Simple Elegance

Visited house, Interview my wife and I, at my request he added another sheet to the three that were included (Drawings were 3' by 2' for a complete redo of our side yard. He selected plants and showed were they should be placed. he laid out a lighting plan and a watering plan for the yard. He delivered the plan and disappeared. Did not return calls. He did give us the name of a contractor (Manual Cervantes of Gold Coast Engineering 805-278-8828). This contact was the best thing that "Simple Elegance" did for us. Working with Manual has given us a really beautiful yard.

Ben did an amazing job providing a plan with functionality and style, matching elements of the interior and exterior of our home. He spent several hours and multiple visits to brainstorm, discuss, fine-tune, and finalize the plans. Ben took into account our personality and provided advice on the contracting the work as well as general prices we should expect. This is my first experience with a professional landscape designer, and I am very please we selected Simple Elegance. It took a little persistence to get an appointment, but it was worth the wait.

It went great! The owner of Simple Elegance, Benjamin, makes it a point to service all Angies List clients. He is extremely knowledegable on both landscaping (both hardscape and softscape). He is also very familiar with lighting. And equally, if not more important, is that he is creative, meticulous and thoughtful. My wife and I were both very impressed with his work.

Paid for the deal. Filled out 3 possible dates for service fulfillment and was told the provider would contact me within 48 hours. Being new to Angie's List I expected I would receive a phone call or email from the provider. Instead I got a message thru the Angie's List website that told me to call them to schedule an appointment. I called and had to leave a message. I waited a week or so and never got a return call so, I called again and then was told their next available service date was almost a month away.

Not so well. Despite several attempts to get him out to our home, he never came back for second visit to get measurements or to give us final plans.

It took few weeks to schedule an appointment but once I got in touch with Ben, owner of the company, it was pretty smooth. Ben arrived on time for first appointment. He took the measurements of the front yard and we spoke in details about how it should look like and what type of plants he should use. He brought in the layout plan 2 weeks later and we talked some changes. In third and final appointment, he delivered both plans. His work is of high quality and meets all the expectations. Overall, it has been good experience working with Ben. He has been responsive to my emails and phone calls. I highly recommend him for any landscape design work.

We first hired Ben via Angies List, based upon a special landscape deal he was offering. I read his reviews and decided to try his services. We set up a mutually convenient time to meet, he looked at our backyard and started making wonderful and creative suggestions immediately. He sat with us and discussed what our budget range was, and educated us on options and ideas based upon numbers we felt comfortable with. Within a week or so, Ben came back with detailed CAD drawing of the hardscape, landscape, plant and flower options, and lighting design. It was very professional. We went thru a couple of rounds of revisions, and he recommended a great contractor who we love. It has been a great experience thus far, the project is about two weeks away from completion. I will update again when the project is finished, but we are convinced that our backyard will be spectacular!

That was fine. It's a very positive experience. They were very polite, very professional and very knowledgeable. They made a very nice plan. I would use them again in the future.

We couldn't have asked for a better landscape designer than the one we found in Benjamin Dickerson at Simple Elegance. His creativity and knowledge far surpassed anything we ever expected. We were blown away by the design plan he put together for our front and backyard. He is a true artist and his attention to detail is something to be admired. In addition to being extremely talented at his craft, Benjamin is also a joy to work with. He took the time to listen to all of our needs and concerns, and was happy to answer our numerous questions. We are new homeowners and this is our first time to be dealing with landscaping. We came into the process feeling a bit overwhelmed and intimidated by it all. Benjamin, however, made the experience enjoyable and exciting. We can't wait to see all his design plans come to life!

My wife and I hired Ben (Simple Elegance) to design a part of our yard that is challenging to find a good use for due to it being at the bottom of a steep slope. He came to the house, examined the yard, took a good deal of time to discuss our preferences, worked within our tight budget and came up with a preliminary plan (within budget!). After that he came back and discussed the plan further, providing numerous photos of the plants he had suggested and made further modifications in light of the feedback we provided. Ben suggested other areas of the yard that could be incorporated if the plans were extended, and additionally recommended various lighting features. To have him expand the plan that included other areas of the yard, and lighting, required an additional charge. This was not pushed upon us but simply offered. His preliminary plans were so good we decided to move forward with having him design further areas of the yard and come up with a lighting plan ? all for a very reasonable price. Moreover, Ben gave us the name of a contractor with whom he has worked (showing pictures of that person?s work) and the names of nurseries where the plants would be discounted because he had drawn up our design. Having Ben work with us was a very good decision, well worth the money and we recommend him highly.

