Specifiers and developers will be familiar with standard hard landscaping specification factors such as materials, aesthetics and construction information. Here, Lisa Gow, Head of Specification at Tobermore, discusses what else should be considered to get the best solution for their projects.
Each housing development will have its own unique set of challenges, such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) requirements or sloping sites. This naturally informs the design and materials required for public realm, communal walkways and roads, which in turn affects the choice of manufacturer and products specified.
Once project specific requirements are satisfied, hard landscaping materials can be chosen to turn the specifier or developer’s vision into a reality. However, there are some other factors that should be considered, including product availability, support services and trade association membership to ensure that the chosen hard landscaping manufacturer will meet the needs of the project.
Product availability can affect the build programme
Facing bricks, retaining walls, paving, and permeable paving now come in a huge variety of colours, tones and textures. While this allows specifiers and developers to push the boundaries of design, it can cause complications for the build schedule and the budget.
Certain colours, for example, are only available to a minimum order quantity. This can be extremely costly, and if products are not available from stock, there can be long lead times while materials are manufactured.
It will be important to also consider the long-term availability of products as this impacts maintenance and repairs. If bespoke products are used on a project, it’s unlikely developers will be able to store spares. If replacements are needed for aftercare, minimum order quantities won’t be met and alternatives will need to be sourced.
Therefore, it makes more sense to choose from a manufacturer’s core product ranges. Advanced manufacturing methods mean that most concrete solutions are quick and easy to produce. These are usually held in stock by major manufacturers, and where this is not the case, they can be delivered in line with site schedules.
This also means that should paving be damaged during its lifespan, the maintenance team will easily be able to source replacement hard landscaping items, ensuring the original design aesthetic is maintained.
Check the design and technical support available
Another aspect to consider when choosing a hard landscaping manufacturer for housing development specifications is which support services they offer. Design services can help save time conceptualising the scheme and are useful when working with unfamiliar products.
Consulting a manufacturer’s design team will enable you to visualise the scheme using the products they feel would work best for the brief. Sample services are helpful to help narrow the selection and better understand the feel of a product and the interplay between multiple solutions.
Technical services can be essential during both the specification process and the next phase of the project. While most manufacturers publish standard laying patterns, always check if they can create bespoke patterns for unusual designs; otherwise, it’ll be down to the sub-contractor to work it out.
Another consideration is value engineering. Sub base costs can spiral, leading to specification switching, so manufacturers’ guidance on how to deliver value for money on solutions, such as permeable paving, can be invaluable.
Installation talks and on-site support are invaluable to ensure that products are correctly installed and build quality is maintained.
Similarly, it’s important to understand if ancillary products will be required to make a solution work. One regional housebuilder told us they hadn’t understood the scope of the metalworks required to install a new retaining wall product. While it had initially seemed cost-effective and fast to install, the metalwork had to be hand bent into shape.
This took six weeks, creating delays on-site and significantly adding to labour costs. A solution such as a mortarless retaining wall would have been a much quicker and easier option, as no metalwork is required and the blocks can be installed by an unskilled team.
These types of traps are easy to fall into, so specifiers and developers can be naturally reticent to work with new suppliers. This can mean they may miss out on exciting new solutions, so it makes sense to look for third party-verification to give them peace of mind.
The importance of trade association membership
When specifying a new manufacturer, the easiest and quickest way to ascertain their credentials is to look for accredited membership of a trade association such as the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI).
Trade organisations set standards for the industry so they rigorously vet members to ensure they deliver the highest levels of quality, service and value for money.
BALI, for example, only grants membership to organisations who are committed to investing in skills and staff, adhere to health and safety regulations and consider the environmental and ethical implications of their operations. All accredited members must provide evidence and references to demonstrate they meet these standards, as well as the required levels of customer service.
Trade associations also support their members by providing them with information and training about challenges that will affect their industry, such as changing regulations. This means accredited members will be up to date about legislative issues affecting your development.
So, when specifying hard landscaping for housing developments, specifiers and developers should go beyond aesthetics and function, and consider practical elements like supply chain reliability, product availability and the technical and design support offered by manufacturers. By taking a holistic approach and working with reputable, accredited members of trade organisations such as BALI, specifiers and developers can ensure their design vision is realised without compromise, delays or unexpected costs.