Frequently Asked Questions

The short answer is yes. City Gardens can provide multiple design services for your yard. If you are looking for a basic design (grading, irrigation, turf, maybe a walkway or single shrub bed) we would not require a design. Anything with more detail will require a design. Getting a design is a worthwhile investment as we can add/delete, change, etc. all on paper before starting construction.

As with every aspect of construction, having a drawing will increase efficiency and keep the project on budget. Through a consultative process with a designer, we will take into account your input and put together a plan that will work for the way you want to use your outdoor living space.

Every landscape (hardscape or softscape) we do takes into account the drainage of the whole yard. In new neighborhoods, we are provided with the finish grade elevations at all points on property lines and there are guidelines for grading to these points. In established neighborhoods these guidelines do not exist.

Whether we are working in a new or old area, we use slope laser technology to set grades away from the house and toward drainage points. If there is a difficult situation and “tight grading” parameters (ie: there is minimal elevation change between the front yard and back yard) we will often use a subtle “swale” in the grade to assist moving water away from the house.

If you live on a park or a greenspace, City Gardens will contact the City of Saskatoon parks department and arrange for a meeting on site. We will let the Superintendent know how we plan to enter/exit the greenspace and assure him/her that we will repair any damage to the park and clean up any mess that occurs as a result of our work. There is a permit that is required from the Parks dept. to enter any City property and we can take care of this process for you.

There are many variables to the length of time it takes to complete a project. Some smaller projects take 1-2 days while large projets with a lot of paving stone and retaining wall can take 3-6 weeks. There is also the weather factor, as we are working outdoors. City Gardens will assure you that once we start your project, we will be on your site until it is complete. We have always scheduled our season on a first come first served basis.

The only aspect of our work that we sub-contract or refer the customer to work with directly is the woodwork. Our skilled team performs all other work, so you only have to deal with one contractor. Professional carpenters do all decks, fences, privacy screens, etc.