Testimonials
Having lived through an utterly torturous interior remodel in 2000, my husband Steve and I were absolutely determined to make the right decision in choosing our contractor for our complete exterior landscape project.
Ed Whitehouse of Whitehouse Design was the best choice we could have made.
Steve and I had hired a landscape designer to help us put our plans on paper. This was prior to us meeting Ed. We quickly learned that hiring a landscape architect who has the skill of both designing and building the project would have been the best way to go. Bottom line, I could have saved every penny I spent on the designer and hired Ed to do the entire project. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Ed quickly went to work on making our vision for our yard an aesthetically beautiful and functionally workable project. Our job involved the complete renovation of our 12,000 square foot lot. Our plans included a spa, a very large barbeque with amenities, a sunroom addition, a bathroom addition with an exterior shower that is attached to the house. Lighting and a sound system were also very important to us. Our raised vegetable garden completed the dream that I had seen in my mind for years. After seeing the fantastic stone work that Ed’s people did, we decided to update the fascade of our home in stone as well.
While Ed’s primary job was as a landscape architect, I quickly came to regard him as my general contractor. Ed interfaced with the pool contractor and kept them on schedule and doing quality work. His input was crucial in establishing and maintaining a timeline among the pool contractor, the general contractor who completed the bathroom and the Skyline Sunroom people who built our new game/family room. He interfaced with the beuracratic nightmare that is the Encinitas Planning Department with deftness. The value of this skill set alone was priceless.
Ed Whitehouse’s employees were wonderful workers and craftsmen and pretty much became a part of my family for ten months. Ed’s subcontractors who completed our fencing and the concrete pour were exceptional. Having worked with two other concrete companies in the past, I can say without a doubt that Ed’s guy completed the best pour I have ever seen. The work is beautiful.
The best part about working with Ed Whitehouse is that he is an ethical man whose word is golden. When challenges came up, which were absolutely inevitable, he handled them with candor and diligence. Over a year after my project was completed, Ed promptly returned my call and stopped by to answer a few questions I had about plants that were not doing well. When I look into my backyard, I am so very thankful that Steve and I made the right decision this time.
Michele Van Houten
Encinitas, CA
Several years ago, we purchased a home in Carlsbad that had been landscaped minimally and it was our plan to improve it and add some amenities in the back yard. We were referred to Ed Whitehouse and discussed our ideas for the back yard and he — after measuring and thinking things through — came back to us with some ideas. We worked through several iterations of layout and materials planning and then his crew build what we consider to be one of the most spectacular back yards we’ve ever seen. Ed was on schedule and budget and the results were astonishing.
We were very satisfied with the work Ed and his crew did but everyone says that. Here’s something not everyone says: We asked Ed to do the front yard of the same house because we were so confident he could do as great a job there as he did in the back. And the front yard, too is spectacular.
But the story doesn’t end there. We have since sold that house and moved. The home we purchased was a model and was considered by most in the community to have the best landscaping. But we couldn’t help wondering what Ed would do to make it more of the outdoor setting that suits our lifestyles and aesthetics. So, yet again, we have Ed and the crew working on a project and we couldn’t be happier.
Ed’s knowledge of plant materials, what grows well where, how different plants will grow over time, and which will complement one another works hand in hand with his ability to choose and design hardscape from common or unusual materials.
The important things to us are results and everything works back from there. Ed has proven his ability to deliver great results but he does it by using his knowledge of landscape and hardscape to create spaces that are useful and enjoyable. He plans ahead so there are no “oh, I completely forgot to bury wiring bundles there” moments or “gee, I didn’t know you needed more drainage” moments. These might seem like minimum requirements but it is surprising how many landscaping jobs are undertaken without this kind of foresight which, of course, leads either to poor results, patched in fixes, or cost overruns.
