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True Scape Design

4.967 Reviews
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Seattle, WA
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True Scape Design
5 Houzz Awards
Best of Houzz 2020
Best of Houzz 2019
Best of Houzz 2018
Best of Houzz 2017
Best of Houzz 2016
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Contact Info:
Joseph Garel
6410 Phinny Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
Typical Job Costs:
$60000 - $200,000+
Above cost range is for Design - Build. Average Design only costs are from $2,000 - $8,000. We also cover a much wider area for design only. Please reach out to us for more information or visit our website for a better understand of who we are. Follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook to see our projects come to life through our daily stories. https://truescapedesign.com
Category:
Landscape Architects and Designers
License Number:
TRUESSL887PD
Find me on FacebookFind me on TwitterFind me on LinkedinFind me on my blog or other site
Seattle's Modern Landscape Architecture Design and Installation

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If you are planning to improve an outdoor space, we can help you along from first imaginings through finishing touches, at a pace that is as fast or as easy-going as you need. We understand that a landscaping project is a major purchase, so we do our best to take you on a low stress journey to something truly amazing. Are you wanting to spend more time outside next summer? Don’t let another season go by. You can have a space you’re proud of if you start today. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to see construction projects come to life through our stories. What we do: We provide Landscape Design, Licensed Landscape Architectural Design, and a full range of installation services. While we consider ourselves a Design-Build firm, we often do either one or the other depending on what a particular client needs. Our clients help us define what’s next and we are excited to be a part of that journey with you. Learn more at truescapedesign.com Landscape Design We love to help homeowners realize their visions for their outdoor spaces. To this end, we create plans that are intuitive and easy to read, and that show plant and material choices with color photographs. If 2D plans can’t convey the vision, we also do electronic 3D modeling. Our primary focus in Design is to help make your desires become reality with whomever you choose for installation. The main difference between Landscape Design and Landscape Architecture is the end user. The audience for a Landscape Design is often the homeowner, but a city inspector or permit application reviewer is normally the main user of our Landscape Architectural plans. As registered landscape architects, we create Green-Factor, drainage, and irrigation plans for permitting that require a licensed landscape architect to render. We also help homeowners through the permitting process when their properties lie inside environmentally critical areas. For design and architectural work, we serve clients further from Tacoma to Lynnwood, and Seattle to Snoqualmie. Building Services We are equally adept at new construction projects and custom homeowner work, and have installed our plans and those of many others in and around the Seattle area. Our installation teams are communicative with homeowners and understand our design vision. We also build outdoor spaces of all kinds as a general contractor or subcontractor. Our installation teams built each project pictured on this profile or at truescapedesign.com.
Services Provided

3D Rendering, Custom Fire Pits, Custom Water Features, Deck Design, Drafting, Drought Tolerant Landscaping, Garden Design, Gazebo Design & Construction, Green Roofing, Hardscaping, Landscape Design, Landscape Plans, Landscape Supplies, Patio Design, Project Management, Site Planning, Swimming Pool Design, Masonry, Trellis Construction, Construction Drawings, Deck Building, Deck Repair, Fence Installation, Brick Masonry, Concrete Construction, Demolition, Drip Irrigation Installation, Driveway Gate Installation, Excavating, Gate Installation, Irrigation Repair, Irrigation System Installation, Land Leveling & Grading, Outdoor Fireplace Construction, Outdoor Lighting Installation, Patio Construction, Paver Installation, Pergola Construction, Planting, Retaining Wall Construction, Rototilling, Site Preparation, Sod Installation, Sprinkler System Installation, Stamped Concrete, Tree Pruning, Certified Green-Roof Installers, Custom Woodwork, Custom Steel Work, Environmentally Critical Areas

Areas Served

Ballard, Beacon Hill, Beaux Arts Village, Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Eastgate, Edmonds, Fairmount Park, Hunts Point, Inglewood-Finn Hill, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, Seattle, Shoreline, Woodinville, Yarrow Point, Capitol Hill, Madison Park, Wedgwood, Revenna, Phinney Ridge, Fremont, Wallingford, Greenwood, Laurelhurst, Lake City, Queen Anne, Medina, WA, Madrona, Leschi, Magnolia, Northgate, North Seattle, Alki, Sunset Hill

Awards

Washington Registered Landscape Architects Member | Northwest Association of Environmental Professionals (NWAEP)

