“Yea…my “rock” guy saved me thousands of dollars” possibly isn’t something you’ve ever said or heard anyone say. Well, maybe you haven’t worked with DSS yet. 

We’re not here to be the low price leader or race anyone to the bottom but we are here to give sound advice and help you with options.

DSS has one of the largest catalogues of Decorative Stone in the nation so it is not uncommon to see a material specified on a project that comes from a quarry that isn’t very local. If you've been around us long enough, you know one of our favorite sayings. “Rock is cheap, moving it around is the expensive part.”

All is not lost if you or the owner of the project is drawn to that beautiful stone that just fits the project perfectly. The right mix of pinks, greens and grays. A slight speckle of white that will match the exterior trim of the structure. There is nothing wrong with specifying that perfect gravel, cobble, DG or whatever it may be. But…and this is a big ol giant Sir Mix-A-Lot but, we’ve all seen budgets change throughout the course of a project. With landscaping often going in near the end of a project, it is pretty normal to see money tighten up as budgets have been obliterated. So, how do you save the day? How do you still achieve project completion for your client? How do you save them money but still have a beautiful landscape without busting the budget?

Value Engineered, or in layman's terms, here is a less expensive option for you. 

You can ask for this in the beginning stages of a design and keep it in your pocket for later or present both options upfront so your client has 2 or more options associated with a price range. 

So, the next time you’re working on a design, just ask us for a VE option and we’ll be happy to help..

Tips on When to consider a VE Option:

• Budget Concerns: It's not unusual to be over budget at the end of a project. It is also not unusual to pick the most expensive material. 
• Time Constraints: Often times the more expensive the product, the farther away from your job the material comes from. Sometimes a VE option will save you on time and...time is money!
  
• Availability: If the product has limited availability either due to demand, limited production, etc, having a VE option that is more readily available can save parties involved with the project some headaches

Refer to this blog for a self-guided tutorial on finding the most budget-friendly landscape stone option in your area that matches your project design. You can follow along using our website’s product finder or one of our Sample Box Sets if you have one on hand.