The process generally went well. I met with Ben, the designer, talked over the goals of the plan and my budgetary limits, and walked the property. We also discussed what his online offer included which was just the overall design and a plan for plants. It did not include plans for irrigation, drainage or utilities. Because drainage was a major issue for me and irrigation is a closely related problem, I chose to buy plans for irrigation and drainage. (Since did not plan for anything requiring electricity or gas, I did not chose to get those plans.) The two additional plans were each nearly as expensive as the overall plan. (Had I realized this before buying the design package, I might have done things differently.) We met again for Ben to measure the property. He then came back with a preliminary plan that we discussed online. The initial plan was responsive to most of my concerns and requests. He made various adjustments and we met again to finalize the layout. Ben listened patiently and was eager to make sure that I was happy with the design. There was one issue. I had initially stated that I had a limited budget and had given him an upper limit on what I would be able to spend on the project (excluding his designs). After we had come to an agreement on a plan, I asked him if the plan could be done within the budget I had set. He then made some inquiries with contractors and came to the conclusion that it could not be done, So we had to modify and change the plan to make it less expensive to execute. Ben was very good about doing this (the changes were fairly simple), but it would have been nice if he had kept the budget limitations in mind in the first place. Once we got the overall plan settled (including the revision to reflect my budget), Ben prepared the detailed plans for the irrigation, drainage and plants. He was particularly patient in going over the plants with me because there were many plants he recommended that I was unfamiliar with. I was having a hard time visualizing the end results. We had several rounds of changes on this as he adjusted plans to reflect particular plants I decided I did or did not want. He was very responsive to my requests to have color in the yard all year round and to incorporate plants with lovely scents. he was also very aware of balancing colors and providing a variety of textures in the garden. He was also willing to adapt his ideas to include specific types of plants (e.g., roses) that I wanted within his design. A few minor issues: 1) Ben was late arriving or had to reschedule (often at the last minute) at least five of our meetings. My schedule was flexible so it was not a big issue, but it did slow the process a little. 2) Ben took lots of notes on what I wanted (specific plants in specific areas, for example), but he did not always refer to those notes before developing/revising his plan, so that some plans had to be done over because he had not included what we had previously talked about. There was no problem about him making the changes, but it would have been nice if he had rechecked his notes. 3) Ben did not always respond promptly to calls or e-mails. He did always respond, but sometimes it took a while. I have not yet had the design installed, so I cannot give a final opinion on how the design and the plants really look, but the plans look good and I am pleased with the outcome. Overall it was a good experience. Ben seems to be a good guy. He really was willing to work with me to make sure I was happy with the plans. I would recommend him.

Ben listened to our requests. We had very specific needs for this house and he stayed close to our requests with very interesting and beautiful ideas of his own. We added a request for the irrigation design which was very complete. He brings his computer so the client can see the plants proposed, which is very helpful.

My hope was to prepare all the plans required for relandscaping of my single family house, while retaining a large tree on the property, as well as the general style of the original landscaping, as well as matching the style of the house. This was to go along with a major remodel of the house, which was built circa 1950. We arranged a meeting at my house with the company principal, Ben, and my architect (lets call him Joe). After some conversation, Joe had to leave, and Ben brought out a detailed contract, which I signed. This stipulated a complete set of landscape design drawings, including irrigation, drainage and lighting plans. I paid him the total cost of the complete design, which came to $1500 including the $299 for the Design Special. Ben took measurements of the existing landscaping, and arranged to receive copies of the remodel design from Joe. Over the next six months we had another two or three meetings. Meanwhile Joe proceeded to make submissions of drawings to the planning department for our building permit. Upon seeing the initial drawings, Joe thought that the hardscape details (fences, pergolas, walkways) were unsatisfactory, in that they did not match the character of the house. We then suggested that Ben proceed with the planting design, and that Joe would complete the hardscape drawings. The first comments on our plans from the city indicated that several other design drawings would be required. This included elevations and two-year planting drawings. I contacted Ben and he said that he would be able to provide these drawings for a small extra fee. However, he never came through with these other drawings, or with the drainage, irrigation and lighting plans. Overall, I felt that we never connected on the style and character of the landscape plan that I was hoping to develop. I suppose I should have been able to determine this from the plan type (birds eye view) drawings, but I was hoping for elevation (street level) drawings that would have been more useful. Also, the coordination between Ben and Joe was another factor that made the whole project more difficult. Next time I will go with a more experienced designer.

He listened to what ideas I had for the design and what I hoped to achieve. We then discussed the areas where I was stuck and needed ideas and vision. I was impressed that he was able to grasp my situation so quickly and provide some great suggestions that will turn my backyard into a beautiful place to be. He was also mindful of my budget and suggested great ideas that don't cost too much. It was obvious that this guy (the owner of the company) really knew his way around and was very skilled. In all, it was a great experience and well worth the money.

We are not finished with this project. It is unfair to give an evaluation when the job isn't finished because I am still in the deciding stage. Thusfar, I would have to rate them excellent.

It went well. I ended up not following thru on all his ideas.

It's going slow. Still waiting on final plans.

