How it works

Here’s what happens from your first call to your finished yard, one step at a time, so you always know what comes next.

  1. Step 1: We call you

    Within one business day

    Send us the form or call 905-627-1466, and we’ll book a visit.

  2. Step 2: Discovery meeting

    Free, at your place. Set aside up to two hours.

    We get together at your place, talk through what isn’t working and your ideas, ask each other questions and see if we’re a good fit. We also talk rough budget and next steps, so you leave knowing where you stand.

    When do I get a number?

    At the free discovery meeting we talk rough budget, so you leave with a range. Then, at the right next step for your project, you get a written scope and a fixed price. For larger or more complex yards, that can come after a design phase.

    Patio beside the house with a wisteria pergola and an umbrella in the far corner
    Before: the umbrella corner at The Back Bar.

  3. Step 3: The right next step

    Agreed at the meeting

    It depends on your project, and we agree it at the meeting. Often it’s a written scope and fixed price. Sometimes it’s a sketch. For larger or more complex yards, we sometimes start with a design phase, which can be a paid step.

    From graph paper to the finished yard.

    A hand-drawn plan on graph paper: a deck, a patio with a BBQ centre, raised vegetable beds and herbs, with trees, hedges and each plant named in pencilThe finished slab patio with a stone BBQ island under timber pergola posts, new planting along the fence and a lawn in front
    Dave’s first sketch on graph paper, and the patio and outdoor kitchen we built from it.

  4. Step 4: Scheduling

    Plan early

    Earlier than you’d think. Good builders book up, and some approvals take months, so planning early gets you the start you want.

  5. Step 5: Permits

    We take care of it

    We handle the permits.

    Read our permit guide

    On Ravine’s Edge, that meant the conservation authority, the City’s ravine protection permit, urban forestry and an arborist’s tree plan.

  6. Step 6: The build

    A timeline once the scope is set

    One team builds your yard. How long it takes depends on the size of the job, the weather, permits and approvals, and our existing bookings. We give you a timeline once the scope is set.

    In milder winters we keep building under domes with heaters. We don’t do snow clearing, so our crews stay focused on building.

    Heated construction dome over the pool in December
    Finishing the Escape Plan pool under a heated dome, December 2015.

  7. Step 7: Handover

    A walkthrough together

    We walk the finished yard with you and hand it over. We guarantee our work.

    The same corner finished, with a timber pavilion and lounge seating beside the pool
    Finished: the same corner at The Back Bar, now a Douglas fir pavilion. Photography: Koru Creative.

Who’s on your job

Our own crew
Our own crew builds your job, from the base to the low-voltage lighting.
Licensed electricians and gas fitters
Line-voltage and gas work is done by licensed electricians and gas fitters we manage.
Carpenters and timber-frame builders
Timber frames and other carpentry are done with trusted carpenters and timber-frame builders we work with. Some cabanas we build in-house.
Irrigation contractors
Irrigation goes through contractors we work with. We build it into the project or introduce you to them.
Before we dig
Utility locates every time, plus private locates where needed.
How we run a job
Dave is your contact throughout the job. He manages it and is usually on site once a day, checking the work or working alongside the crew. We agree with you how you’d like to hear from us, and change it if your needs change: a knock on the door, or a quick text if you’re busy.
Insurance and WSIB
We carry commercial liability insurance and WSIB coverage. Ask, and we’ll send our certificate of insurance and WSIB clearance certificate.

For engineered, multi-season work, see Ravine’s Edge and Escape Plan.

Common questions

Is the first visit free?
Yes. The discovery meeting is free, at your place. Set aside up to two hours.
Will I get a price at the first meeting?
You’ll get a rough budget range. A fixed price comes once the scope is written, and we agree that next step at the meeting.
Do you take small projects?
Yes. Small projects are welcome, from one-day jobs up. More on small projects.
Do you handle permits?
Yes. We find out which permits your project needs before we design, then handle them: drawings, arborist reports and engineering when needed. Read our permit guide.
Do you build in winter?
In milder winters we keep building under domes with heaters. We don’t do snow clearing, so our crews stay focused on building.
Do you do maintenance?
No. We design and build. We don’t do lawn cutting, maintenance or snow clearing.
How far ahead should I book?
Earlier than you’d think. Good builders book up, and some approvals take months, so planning early gets you the start you want.