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Drainage/Grading
Drainage is one of the single most important portions of a landscape installation. New homes will generally have a basic drainage system installed by the developer. This system will usually consist of the roof downspouts being connected to an underground pipe which discharges at the street gutter. Normally there will be atleast (2) "catchbasins" installed by the developer. This existing drainage system will have to be adjusted to make it right for your new landscape. As part of our installation, when drainage is included, Hansen Landscape will take responsibility for your surface drainage. When your new landscape is installed, due to new concrete pathways and patios, changing soil grades, etc. some areas of your landscape will be alienated from the original system. For this reason Hansen Landscape will adjust and add other catchbasins to your system to eliminate puddling of water. Hansen Landscape has installed literally hundreds of systems. Rest assured your new drainage system will be right. Proper grading (sloping of the soil) will follow with site soils being repositioned to encourage excess rain water to flow into drains.

Sprinklers
Sprinklers are another very important componant of a proper landscape. Hansen landscape will custom design your sprinkler system using the very best products. Our installers know our clients are busy and don't have time to be calling us with sprinkler problems, therefor they do their very best to design the best system for your project. All systems are designed in the field by trained landscape technitions. Your locations water pressure, sun vs shade, type of soil all play a part in the our system design.

Only schedule 40 pvc pipe is used. Our landscape trucks are "traveling hardware stores on wheels". They carry "Toro", "Richdel" and "Hardie" sprinkler components. These are "name brand" companies whose materials rarely let us down. An optional "rain shutdown switch" is available to automatically shutdown your sprinkler system after various levels of rain are received.

Lighting Systems
Imagine having two landscape projects for the cost of one plus a little extra! That is the case with 12 volt low voltage lighting systems. These systems allow us to create a nightime landscape feeling similiar to what you feel when you go to a nice restaurant or a Hotel. The nightime "character" of your yard will be appreciated by your family and guests. Evening BBQ's, parties (or daytime ones that run over!) will benefit from this system. You will create an evening ambiance that only costs pennies an evening to operate. Lighting systems add safety to your home. Being able to navigate walkways and steps safely when it is dark as well as the fact that each system comes complete with an automatic timer allows the system to operate when your not home. You have the ability to also be able to have the system turn on at various times giving the appearence of your home being "occupied" when on vacation. Fixtures available include: "Path" lights for walks and patios, "spots" for trees, highlighting statuary, bringing out special architectural components of your home, "post" lighting for accenting the posts of arbors and patio covers and many others are available. All items for your project are quoted seperate so that you can chose what you want.

Hansen Landscape is proud to feature Stamped Concrete
Stamped Concrete gives the appearence of natural rock or flagstone as a surface for your patio and walkways for about 60% of the cost of real stone. Its beauty and durability combined with the its natural appearence make it a winner in your new yard. Stamped Concrete is sweeping the country as the new hardscape choice for fine landscape projects. Please come visit our outside showyard located in Castro Valley, just off 580 Freeway to see actual sample patios in various colors and textures. Please call us at 510-537-0464 or 925-846-0359 to set up a showyard visit.

All popular finishes & types of concrete are available. Soils are graded to encourage a proper slope to your new concrete 2" of base rock are used & compacted. Steel rebar (beamthom wire mesh) is used in a grid pattern with concrete being installed at approx. 3'/2" thick. An extra sack of cement (6 sacks per yard of concrete rather than standard 5 sacks per yard) helps establish strong concrete.

Ponds and Waterfalls
Nothing compares with the sound and look of a pond with a waterfall, complete with waterplants and fish. We will design a location that you will be able to sit on your patio and put your hands behind your head and enjoy all the sights and sounds. We install the "Aqua Scape" system. This complete pond system can be installed in any size to accomodate any sized yard. Our complete pond systems include excavation and shaping of the pond. We install a underlayment to help protect the 45 mil EPDM liner that is the base of the pond. We cover this rubber liner with boulders and gravel to give it a very natural appearence. A hidden skimmer (just like a pool) allows the surface water to be drawn into it where floating objects such as leaves or grass clippings are trapped in a cloth bag that can be emptied. The water is pumped to the top of the waterfall where it runs through the "Bio Falls", a biological filter (don't let this scare you, it's simple and what keeps a pond healthy). This filter looks like a large laundry tub which is buried into the mound that is the basis for the waterfall. This filter unit is hidden with the rocks and boulders that are your waterfall. A overflow drain (for rain) is hidden within the skimmer unit and connects to your drainage system or to some lower spot in your yard. We also install an automatic waterfill to keep the pond level constant. It kinda works like the valve in your toilet. We will hook you up with our electrition for the outlet that will be necessary for the pump. We will install a low voltage light in the pond, several water pumps and even supply you with a net, some goldfish to get you started and fish food. Ponds are great and will add so much to your yard. We have a very beautiful display pond at our outside showyard.

Decks and Patio Covers
We can custom design a beautiful redwood or artificial (we recommend "Trex") wood deck as your main patio or for an intimate retreat within your yard. All decks have pressure treated douglus fir foundations. Deck boards are screwed to this foundation with zinc patio screws. A redwood deck can create a very pleasant transition between your rear door & all other patios. A redwood patio column will add architecture interest to your new yard. The shade created will cool the underlying patioi arms. Posts are bolted to "wet ankles" (metal brackets concrete into the ground). Overhead supoort members are bolted to posts. We encourage "multi tier" arbors for added character. Low voltage lighting can be suspended from your patio column to light up an underlying table or BBQ.

We recommend "Window Arbors:" 3'-4' wide running along the south or west side of your home to allow you to keep curtains or blinds open during the day. Flowing vines can be planted at base of widow arbor posts to add to the appearence of arbors.

Sod Lawns
Our sod of choice is Dwarf Fescue. Dwarf Fescue is a hybrid. Evolving from Tall Fescue (park type grasses) but with smaller blades and a nice deep green color. This grass is strong, is more tolerant of drought and is less suseptable to fungus problems such as "Rust". "Dwarf Fescue" also bounces back quicker after being walked or played on, (it will also tolerate "slip and slides", I personally have this grass and I have kids, it's a great lawn!)

Soil Preparation
Proper soil preparation is the key to success for your new yard & plantings. A 2" layer or organic soil conditioner is blended into your site soils. To a depth of 6-8 inches. If necessary we will use mini truckhammers to break up the soil before we rototill it. Large rocks are raised up and hauled away.