The owner made arrangements to meet with us. He came on time. We discussed our wishes. At our next meeting he had a set of preliminary plans that we discussed and decided what to keep and what to add. At the third meeting he had a complete set of plans, very well laid out, at which time we made another payment. He was very accommodating of our wishes, but also helped us make better decisions regarding types of plants and placements. He seems to know his stuff and produces plans that are very detailed for contractors to follow. The price on Angie's list is only an introductory price that would work for a small yard. Since our yard was larger, we ended up paying more to accommodate the plans for the extra area.

I am re-submitting this review as an update to an earlier one which reflected my initial disappointment when I received no response to the two initial attempts to contact Simple Elegance. There were, apparently, numerous reasons my initial contact attempts were lost. Upon noting Mr. Dickerson's response to my poor review, I made a third contact with his office and was greeted cordially by 'Lindsey' who provided me with an unexpectedly quick consultation appointment the following Friday. Ben arrived at our home at the appointed time and consulted with us about our intentions for our landscape, presented photos, and suggestions that seemed to fit our situation and front elevation, etc. Ben proceeded to make measurements of our yard and an overall analysis of what was required. We were uncertain about the overall plan, but waited to see the plan when drawn up and presented. Ben returned today with the landscape plans, which were well detailed and impressive. He took the time to discuss these with us at length and indicated the various options in plants, etc., as well how to access his database for detailed information on various plants and/or contractors. Ben was very informative and presented excellent ideas on how we might go about realizing this or a similar landscape plan. While we are not currently ready to proceed with the landscape work, Ben has presented a plan at a reasonable price from which we can work to vastly improve the curb appeal of our home as well as to increase our enjoyment of the front yard. Ben is a pleasant and obviously knowledgeable person to consult with on this matter. We expect to work/consult with him in again when we are ready to proceed with the actual work.

Met twice, loved his ideas and plant suggestions. He was prompt, smart, and easy to work with. I have already referred him to a friend.

I purchased an Angie's List Big Deal for this service, but it was horrible so I canceled it. It took them a long time for them to come over to my property and then the minute they were in my property they said all the things they cannot do. There are so many restrictions on the Big Deal it was absurd. I canceled it and got a refund on it. It was bad. It took them at least a month to set up the appointment, which we did. When they finally showed up and told me all the things they cannot do I canceled it and told them to forget it. Originally we told them we already had a design and just wanted to make some small adjustments to the design. They told me that they needed to make the design and they designed it. They were jerks.

Benjamin Dickerson, the landscape architect, was great. He provided me with a landscape design in both paper and PDF formats. I loved the fact that I could access all the plants and shrubs and trees he recommended on his website after receiving the plans. He did not pressure me at all in accepting his design and made himself available if I wanted changes. He has referrals to landscapers to actually follow the design. The only negative I would say is that he did not show up at the appointed time on both occasions but the had the professional courtesy to call and notify me he was running late on both visits. I would not hesitate to use him for the back yard. I have a challenging landscape as I live on a slope but he really did a great job.

Met with Ben, setting up the appointment with him was easy. He came out and met with us and talked about what we wanted to do . He measured the yard and said he would draw up plans, which he did. He reviewed the plans with us and we made changes to it and he personally delivered the final plans to us for our review. At this point, I was expecting him to take the project to the next level to begin implementing what he had designed, but he appeared to have no interest in doing that. He offered to have some landscaping contractors contact us--telling us to follow up with him in a week's time if we did not hear from anyone. Needless to say, no one contacted us and the overall interaction with him just left a bad taste in our mouths. In addition, he tacks on extra charges if your yard is larger than the agreed to price in Angie's List (ours was) and he also charges extra if you want a lighting design included in your landscaping plans. He then informs you that you can get a deal if you call one of his suppliers and mention his name. Either our yard and plans were too small potatoes for him, or he just did not want to work further with us on this, I was expecting something completely different in the level of service and involvement that Ben delivered. I wish it could have had a more positive outcome.

I was very impressed with Ben. He came to the 2 appointments on time at a scheduled time that worked for both of us. I was and still am impressed with his talent and I love the plans. He made me feel comfortable that he would continue to be involved with the implementation of his plans. He would also provide me with a list of available contractors that he recommended. My "F" rating for responsiveness is that after I received the plans he did NOT respond to my calls or emails. He did call once, the call dropped from his end, I called him back which went to voicemail and I never heard from him again. I was really surprised and to say the least disappointed.

I bought a deal from Angies List for a landscape design and I couldn't have been more impressed. We haven't redone the landscaping because we are considering either remodeling or selling the house. I had been waiting to write a review until we actually installed the landscape design, but I'm not sure when or if we'll be able to go ahead with it. Relative to the cost, the degree of service and design expertise Ben provided borders on ridiculous. Ben came to our house and spent a lot of time looking around the property, asking questions and listening to what we wanted. The design he created was great. He went over everything in detail and made changes to make sure we were happy with every aspect. If we are able to go forward with installation, I will definitely ask Ben to consult on buying the plants and oversee the installation. I would recommend Simple Elegance to anyone looking for a landscape designer and definitely plan to use them in the future.