Kim Rooney Landscape Architecture

She assisted in reviewing the landscape contractors with me when I was deciding which one to select for the job. This was very helpful. During the course of the project, she spent many hours emailing back and forth as the job unfolded to keep the project moving smoothly. She brought a lot of energy to the project and had a number of fun/unusual designs. She made lists of problems and followed up on them until they were resolved. She was also flexible with the design and changed elements as the project demanded. Kim is a very visual person who best grasps a concept when she can see a model/drawing of it. The end result of all the work is quite beautiful with all of the details coming together nicely. As with any project, there were problems along the way. A number of these problems centered on communication. Kim spent the extra time to clarify these issues and make the job details as clear as possible. Sometimes multiple reviews of certain project elements were necessary. Kim does not typically automatically redraw plans to indicate changes that have been made on the original plans after the project is bid. If additional drawings are requested, she will do them on an as requested basis either from the client or the contractor. Otherwise, change orders are expected to be noted by the contractor on the old plans. If significant changes are made to the plans, it then becomes important to make sure that the new designs are clearly communicated to every subcontractor. A mechanism for dealing with these changes should be discussed early on. Resolving these discrepancies later can become a problem when each person has a different set of plans.

Excellent work from start to finish, very professional throughout.

Timely, thorough, thoughtful, innovative work presented with different options/approaches to the landscape design. I felt that I received very well done plans for the project.

Because of Kim our project was a success; without her it would not have been. Her knowledge and expertise are incredible, and she was great to work with. If we had it to do over again, we would have done it right and hired Kim first and let her design and supervise the whole project. It would have been less costly. We will never do another landscape project without her. She's amazing.

Working with Kim was an absolute pleasure. Kim worked closely with my husband and I to understand our needs and design style and then developed a plan to help us complete our dream project within our realstic budget. Her beautiful design has completly changed the look and feel of our house. We could not be more happy with the outcome.

Our project went better than planned. Kim asked us initially our lifestyle and what plants we liked (also recommended growers to visit). From there she did drawing plans for the hardscape needed and planting plans. We let her choose Malones for the hardscape. Meetings with Malones and Kim brought up costs of lights and sprinkers and any initial piping/wiring which should be done in in phase 1 or phase 2. Malones finished the job in 1/2 the time expected. There were some issues that came up at "substantail completion" and Kim was on it, and they were resolved within 1 week. Kim's portion of ll this was just over $3,000 including the planting plans, and Malones was $11,000. The rest went to tree trimmers, and brush clearers, and excluded all our labor.

Everything went very smoothly. Everyone was totally professional and responsive.

I was very pleased with Kim Rooney?s work. My husband died two years ago, and HE was the gardener. (I barely know plant names.) So my ?yard? has been deteriorating ever since. Kim was not just mindful of my priority -- ?easy upkeep?. She also ?read between the lines? with suggestions like moving the (favorite of my husband?s) Vinka (sp?) into the new plan. She also accepted my wish to retain some not-so-aesthetic items for personal reasons. And she?ll get me started on a vegetable garden!!

She was fantastic. We appreciated the expertise and she works with the landscaping company. She will come out and do the bid process and look to see what needs to be done. She provided the oversight and supervision.

We initially made contact via email. Kim responded the same day and we set an appointment for after she returned from out of town. Kim arrived promptly and we went outside to look at the project. We discussed the scope of the project, permit requirements, structural requirements, and the need to work with the City of Lake Forest Park. Kim explained that she could draw up the plans and that the work could be performed by a contractor she worked with on projects such as this. She followed through by forwarding our information to Jim Welnak at the landscaping company. Kim was extremely knowledgeable and professional. Had we needed her services, we would have felt confident in her ability to do a good job for us. Unfortunately, the project is still on hold due to changing circumstances.

Kim interviewed me to see what I wanted to create in my back yard. She did a couple of drawings that varied in construction costs. She and I worked with a landscape company to get the quotes and implement the final design. I am writing this review after a year so I can speak to the initial design, implementation and post implementation follow-up. Kim not only developed the design but also monitored the landscape company's construction and plantings, did a walk-through with me after the work was complete, and then assisted in the one year walk through on plant survival and irrigation effectiveness with me and the landscape company. I paid approximately $50,000.00 for the total project and six to seven thousand of this went to Kim.

She did an okay job, I wasn't thrilled. I think the amount of money she charged turned out to be pretty high. It was kind of really expensive. I liked her design.

Kim met with us to review our situation. She discussed her process for developing a plan, the costs involved and for what services. We agreed on a general plan, and as the bidding processes started, she worked up a detailed plan with measurements and materials included. The contractors who bid on the project worked off of the detailed plan. She works with another landscaping company, and we selected them although we got another bid as well. That landscaping company was in charge of the schedule and implementation of the landscaping plan. They communicated the general schedule and the work completed within the expected time frame. Kim was present at various times during the work. The results are superb, artistic -- much better than we expected. It was critical for us to have a pleasing design for this challenging part of our property. Kim's plan exceeded our expectations.

They are super responsive, great to work with and know what they are doing. They have clear communication right up front about their prices and what to expect. They know about the correct materials that need to be used and have great resources for installation. However, because they specialize in design, they are not the installers. I paid the installers separately from her fee. It may costs a little more but I believe it was worth it. If I had hired her a year ago, I would have saved a lot of money by avoiding a poor initial installation by another company.

They are super responsive, great to work with and know what they are doing. They have clear communication right up front about their prices and what to expect. They know about the correct materials that need to be used and have great resources for installation. However, because they specialize in design, they are not the installers. I paid the installers separately from her fee. It may costs a little more but I believe it was worth it. If I had hired her a year ago, I would have saved a lot of money by avoiding a poor initial installation by another company.

She was 2nd in the Seattle garden show, paid extra attention to details, she transformed the looks our home and property, which increased the value of our property.

Aside from knowing her subject in great depth (she gives classes to other landscape designers) Kim is bright, cheerful, energetic and a total delight to work with. She was always accessible to answer any questions. During the demolition, preparation and planting phases of our project she supervised each step with assuredness and confidence. The contractor appeared to have total respect for her when she gave directions and made corrections to his work. When it came time to do the large pots on our deck she met us at a large local nursery and walked us through every isle, making suggestions but always keeping in mind our preferences. As a result we think that our deck is as beautiful as anything that we could have ever imagined. Throughout all of this we always felt the she was our complete advocate.

Aside from knowing her subject in great depth (she gives classes to other landscape designers) Kim is bright, cheerful, energetic and a total delight to work with. She was always accessible to answer any questions. During the demolition, preparation and planting phases of our project she supervised each step with assuredness and confidence. The contractor appeared to have total respect for her when she gave directions and made corrections to his work. When it came time to do the large pots on our deck she met us at a large local nursery and walked us through every isle, making suggestions but always keeping in mind our preferences. As a result we think that our deck is as beautiful as anything that we could have ever imagined. Throughout all of this we always felt the she was our complete advocate.