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Standard Terms & Conditions for Garden Design Services

At Apt Studios we pride ourselves on building a trusting and transparent relationship between ourselves and our clients to establish good communication, clarity and responsibilities not only for ourselves but also for the benefit and responsibilities we have to our clients. Our aim is to support you throughout the design process to create a garden that transforms from drawings into a beautiful and functional space that you can enjoy.

With this in mind, we have set out formal terms and conditions to ensure a project’s short and long-term success. These set out ‘The Designers’ and ‘The Client’s’ parameters, liabilities and obligations throughout the design process and we hope demonstrates our professionalism and commitment to you, our clients. The exact Design Services will be set out within a personalised contract which we will agree between ‘The Client’ and ‘The Designer’ following our Initial Consultation and should be read in conjunction with the terms and conditions below.

We hope you find this information helpful. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding these terms and conditions.

  • The Term ‘The Client’ shall mean ‘you’, (means the person or persons requesting Apt Studios to carry out work) who will be responsible for all payments to The Designer unless otherwise notified in writing prior to commencement. Unless otherwise stated in writing, the Client shall be deemed to be the rightful owner of the property as per the address shown above.
 
  • The Term, ‘The Designer’ shall mean Apt Studios, who will be responsible to the Client for the works as described in the Contract attached.
 
  •  Nothing in these Terms shall affect the Client’s statutory rights as a Consumer.
 
  •  All requirements and obligations concerning The Construction (Design Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) shall be properly identified and dealt with under the Contract documents, and responsibilities designated within that CDM Plan. The CDM Plan shall form part of the Quotation and must be read in conjunction with that document.
 
  •  For the purposes and with general regard to CDM, The Designer shall be deemed to be The Principal Designer in respect of The Regulations. This responsibility will automatically end once the Designer has completed the design works involved in the project, when the responsibilities will return to the Client under the Regulations unless or until a Principal Contractor is appointed. 
 
  •  The Client shall provide access to site for the purposes of carrying out surveying and site evaluation, and the Client shall make the Designer aware in writing of any pertinent matters relating to the property, including any  problems or matters concerning the boundaries or neighbours, especially in regard of dispute issues or other site problems or potential problems.
 
  •  The Client shall instruct The Designer to carry out certain works, which will be identified and clearly stated in the Designers Quotation. These works are sectioned including Initial Survey and Concept Drawings, Further Drawings up to Final Draft Stage, Detailed Planting Plans and/or Detailed Structural Drawings (or any combination as set out in The Quotation) Payment for each stage shall be clearly stated and settlement made before commencing the next Stage.
 
  •  All Specialist Experts that may be required to carry out the survey or technical or legal design elements of the plans e.g. Structural Engineer, Surveyor etc shall be engaged directly by The Client, and settlement of their accounts made directly by The Client. This is an essential element of the Contract to avoid any future matters of responsibility between the Specialist and The Client.
 
  •  Any additional works required beyond those on site e.g. research into materials, supply of product samples, sourcing or resourcing in respect of the project shall be properly treated as Additional Works and subject to separate payment as may be required, including travel costs or other disbursements.
 
  •  Once each section of the Project is completed, this should be signed off by The Client as being accepted. Any subsequent alterations, additions or reductions to each section, shall be properly treated as Additional Works or Variations and will be charged at the agreed rates as shown in the Quotation.
 
  •  The Designer cannot be held responsible for any damage to, or costs involved in, any underground hazards, obstructions or services not made known in writing or apparent on visual inspection prior to commencement of providing the Client with ideas or drawings.
 
  • The Client remains responsible at all times for any matters regarding Licences, Permits, Planning Permission or similar Legal requirements, unless such responsibility is specifically assigned to The Designer (See CDM Plan/Contract document)
 
  •  The Designer shall hold and maintain in force, all such Insurance cover as may be required for the project including Public Liability, Employers Liability and Indemnity cover.
 
  •  Once the design element has been completed, the responsibilities under CDM Regulations cease to be those of Principal Designer. Should the Client wish The Designer to attend to works other than design, e.g. Planting or Site Supervision, these works must be clearly stated in writing and become subject to separate suitable Contracts, either as a Supervisor or Contractor.
 
  •  The value of any claim made against The Designer shall be limited to the value of monies paid to The Designer at the time of the claim.
 
  •  This Contract and Terms and Conditions are governed by The Laws of England and Wales.

Midlands office:

Navigation House
Newark
NG24 4TS
Tel: 01636 870 057

London office:

Percy Street
London
W1T 1DR
Tel: 0207 125 0264

info@aptstudios.co.uk