Reflecting pool by Manifest Building in Summerland, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Fit & Services

  • Yes, we offer boutique residential landscape maintenance, and it’s built to be much more than a quick mow-and-blow visit. Your property gets a consistent weekly service day with a uniformed crew that knows your landscape, and plants are cared for by season using proper horticultural practices. A dedicated management team checks the work, and you get a direct line to your crew for questions and updates after each visit. Many of our construction clients continue with us after their project is finished, so the landscape we built is cared for by the people who know it best.

  • Yes. Manifest Building is a licensed California contractor (CSLB #1011891), bonded, and insured with both workers’ compensation and general liability coverage. Our crews are covered on every job, so you aren’t liable if someone is hurt on your property. You can check our license status anytime on the Contractors State License Board website by searching our license number. We’re happy to send current certificates of insurance on request, and we can name your HOA or property manager as an additional insured if they require it.

  • Yes, all of our installation work is covered by a workmanship warranty, and the length depends on the type of work:

    • Artificial turf: 10 years

    • Concrete and masonry: 5 years

    • Irrigation and lighting: 1 year

    • Planting and softscape: 90 days

    The planting warranty requires that the landscape be maintained by our team for the first 90 days, or by a licensed, bonded, and insured maintenance company that provides weekly service and quarterly irrigation checks. The warranty does not cover damage from misuse, vandalism, animals, weather events, or other causes outside our workmanship, and full terms are in your contract. We take pride in standing behind our work, and if an issue comes up, we’ll work with you to make it right.

  • Yes, we regularly build from plans prepared by outside architects, landscape architects, and designers, and we coordinate with them throughout construction. If your plans are ready, our estimators can price the project directly from your drawings after a site visit.

  • A Manifest Landscape Management program combines the recurring field work with the oversight that makes it visible: mowing, trimming, pruning, edging, and seasonal cleanup alongside site walks, field notes, photo documentation, property-specific reporting, and recommendations for what needs attention next. Irrigation awareness and water management are built in rather than billed as a separate relationship, which is how leaks and overwatering get caught before the bill arrives. Fire mitigation and vegetation management are scoped in for properties where seasonal risk applies.

  • A Manifest residential design and build project starts with a site visit to review the way the family actually lives outside, then works through the details that determine whether the finished space functions: drainage, grade, access, sun, privacy, materials, planting, irrigation, and fire awareness. CAD designs and master planning let homeowners see the layout, materials, and outdoor living features working together before construction begins. From there, one team manages design, construction, materials, and communication rather than leaving the homeowner to coordinate a string of separate contractors.

  • No. Homeowners work with us in one of two ways, depending on the project. For straightforward work, like a new patio, a fence, or an irrigation upgrade, one of our estimators visits the site and prepares a proposal quickly, with no design phase needed. For larger projects that reimagine a whole yard or call for a master plan, we offer design services with our in-house architect. Our designs start at $5,000 and cover site planning, material selection, revisions, value engineering if needed and a detailed construction estimate. If you build with us, construction documents are included.

  • Proposal turnaround depends on scope. Construction and design-build proposals require material pricing, and sometimes design work and coordination with other trades. Maintenance proposals largely come down to site conditions, acreage, and service frequency, all of which are captured during the walk. We will give you a specific turnaround date at the end of the site walk rather than an open-ended answer.

  • Residential design and build timelines vary widely with scope. Design, revisions, material selection, and any permitting all happen before a crew arrives and typically last from six weeks to two months. Scope of work and site conditions such as slope, access, drainage work, and pool coordination extend construction meaningfully.

  • Low-maintenance landscapes work when the plant selection, irrigation, and soil conditions are matched to the site from the beginning, rather than when a high-maintenance design is simply neglected. Drought-tolerant and climate-appropriate planting reduces water use and intervention while holding its appearance through a California summer. Turf reduction, irrigation retrofits, and planting changes can move an existing property in that direction over a few seasons.

  • Many landscape projects in Santa Barbara County don’t need a permit, including most planting, irrigation, paving, and turf installation. Our estimators can provide more information during a site visit, and details are available on the County of Santa Barbara or your city’s planning and building department website.

  • Every construction project has a dedicated project manager, and every maintenance property has a dedicated account manager, so you always know who to call. We use modern communication tools to give you a direct line to your point of contact and the crew doing the work. That makes it easy to ask a question, share a photo, or get an update without chasing anyone down. You’ll hear from us when work is completed, and you’ll always know what’s happening on your property.

Process & Timelines

Pricing & Getting Started

  • It depends on the project. For straightforward projects, design is included: our estimators typically prepare a basic site plan and confirm material selections with you before giving you a price. Homeowners who want more robust design work, such as a whole-yard redesign or a master plan, pay for it separately. Design starts at $5,000 and covers site planning, material selection, and revisions, and construction documents are included when you build with us.

  • No, the initial site visit and estimate are free. One of our estimators will meet you on site, talk through what you have in mind, and prepare a written proposal for straightforward projects at no cost. For larger projects that need a full design or master plan, design is a separate paid service starting at $5,000, which covers site planning, material selection, and revisions.

  • Yes, we collect a deposit of up to $1,000 when you sign your contract, which reserves your place on our calendar. For projects completed in under a week, there’s a progress payment when materials arrive on site and a final payment at completion. For longer projects, we bill every two weeks based on the percentage of work completed, so you only pay for progress you can see.

  • Our construction and design-build work starts at $10,000 and runs past $1 million for estate-scale builds. If your project is smaller than $10,000, we are not the right fit, and we would rather tell you now than waste your time.

  • Residential design and build pricing tracks scope, site conditions, and material selection, which is why two backyards of identical size can differ dramatically in cost. Hardscape square footage, access, grading and drainage work, outdoor living structures, and material grade are the largest drivers. For our design projects, the design phase is where the budget conversation gets resolved. We work through the budget openly during design rather than presenting a number at the end.

  • It’s helpful to have a general idea of your budget, project scope, and ideal timeline. For homeowners, photos, sketches, inspiration images, and any existing plans of your property are also great starting points. You don't need to have everything figured out; we can help guide you through the process and determine the best next steps.

    You can get the conversation started through our contact page or by calling us at (805) 270-2960.