Begin Your Project

A Different Kind of Landscape Firm

D. A. Dunlevy is a family-owned landscape architecture, construction, and maintenance company serving discerning residential clients throughout the Capitol Region.

Since 1982, our work has centered on thoughtful design, careful craftsmanship, and long-term stewardship of the properties entrusted to us. We are not a volume-based contractor, and we are not the right fit for every project. Our best work happens with clients who value professional design, clear process, excellent construction, and a long-term vision for their property.

When you begin a project with us, the conversation is not simply about installing a patio, building a pool, or planting a garden. It is about understanding how the property functions, how your home and outdoor spaces relate to one another, what problems need to be solved, and what level of planning and investment will be required to do the work with excellence.

A Perfect Pairing of Projects and Professionals

We are best suited for clients considering custom residential projects such as:

• Comprehensive outdoor living spaces
• Pool-centered landscapes
• Whole-property master plans
• Major backyard renovations
• Patios, walls, terraces, steps, and masonry features
• Outdoor kitchens, fire features, pergolas, pavilions, and shade structures
• Complex grading, drainage, foundation waterproofing, and site-function challenges
• High-quality planting, lighting, and irrigation systems
• Long-term phased improvements to established properties

We are generally not the best fit for small one-off installations, quick pricing requests, or projects where the primary goal is to find the lowest possible cost.

Outdoor Living Projects are Major Construction Projects

Many homeowners begin with a simple thought: “We would like to improve the backyard.” But a well-executed custom landscape project often involves much more than the visible finished product. Depending on the scope, a project may require:

• Site analysis
• Grading and drainage planning
• Retaining walls or structural considerations
• Pool placement and pool construction coordination
• Utility planning
• Masonry and paving details
• Outdoor lighting
• Irrigation
• Planting design
• Permitting and zoning review
• Access and construction sequencing
• Material selection
• Long-term maintenance planning

This is why professional planning matters. The design process helps clarify what is possible, what is advisable, what it will likely require, and how the work should be organized.

Typical Investment Ranges

Every property is different, and final pricing depends on design, materials, access, grading, drainage, utilities, permitting, construction methods, and overall scope. The ranges below are not quotes, but they are intended to help prospective clients develop a realistic starting point before beginning the process.

These ranges are meant to help establish expectations early. Some projects can be phased over time, but thoughtful planning is essential so that each phase supports the long-term vision.

Our First Meeting

If your project appears aligned with the kind of work we do, we may invite you to schedule an initial planning consultation.

This meeting is not a quick estimate. It is a professional planning conversation designed to help us understand the property, your goals, the existing site conditions, and the appropriate next steps.

Initial planning consultations are typically led by D. Blake Dunlevy, PLA, President and Principal Landscape Architect, and Tracy, our design lead. Blake has spent more than two decades in residential landscape architecture and construction, with experience spanning design strategy, grading, drainage, arboriculture, pool construction, planting, masonry, outdoor living, and the execution of hundreds of custom residential projects.

During the consultation, we typically:

• Walk the house and property with you
• Study the current flow and function of the site
• Discuss your goals for the home and property
• Identify opportunities, constraints, and major planning considerations
• Discuss scope, timing, budget, and process
• Recommend the appropriate next step if the project appears to be a good fit

Because early conversations about priorities, scope, budget, and timing shape the direction of the entire project, we ask that all decision-makers participate.

A $250 consultation fee is required to reserve the appointment.

Before You Submit

Before completing the questionnaire, please take a moment to consider the following:

• Are you prepared to invest in professional design and planning before construction pricing is finalized?
• Are you open to honest guidance about what your desired scope may realistically require?
• If the desired scope exceeds your initial budget, are you willing to either reconsider the budget, reduce the scope, or develop a phased master plan?
• Are all key decision-makers willing to participate in the planning process?
• Are you ready to commit the time necessary to see a design and home construction process through at this moment?

If so, we would be glad to learn more about your project.

Questionnaire: