4 Things to Consider in Spring Landscape Design

Fall is a great time to be thinking about what you wish to plan for the spring season. As the leaves fall and the ground prepares for winter, you can start creating a plan for those landscaping projects. Enlisting landscaping services Malibu companies offer now can ensure those projects start when you are ready instead of waiting on their availability.

Natural Areas
Lower your water bill and lessen the amount of yard to mow by converting some of it to natural areas. These spaces use native plants to liven up the yard instead of grass. Consider creating flowerbeds filled with native plants around trees to give you less to mow and move around.

Increased Privacy
Tired of seeing your neighbor’s unsightly lawn? Add some native shrubs to block the view. A hedgerow acts like a privacy fence when your HOA prevents one. Spacing them well can block unsightly views and afford your yard some privacy.

Soil Amendments
Whether or not you need to add any soil amendments to your yard depends on what you plant and the current condition of the soil. Native plants that grow in the soil in your yard generally do not need any amendments. However, if you plant specialty plants or non-native species, you may need to add some soil amendments to allow them to grow and thrive.

Appearance Change
Sometimes the plan involves changing the appearance of your yard. This can be easy to do by deciding on color combinations or specific textures to add or remove. Instantly boost curb appeal by simply placing down some new mulch in garden beds. Not only does fresh mulch look better, but it can also lower the amount of water necessary to keep the plants hydrated.

Think about the plan you want the professional landscaping services Malibu area companies to do in your yard. From complex to simple designs, fresh landscape can boost the curb appeal of your home and make it a more inviting place to be.

What Exactly Does a Civil Engineer Do and Why Do You Need One?

If you work in construction or for a municipality, you likely deal with civil engineers on a regular basis. However, even homeowners can benefit from the knowledge and experience of a Thousand Oaks civil engineer, like Chris Nelson & Associates. The engineers perform a variety of functions necessary for the design and implementation of various projects.

Analyze

One key aspect of a civil engineer’s job is to analyze test results on soil, building materials, maps, long range plans and survey reports. This information is used in both designing and planning stages for many projects from bridges to buildings to determining the strength of a foundation.

Survey

A Thousand Oaks civil engineer uses a variety of technological devices to collect, sort and analyze data used for surveys. Drones are more common to help conduct land surveys especially in areas where going by foot is treacherous and less accurate. These technological devices can see differences in land elevations and water supplies. The survey includes property boundaries and setbacks necessary for construction and to argue land disputes.

Prepare

Document preparation is a key part of a civil engineer’s job. Permits must be acquired with the documents filled out correctly. Each product must meet government regulations and take into account any environmental hazards. All of this is done to prepare the project for design.

Design

Design is an essential piece to the engineer’s job where they take the data collected including land surveys and start creating a design. For example, the location of a new highway must take into account any land elevation changes along the route, avoid certain environmental structures such as lakes or mountains and account for existing structures already in place.

The job of a Thousand Oaks civil engineer is dynamic and necessary for the repair and maintenance of infrastructure projects. Chris Nelson & Associates have civil engineers ready to complete a new survey or design your next project.

Why Realtors Should Use a Professional Mailing Service

Some people underestimate the impact that a real estate mailing service can have on a realtor’s outreach efforts. This service can be very beneficial, and here is how you can use them to your advantage.

Quality Not Quantity

Yes, the majority of mailers will probably end up in the recycling bin. However, it’s important to remember that the goal of a mailer is not to obtain every single recipient as a client. If you send out 1,000 mailers and get one or two new clients from it that should be considered successful. Because a realtor’s most effective form of marketing will always be word of mouth there’s no telling how much future business will be brought in by one successful transaction, which starts with one successful postcard campaign.

Use a Professional

There’s a reason why businesses like Sendsations that offer real estate mailing service exist. It’s because they’re good at what they do. Professional mailing services know what attracts people’s attention and they have access to the address databases you need. Plus, you can rest assured that they will get the job done so you don’t have to worry about it and you can spend your time selling houses.

Open Houses

Using postcards to announce an open house can be beneficial, and with a professional you can have these created at a moment's notice. If you're not getting much interest from online listings use a professional to create an open house postcard.