SIC 0781 Landscape Counseling and Planning

SIC 0781

This classification includes establishments engaged in landscape planning and landscape architectural and counseling services.

NAICS CODE(S)

541320

Landscape Architectural Services

541690

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services

The service industry of landscape counseling and planning is primarily composed of private landscape architecture firms and self-employed landscape architects, although the federal government also hires landscape architects for projects similar to those done by private firms. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, roughly 26 percent of the 22,000 landscape architects in the early 2000s were self-employed, a rate nearly quadruple that of other industries. Major architectural and engineering firms have also started offering in-house landscape architectural services.

Landscape architects working in this industry are responsible for the design and implementation of land use for areas such as parkways, golf courses, parks, shopping malls, and the areas surrounding private homes and businesses. They plan the location of buildings, roads, and walkways; arrange flowers, shrubs, and trees; and design streets to maximize pedestrian access and safety. Landscape architects are hired by a wide variety of groups including real estate developers, municipalities, private citizens, and private businesses.

Often working in conjunction with architects and engineers, landscape architects combine engineering, horticultural, and design skills to create satisfying and efficient environments. They also work to prevent or solve environmental problems due to construction. Once given a particular assignment, a landscape planner conducts detailed analyses of the existing soil composition, vegetation, water drainage, and slope of the land. Next, initial drawings outlining plans for the site are submitted to the client. If the plans are accepted, the landscape architect makes a formal proposal that may include written reports, sketches, models, photographs, land use studies, and cost analyses. Most landscape architecture firms also supervise contractors during the installation of their plan. Commonly, the landscape architecture firm is present at the opening of the site and available for assistance or consultation through the first six months of existence. Landscape design and build services were the second-largest segment of the lawn and garden industry in 2003, accounting for...