A master plan is a long conversation, not a one-shot drawing.
Property-wide landscape design that maps every garden room, hardscape element, structure, lighting position, and circulation path — phased over years, costed in segments, drawn to scale by a registered landscape architect.
— Why most master plans don’t get built
Beautiful renderings shelved in drawer.
Most master plans fail not because the design was bad — but because they weren’t designed to be built. They’re presented as one-shot deliverables, with no phasing strategy, no budget, no construction detail. Then they sit.
No phasing strategy.
The plan assumes everything happens at once. The homeowner can’t (or shouldn’t) drop $200K in year one. Without a clear phase 1 → 2 → 3, the plan is shelved.
No budget.
The renderings are beautiful and the cost is unspecified. The homeowner has no way to evaluate, no way to scope, no way to start.
Designer disappears after delivery.
Plan handed off as a PDF. No relationship with the build crew. No revisions during construction. The plan and the built result diverge.
Drawn at the wrong scale.
Conceptual sketches without dimensions. Contractors guess at every measurement. Walls end up in the wrong place. Plant beds shrink to ‘fit.’
— Master plans, by the numbers
— What’s included
A master plan you can start building tomorrow.
Every Cairn & Cedar master plan is a complete construction-ready package, organized into phases the client can build over time.
Site analysis
Existing conditions, sun/shade study, drainage and grade, soil samples, mature tree inventory, view corridors.
Master site plan (1:50)
Property-wide plan showing every garden room, hardscape element, structure, and circulation route.
Phasing strategy
Three to five build phases, sequenced for logical construction order and budget pacing.
Cost estimate per phase
Order-of-magnitude pricing so the client knows what each phase will cost before starting.
Detail sheets
Construction documents for hardscape, planting, lighting, drainage — each at appropriate scale.
Plant schedule
Every plant by Latin name, cultivar, install size, source nursery, and quantity.
Material schedule
Stone, timber, paving, hardware — all specified by source, gauge, and finish.
— How a master plan comes together
Four steps. Twelve to twenty weeks.
A complete master plan typically runs 12–20 weeks from first site visit to final stamped drawings. Larger or more complex sites can run 24+ weeks.
Site walk + survey
Two-hour walk with the architect. Light, slope, soil, drainage, microclimate. Photo-document existing conditions. Sketch first ideas in pencil.
Conceptual schematic
Hand-drawn schematic on tracing paper showing major garden rooms, circulation, and hardscape position. Reviewed at your kitchen table. Free revision pass built in.
Design development
Refined plans drawn to scale. Material selections, planting strategy, hardscape detail. Two formal reviews built in.
Construction documents
Full plan set: site plan, planting plan, hardscape sections, grading, lighting, schedules. Stamped and ready for permit submission.
— Recent master plans
Three recent design packages.
Lakefront master plan, 2½ acres.
Three terraced rooms stepping down to Lake Champlain. 240 ft of dry-laid stone wall, cedar pavilion, native pollinator beds.
Read project →
Seven-terrace hilltop garden.
Re-grading a north-facing slope into seven dry-stone-walled terraces of perennials, fruit trees, and a 60-foot meditation walk.
Read project →
1,400 sq ft contemporary courtyard.
Bluestone paving, cedar slat screening, a small reflecting pool, and three Japanese maples for autumn color.
Read project →Property under 1 acre, 2–3 garden rooms
$8K–$18Kdesign only
Smaller residential properties (under 1 acre) with a focused scope (front entry + side yard + back patio area, for example) typically land here.
Property 1+ acres, 4+ garden rooms, structures
$18K–$45Kdesign only
Larger properties with multiple distinct garden rooms, hardscape, structures, water features, and lighting design typically run $18K–$45K. Lakefront and complex hilltop sites can exceed.
— Master plan questions
What we get asked.
Do I have to build the whole plan?
Not at all. Master plans are designed to be built in phases over years. You might build phase 1 (front entry + driveway apron) this year, phase 2 (back patio + cedar pergola) two years later, and phase 3 (full garden development) in year five. The plan accommodates incremental construction.
Can I use my own contractor for the build?
Yes. About 40% of our master plan clients have us design and bring in their own preferred contractor for construction. We provide a list of three to five Chittenden County contractors we’d recommend, and we’ll meet with whoever you choose to walk the drawings at the start.
How long does the design phase take?
Twelve to twenty weeks for a typical residential master plan. Larger or more complex sites (estate-scale, lakefront, multiple buildings) can run 24+ weeks. We schedule design in winter for spring construction the following year.
What about ongoing relationships — do you check in?
Yes. Master plan clients typically work with us over multiple years. We’ll do an annual walk-through (no charge) for the first three years, identifying any plant issues, suggesting refinements, and checking in on phase progression.
Will the plan get permits approved?
Yes. Our principal is a registered Vermont landscape architect, and every construction document set carries her seal. This satisfies permit requirements in every Chittenden County municipality. We also handle the permit submission as part of the design fee.
Can I add or change scope mid-plan?
Within reason — design changes during the development phase are part of the process. After plans are stamped and into construction, change orders are signed before any change happens (and re-priced honestly).