dedicated designer makes sense, a design fee may apply. It only applies by agreement with you and is discussed up front, before any design work begins. Your estimator explains how design is handled for your specific project during the consult.
It depends on the scope, not a single number. How many features you want, grade changes, structures, utility runs, and HOA submittal needs all affect how much design a project calls for. Your estimator explains where your project falls during the consult.
Yes, we work with new-build owners across Meridian, Star, Kuna, and the rest of the Treasure Valley. Your estimator reviews the lot your home builder graded, talks through priorities, and provides a written proposal you can plan around. If you want to phase the work, drainage, grading, and underground go first.
Altavera coordinates HOA review and pulls the permit when a project needs one, in Eagle, Boise, and across our service area. Some HOAs ask for drawings, material samples, or color selections, and your estimator explains what your submittal will likely need.
Yes. The written proposal is a starting point, and you can adjust features, materials, or phasing before you place a deposit. Your estimator updates the scope so everything still follows the right sequence, from drainage and grading through landscaping and finish.
Start Your Project
Book a free 15-minute phone consult or request a quote, and your estimator will talk through your ideas and how design works for your scope.
Prefer to talk? Call 208-314-9967 or book a free phone consult.
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We elevate outdoor spaces with professional planning, expert execution, and quality craftsmanship — because your outdoor space is an extension of your home, not an afterthought.
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Idaho Contractor License ID #6971895 · Women-Owned Business
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3313 W Cherry Lane Suite 1053 Meridian, ID 83642