30 Projects for True Scape Design
3D Design Examples
29 photos
Seattle, WA
Leschi
5 photos
Seattle, WA
Marvel Jaunt - Wedgwood
22 photos
Seattle, WA
Bouldering Project | Before & After | More pics soon
2 photos
Seattle, WA
Diverting Regale (Backyard Breakout in a Seattle ECA) - Montlake
17 photos
Shoreline, WA
Coming Soon
1 photo
Seattle, WA
Queen of space
11 photos
Edmonds, WA
Enriched
42 photos
Seattle, WA
Chapter 2 - Madison Valley
7 photos
Seattle, WA
The Ballard Redo
5 photos
Seattle, WA
Stereo Sons - Wedgwood
7 photos
Seattle, WA
Save the kids
1 photo
Load Next 12 Projects
Write a Review
67 Reviews for True Scape Design
bhp808
Brian Park
Relationship
Client
Project Price
more than $100,000
The job was done professionally, beautifully, and on schedule. My only complaint is the job came in way over budget, but the City of Seattle is mostly to blame for that. Everyone did a good job with communication and was receptive to changes I wanted to make.
sharon_armbruster
Sharon Armbruster
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$50,000 - $100,000
We hired True Scape Design to landscape part of our back yard. It was uneven, unruly and all-around ugly space that we never wanted to even look at. But now, with the work True Scape did our yard is beyond what we could have even dreamed up. It's honestly a space we love to look at and can't wait to use in the summer months. They delivered exactly what they promised, and the process was easy. They care about their customers and take the time to listen and understand what their customers might want. The communication was regular and clear, they were respectful of our space and time and kept an incredibly clean work site. All around, this process and outcome far exceed our expectations. Every individual we spoke with from this company has a high level of expertise and integrity.
ry_warden
Ry Warden
Relationship
Colleague
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
These guys are 100% percent professional and are great to work with. I have been doing business with True Scape for 8 years, and absolutely love the challenging projects they take on. They go in with a plan, and execute it to perfection.
webuser_541280683
Nina Saxena
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
Joe and his team were incredible! Very responsive, provided an honest assessment and timeline, and the work that they did was impeccable. They are clearly perfectionists, and even returned some pavers that did not meet their standards (even though I likely would not have noticed a few small chips until they became a much bigger issue). They were willing to work on our very small space and transform it into a contemporary, comfortable area. Definitely recommend.
olivia_nix
Olivia Nix
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
We used Joe and the True Scape team to redo the landscaping in our backyard. This involved breaking and removing a fair amount of concrete, leveling a slope, and installing sod. The team was easy to work with from figuring out the design with our budget, scheduling the project, and addressing any issues that came up once the work started. We will definitely work with them again on future projects.
mbhsing
Monica Harris
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$50,000 - $100,000
We have never worked with a contractor who cares so much about not only his clients, but for the folks who work for him. That shows in the way they talk about each other and in the careful way they treat and communicate with us, the clients. Joe and TruScape tackled a landscape/front deck job that other contractors either declined to consider as too difficult to design, or had way too high of an estimate. When Joe presented us with the design, it was the first time we felt listened to. He made sure all of the proper permits were filed, all of the inspections were done, and crossed his t's and dotted his i's. We are extremely happy with his team's work and especially they way we were treated with respect.
daniel_kirschen
Daniel Kirschen
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
Joe and his team did a fantastic job renovating the stairs leading to our house. This was a challenging project because of the nature of the terrain and the challenges of obtaining a permit. Joe dealt expertly with the city's bureaucracy and his team did not leave until everything had been done to our satisfaction. I would definitely hire them again.
zach_collings
Zach Collings
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
We just completed a landscape project for both our front and back yards with True Scape and couldn't be more pleased not only with the results but our experience working with Joe and his crew. They are not only masters of their craft, but also incredibly honest and sincere people - true professionals. Our house is on a steep slope and zoned as Environmentally Critical (ECA). This adds a ton of complexity to the permitting process, especially in Seattle, but True Scape showed their expertise in this area and helped us navigate a process we could way we could certainly not navigate on our own. Our project involved replacing a fence, installing pavers, installing artificial turf, building a storage bench, and planting several plants and shrubs. True Scape navigated the intricacies of our backyard surface and retaining wall angles with ease. There are inevitably challenges, misunderstandings, and miscommunications with these types of projects. While we felt communication was lacking during the early part of the permitting process, I was especially impressed with how seriously Joe took our feedback in that area and by the latter half of the project, we felt we had reached a great level of communication. Whenever we had a concern about how something looked or functioned, the True Scape always made sure they made it right, even after the project was over and we'd paid the necessary funds. Joe and his team are dedicated to doing the job right and making the customer happy. Should we ever have additional needs with our landscaping, we would not hesitate to hire True Scape.
marty_herrera
Marty Herrera
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
We worked with Truescapes to get a new deck installed in our backyard, as well as some new fencing and a gate over a retaining wall. When we started the project Joe did very thorough research and discovered that our plot is designated as an "Environmentally Critical Area" (ECA) by the city of Seattle. This was intimidating as it can mean that your project can require thousands of dollars worth of permits and studies from the city before anything can be built. Joe took a closer look and felt confident that my project would be approved without issue. I trusted his judgment and his team drew up a proposal that was met with approval from the city, meaning no need for expensive permits. With that out of the way we were able to proceed with design and finally construction. His on site team did a fantastic job, including making some quick changes per our request without any drama. The quality of the work is impressive, and we've received lots of compliments on the final product. Joe also emphasized that should we be dissatisfied with anything we should follow up with them as they stand by their work. Overall I am very happy that we worked with Truescapes. Joe did a fantastic job of laying out all of our options and clearly communicating the process around navigating the ECA designation. For anyone that is on the fence (no pun intended...) about doing a project on an ECA plot, trust Joe and his team to help you evaluate the situation.
grabowski_m
Matt Grabowski
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$10,000 - $49,999
My family hired True Scape to help us re-imagine our backyard. Our home is modern, and we wanted to create a functional space to match the overall aesthetics of our house. We picked True Scape based not just on their portfolio, but also on their general responsiveness to our questions. After an initial consultation, True Scape worked with us to iterate on the initial designs, including helping us pick foliage, stonework, and planters. Once on site, True Scape demonstrated exceptional professionalism in helping us manage the construction, including going "above and beyond" to help us with our not-so-happy neighbors. The True Scape team was courteous, professional, and extremely helpful. Their on-site project manager was exceptionally responsive to our questions. And, most important, we are extremely pleased with the final result. They've transformed a dour, uninviting yard into something my family will enjoy for many years. We highly recommend True Scape.
aseem_agarwala
Aseem Agarwala
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$50,000 - $100,000
The folks at True Scape were great to work with, across the board. I built a new house and the city had complicated stormwater drainage requirements. The True Scape folks worked with the city inspectors to figure out what would pass inspection. They built two large decks, a permeable paver driveway, 100 ft of fence, and a rain garden, along with full site landscaping. They also did the design. Their install staff was terrific. They worked hard across almost a month of install, and got it done on budget and schedule. The results look great.
webuser_837418406
HU-837418406
Relationship
Client
Project Price
$50,000 - $100,000
Great people. They are unable to really manage large and complex jobs. They were almost 6 months late on a job they bid that would take 6 weeks. I loved the workers but they were out of their skill level!
True Scape Design
Comment from True Scape Design:
First, we want to apologize for how long it has taken us to respond to this and recognize that we agree that you did not have a good experience. Especially from your perspective. We honestly tried to do our absolute best by you, and we’re also disappointed in some of the outcomes. Overall, we felt the project was a success, but hearing you felt otherwise makes us think deeply about how we
serve our customers in general.

