The Plan First series
Three pieces, meant to be read in order. Part one is this page.
- Why one plan comes before any bid — you are here.
- What a complete outdoor design actually includes — the difference between a rendering and a buildable plan.
- How to compare bids once everyone has the same plan — reading two proposals line by line.
The Plan-First checklist
Everything on this page, condensed to a two-page printable list — what to settle before you call anyone, what a complete plan has to cover, and what to read line by line in every bid.
Bid comparison worksheet
A one-page, print-and-fill template with a column for each bidder — license and insurance, what scope is carried or excluded, how materials and allowances are specified, payment schedule, warranty and exclusions — so you can compare proposals apples-to-apples instead of comparing bottom-line numbers.
Get the plan first. Then get the bids.
An outdoor project is a significant investment, and one of the decisions that shapes it happens before any shovel moves: many homeowners start collecting bids before they own a plan. Five companies come out, five people sketch something different on an iPad, and five prices arrive that are difficult to compare to each other. This page explains why that process is hard to navigate, what it can cost you in time and dollars, and what to do instead. It is not a pitch for hiring us — you can take a plan you own to any contractor in the Valley.
- AZ ROC 211530 · 347738 · 341002 · 340966
- Arizona-built since 2005
- President, Southwest Hardscapes Association
What actually happens when you collect ten bids
- Every company designs to its own strengths. The pool builder centers the pool. The landscaper centers the turf. The hardscape crew centers the patio. None of them are wrong — they are each solving a different problem.
- You end up comparing layouts, not prices. You liked the pool placement on bid three and the kitchen on bid six, and neither company priced the other's idea.
- Scope drifts silently. One proposal includes demolition and haul-off, another assumes you handle it. One carries drainage, another does not mention where water goes.
- Allowances hide the gap. Two proposals can show the same paver line and still be far apart in budget once one carries a real selection and the other carries a placeholder.
- A lower number can simply cover less work. That is not necessarily dishonesty — it is often a smaller scope, and nobody drew a line showing you what was missing. Ask in writing which items are excluded.
- By bid seven you are exhausted, the season has moved, material pricing has moved, and you are no closer to a decision than you were in week one.
Why nothing is ever apples to apples without a shared plan
- Elevations. Where finished grade sits controls step counts, retaining, deck heights and how much fill or export the job needs. Two bidders guessing at elevations are pricing two different jobs.
- Drainage. Where water goes is a design decision with real cost. It is also frequently left vague on a fast bid, so ask each bidder to put the plan and the destination in writing.
- Underground. Gas runs, electrical, low-voltage, irrigation sleeves and pool plumbing all get cheap when they are planned and expensive when they are added after concrete.
- Structures. A shade structure's footings, attachment and any required review depend on where it lands and how big it is. That is a plan question, not a line-item question.
- Materials. “Pavers” is not a specification. Manufacturer, series, size, pattern, color and joint treatment change both the look and the number.
- Sequence. A project built in the wrong order pays twice — new turf torn out for a trench, a finished patio cut for a gas line.
Want a number for your own property?
Tell us the space and we'll come back with a real range for your site — no pressure, no "call for pricing."
What the bidding merry-go-round actually costs you
- Weeks. Repeated site visits and follow-ups, and a decision that can slide a full season — sometimes into different pricing and a longer schedule.
- Clarity. After enough conflicting designs, it gets harder to picture your own yard. Decision fatigue is real, and it can end in either paralysis or an impulse signature.
- Money at the back end. Anything not drawn tends to become a change order, and change-order pricing during construction is negotiated with one company rather than compared across several.
- Goodwill. Contractors who have designed and priced a project three times for a homeowner who is still shopping tend to get slower, thinner and less interested — right when you need them engaged.
- The relationship you will live with. You are not buying a product; you are entering a construction project with a company for weeks or months. Starting that on a foggy scope is how good jobs go sideways.
Plan first: how the process should actually run
- Step 1 — Define how you will use the space. Who is out there, when, doing what, and what has to be finished first. This is the part that no contractor can guess for you.
- Step 2 — Set an honest investment range and say it out loud. A designer who knows the range designs something buildable; a designer working blind draws something you will have to cut.
- Step 3 — Buy one complete plan and scope. Layout, dimensions, elevations, drainage direction, feature list with sizes, material selections, utility needs and phasing.
- Step 4 — Confirm you own it. Get ownership, revisions and reuse rights in the design agreement in writing.
- Step 5 — Bid that exact plan to two or three qualified licensed contractors, with the same written scope document going to each one.
- Step 6 — Compare line by line, ask every bidder the same clarifying questions, and choose on scope, standards, schedule, warranty and fit — not on the bottom number alone.
What one shared plan buys you that a stack of sketches does not
- One layout you have actually decided on, instead of six half-liked ones.
- A scope document that makes a low bid visibly low instead of mysteriously low.
- Leverage. You can hold every bidder to the same drawing, and you can re-price a specific change with all of them at once.
- Phasing that works. If the whole thing is not in the budget this year, the plan tells you what has to be roughed in now so phase two does not tear up phase one.
- Portability. A plan you own can be built by whoever you choose, this year or in three years.
- A shorter, calmer construction period, because the decisions were made when they were still cheap to make.
Fair questions people ask us about this
- “Isn't this just a way to charge me for design?” It is a way to charge for design, yes — openly, instead of burying it inside a construction number. You get a deliverable you own either way.
- “What if I don't like the plan?” That is what the revision rounds in the design agreement are for. Read that section before you sign it, with any designer.
- “Can a plan be too detailed?” It can be over-engineered for a small scope. A patio refresh does not need what a full pool-and-structure build needs. Match the depth of the plan to the size of the project.
- “Do I still need bids if I trust one company?” Not necessarily. Plenty of homeowners design and build with one team on purpose. The plan matters either way — it is what your contract points at.
- “Will AE bid someone else's plan?” We will review it and tell you honestly whether it is buildable as drawn on your property, and what we would need clarified before pricing it.
The short version
- One plan. Two or three bids. One written scope everyone prices.
- Decide the layout before you shop the price.
- Own the plan, in writing.
- Compare scope first and price second.
- Make the hard calls on paper, where changes are free.
Common questions.
From planning to estimating
Once you know what belongs in the plan, put rough numbers next to it. Start with the calculator for a whole-project range, then read the guide for each piece of scope you are carrying. These are planning ranges for budgeting, not quotes — measured conditions, selections and the signed scope control the final investment.
Open the outdoor renovation cost calculatorPricing guides by scope
- What an outdoor living space costs in ArizonaOverall project ranges and what moves them.
- Complete backyard costWhole-yard budgeting when several trades overlap.
- Pool installation costPool scope, equipment and deck considerations.
- Paver patio costBase depth, material line and square-foot ranges.
- Outdoor kitchen costStructure, appliances, utilities and finishes.
- Artificial turf costBase prep, turf line and installed square-foot ranges.
Have AE build the plan your project gets bid from
AE designs the full outdoor envelope — layout, elevations, drainage direction, materials, utilities and phasing — as one plan you own. Build it with us or take it to another licensed contractor; either way you finally have one document that every bidder is pricing.
- Photos of the space today, including where water sits after a storm
- A rough site sketch or your plat with dimensions if you have one
- How you actually use the yard — and who else is out there
- The investment range you are working inside
- Any bids or sketches you have already collected
- What has to be usable first if the project gets phased
We reply within 1 business day
A real AE team member — not an auto-reply — reads your submission and responds by phone or email, usually same day during business hours.
Quick mutual-fit review
We confirm project type, location, rough budget range, and whether AE's process is the right fit before scheduling any site time.
Scope conversation before pricing
We understand the project first — no rushed generic quote. You get honest guidance on repair vs. rebuild, phasing, and what your investment range actually looks like.
You decide the next step
If it's a fit, we move into design, selections, and preconstruction. If it isn't, we tell you — and often point you toward the right resource anyway.
The intake form takes about 3 minutes and routes straight to the AE team. Prefer to talk first? Call the number below during business hours.
Start with a plan you own
Tell us how you use the space, what has to happen first and the range you are working inside. We will walk you through what a complete plan for your property would need to cover — and you can take it to whoever you want to build it.
Talk About a Project PlanWhy this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."
Plan your investment with a designer.
Five minutes, a real range, and no sales pressure. Or vet any Arizona contractor (us included) before you spend a dollar.