Customer Reviews

Landscape Construction

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book to be very thorough and detailed in its approach to a variety of landscape construction issues. It has detailed pictures and diagrams that illustrate the processes and make it easier to understand. The information is up to date, easy to read and a great learning tool for the student, professional or hobby person. As a landscape student, I find it a great resource book.

This book is full of incredible and professional information related to Landscape Construction. It's not meant to be a DIY book you'd get from Home Depot or Lowes. This book is meant for students and professionals wanting to learn best practices regarding Landscape Construction. Amateurs, landscape designers and architects can gain some valuable insights, too. We used this book as our textbook in the various landscape construction classes I took, studying to be a landscape designer.

I found clear concise information on this subject rare until discovered Mr. Sauter's Landscape Construction. There is a host of Better H & G / Sunset books available, but those are really idea/coffee table books written for the weekend warrior. If you really want to know the best-practices and standards for the industry, this is the reference for you. Great for the student and pro alike.

I'm glad I decided to buy this book, despite its high price. Having just recently become a landscape designer/contractor, it proved invaluable many times in the course of our company's first big job. For example, the sections on stone paving were very helpful when we were building a flagstone patio, as they helped us select the best foundation and edging materials.

I like the way the book is arranged, i.e. having a large section on paving, beginning with materials and site preparation for paving in general. This is followed by a chapter on each of the specific paving materials, such as concrete, unit pavers, dry laid stones, mortared paving, and granular paving.

The extensive section on retaining walls, which I am about to take advantage of in our next job, is arranged similarly.

This book is the industry standard. It is used as a text in City College of San Francisco, and it is also listed as a resource in the California Contractor's State License Board's Study Guide for the Landscaping (C-27) License Examination.

So if you want to do landscape construction, I highly recommend this one.

This is a very good book, and I strongly recommend it for all landscaping construction needs.

Everything is explained in detail, and is not overly complicated.

If you want to get into landscape construction, this is the book to get...

Landscape Construction was the required textbook for the 2 semester course (by the same name) so I felt this was an obligatory purchase at the time. Less than half the students in the class bought the book either because they could not afford it or did not think it was worth the inflated price ~ I paid $125 FOR A USED COPY in Jan 2010 on Amazon and I am pretty sure that was he lowest price to be found at the time because I searched & searched! It was $160 USED in the Campus Bookstore! Even though it was required, no class time was ever spent using the text since we were outside working~ all reading was assigned as homework that only a couple students managed to get done.

Now that I've completed the course, I thought I would try and get some of money back by reselling it but the truth is, I've had to refer to it a few time for my own jobs out in the field and it was a great help. There is a lot of information with helpful pictures & diagrams. It's impossible to predict the potential obstacles & problems that might arise on a job -especially for the inexperienced- and this book does a really good job of warning you ahead of time.

This is definitely NOT a DIY/Weekend Warrior Project type book!

So I've decided to hang on to it- at least until I win the lottery!

I might have given it 4 or possibly 5 stars if the price was reasonable ~ say around $75!

Just another really expensive textbook with no real information provided. The Better Homes and Garden series has much more how-to information, great photographs, and ten percent of the cost too.