We Are Design-Build Company Based in Tucson, AZ that Provides
Regionally-Appropriate Landscape Transformations.

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Installation Process

1.

Contracting + Scheduling

Once you've reviewed your estimate and are ready to move forward, please initial each estimate page and sign the contract (linked below). Mail both documents with a check for the 50% deposit to our business address:

Desert Living, Inc.
2929 N Stone Ave
Tucson, AZ 85705

Once we receive your contracting packet, we slot you into the next available opening in our schedule and start ordering materials for your project (especially cisterns).

Will the scheduled start date change? Maybe. Some factors that affect install schedule are material availability and weather. We'll keep you updated as schedule changes occur.

2.

Utility Marking

About a week prior to your anticipated installation start date, we make a request for underground utility marking. Once we make the request, utility markers have 3 business days to complete the marking request. During this 3-day window, it's critical for there to be access to your yard. If utility markers can't access your yard, there could be a delay in your project start.

What Utilities Get Marked?

Arizona 811 is responsible for marking all public underground utilities. That means a given utility is marked from the right-of-way to your utility meter. Lines from the meter to your house are considered private and aren't marked by AZ 811. We rely on you to let us know if you are aware of any underground utility lines that haven't been marked. If you feel more comfortable you may have a private utility locator come mark where the public utility marks left off.

Affordable Locating
http://affordablelocatingaz.com/
520-883-0016

Subterra Utility Locating
https://www.subterralocating.com/
(520) 406-0651

What Do the Colors Mean?

red electric
orange telecommunications
yellow gas
blue water

3.

Installation Day

Yay, it's installation day! Prior to any work beginning we spray paint earthworks and cistern outlines on the ground to help you visualize elements in your space and to help us know where to dig and move dirt.

Pre-Construction Tasks

There are a couple things that you can do to make our job easier:

  1. Stash garden furniture out of the construction zone.
  2. Pick up dog poop prior to our team arriving to work each day of installation.

We'll handle the rest!

4.

Order of Installation

This is a general order of operations for an installation. Keep in mind that not all projects include all of these elements. And there may be elements specific to your project that don't show up in this list.

  1. Rough excavation is usually the first step of the installation process. This is when we make your yard look messier than it already did. Seriously.
  2. Fine grading is when we smooth out the mess we've just made. This is when you can really see the change in topography. (We usually do rough excavation and fine grading on the same day.)
  3. Cisterns and passive popups are installed.
  4. Irrigation/greywater mainlines go in before any rock or plants go in the ground.
  5. Basin side slopes get armored with rock and large boulders get placed.
  6. Plants get planted.
  7. Irrigation emitters are installed.
  8. Groundcover materials are spread.

 

5.

Project Follow-Up

After installation is complete, we send you an updated invoice. Once your final payment is made, we send a receipt that can be used for the Tucson Water Rebate.

6.

Caring For Your New Garden

We offer installation clients a rain garden care service that is tailored specifically for care of green infrastructure elements (your new cisterns and earthworks). Having us come for regular check-ins for the first year after installation is a great way for you to learn how to take care of your new landscape.

Reconnect with nature!

Get pro tips for taking care of your new garden.

excavation