I would recommend Ed and his company to anyone considering landscaping. One other note: Ed’s crew has been with him for a long time and I’ve had an opportunity to observe the difference between them and the crews from other landscaping companies. There is no comparison. Ed’s crew respects the client, respects the neighborhood, they are neat, clean up after themselves, and always do an impeccable job.
In 1989, we purchased a brand new home with no landscaping. After interviewing several designers and contractors, we decided to contract with Whitehouse Design for both design and construction. Ed met with us many times as we described some of the elements we knew we wanted such as a pool, spa, and citrus trees. Ed offered up many idea options for our consideration. After numerous hours of consultation, together we honed in on concepts that took advantage of the specific features of our lot, such as its unobstructed view. Ed produced detailed plans that incorporated the hardscape, landscape, and pool design. (We contracted independently with a pool contractor). Even though the yard was relatively small, having never built a pool, or started a landscape project “from scratch,” his knowledge proved invaluable. Whitehouse workers did all of the irrigation, drainage, nightscape, and landscaping, The concrete sub-contractor did excellent work. Whitehouse and the pool contractor were able to coordinate construction schedules so that there was very little “down time” in the forward progress of our project. When questions and concerns regarding some aspects of the pool construction arose, Ed was a viable liaison between our pool contractor and us. The Whitehouse Design contract was completed on time and in budget.
Thirteen years later we hired Whitehouse Design to landscape our second home from concept to completion. The scope of this second project was considerably grander, both in scale and complexity. As the lot was nearly three-quarters of an acre in size, the vast amount of graded dirt that surrounded the spacious front, sides, and rear yards was quite daunting. It was difficult for us to conceive how these spaces would be transformed into the gorgeously beautiful, interesting, functional, well-balanced spaces we enjoyed so much, once all was complete. In this project especially, Ed’s expertise in landscape design helped us envision options incorporating how we wanted to use the spaces, our aesthetic tastes, and our budget. Once again, Ed worked with us through several meetings to develop the concept and ultimately design the project that included a 50’ x 20’ pool, a detached spa, three pergolas, a fire pit, several lawn areas, and mature specimen trees. Whitehouse design produced a comprehensive set of design plans to scale, detailing the hardscape (concrete mow strips, concrete deck, flagstone accents, flagstone courtyard), plants, irrigation lines, electrical lines (for lighting, sprinkler controls), and drainage system, plus construction plans for planters, stucco walls, wood gates, and pergolas.
Guided by Ed’s creativity and knowledge, we chose elements and details that truly customized the entire exterior of our home. Some of our favorite features included: two large raised planters flanking the pool, each containing a mature multi-trunk Mediterranean Fan Palm, with sheer descent spillways into the pool; a raised step-down spillway into the pool; stone covered pergola posts enhanced at night by up-lighting; separate pergola-covered spa just outside the master bedroom; a fire pit with half-wall seating adjacent to our Family Room, and “the most beautiful front yard in the entire community,” according to our neighbors, with its grand Canary palms and meandering seat wall supporting raised lawn areas. Ultimately, the overall landscape design was so remarkable that it enabled us to sell our house quickly and for a higher selling price than competing properties in the neighborhood. Whitehouse’s design and execution without a doubt added significant value to our home.
One year ago we hired Ed and his crew a third time. While our current yard (and budget) is much smaller than the previous two, there was no question as to whom we would call for our landscape design and construction. Ed’s foreman and employees have always been polite and accommodating to us as we work through the building/ construction process. And once again, Ed worked with us and the independent pool contractor to successfully and professionally complete this project on time and in budget.
Finally, Ed Whitehouse was meticulous in advising and helping us choose plant material in our projects, remaining sensitive to particular aesthetics and function during the installation phase by making adjustments when needed. He accompanied us to nurseries for tree and plant ideas. Once we decided on particular plant species, Ed hand-selected the actual plants to be purchased and subsequently delivered to our home site. We very much appreciated this collaborative relationship with Whitehouse Design.
Martin and Teresa Heflin