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.