Marc, you have our sincerest apology. We hoped to create a life-changing event for you and your family. In this case, doing work we had never tried previously became problematic in how long it took to complete.

We take any complaints or frustrations expressed to us under close considerations, and always look for areas we can improve to provide better service to future customers.

We'd be happy to talk through what happened here, what we learned, and how we've improved our process as a result with anyone interested.

Photos of the finished product that took too long to complete are attached.
Load All 67 Reviews
18 Comments
Commented: What are the grasses you installed her? Looks great!They are a sweet flag grass.
January 15, 2019
Commented: Great fire pit. Was it custom made or from a vendor? Propane or gas?This one is prefab, gas with a push button start. Everything else is custom.
March 22, 2018
Commented: Backyard Landscape in Need of Help!A composite deck would work well for the Seattle climate and give good longevity, technology has come a long ways in this regard and there are a number of quality products that would work well and loo...
January 2, 2016 in Design Dilemma
Commented: LandscapingThere are limited options with what you can do in front of the boxes and some limitations at the back as well. Many times they will place a sticker on the boxes stating landscaping requirements as le...
August 2, 2015 in Other
Commented: Patio Design Help!Stamped concrete would look great but definitely towards the higher end in terms of cost, one thing you may want to consider which gives a consistent surface but adds depth and interest is a mortar se...
July 16, 2015 in Design Dilemma
Commented: Well, they're beginning to bloom again...Wow quite a vibrant collection, they probably smell just as good as they look (well a good majority of them).
July 15, 2015 in Rose Gallery

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