Last year we bought an Ugly Duckling fixer upper on a small, beautiful lake. While basic upkeep had been done, nothing has been updated since the home was built in the early 70's.

We've already removed the through the wall AC. We've replaced the front door (drafty) and the dangerously sinking front stoop. Later this spring we'll replace the siding (falling off in spots), the soffit (not vented), the garage door (a crooked disaster), and have the driveway (cracked) repaired. Some time soon we'll need to address the backyard deck (pulling away from house). In the future we plan to add a shed and an auxiliary building (like a small pole barn) to hold the boat and the lawn tractor. And I'd really (really, really) like a small sitting area in the front yard as a place to view the gorgeous sunsets out here.

With all of this going on it seems like it might be a good idea to have a plan in place for the landscaping and hardscaping. Is it too soon? If not, what do I need to do to prepare for a consultation?

Here's a Before photo of the front of our house: