Not all of us have an eye for design. Even fewer of us have the knowledge needed to create a beautiful and functional landscape design. This lack has not gone unnoticed by the tech world. In an attempt to meet this need, several companies have been created with the purpose of providing easy, affordable landscape design service, all without leaving your house. One of the largest and most affordable of these sites is called Shrubhub.
What is Shrubhub?
Shrubhub is an online service that claims to be a one stop shop for homeowners who are looking for landscape design ideas for their space, but don’t have a big budget. Users create an account, and purchase a package of their choosing. From there, Shrubhub matches your project with a designer.
Shrubhub states that once matched with a designer, the client and designer will meet over the phone for a one on one consultation. At this time, the client can go over their needs, wants, and vision for the outdoor living space. Shrubhub does not make it clear within their initial website whether users must take their own measurements.
This designer will create a 2D rendering of your space, and send it back via your account. The 2D design claims to include plant and hardscaping design and suggestions. Along with the design, users will be provided a key providing information into what plants are being used. The package also includes a “custom shopping list”, providing links to products, plants, and elements used in your space’s design.
Services Overview
Shrubhub claims to provide professional grade designs for all kinds of outdoor spaces. From planters to patios, they state that they can provide insight and expertise for both planting and hardscaping projects. This means they can provide you with a design idea for an old deck, or a fully planned out garden bed for your front yard.
It’s important to know that Shrubhub is a completely virtual service. Users looking to have a physical set of eyes on their space will not achieve that with this service. Designs are said to take 7-10 days to receive after your initial consultation.
In addition to online functionality, Shrubhub is also usable via app. This allows for mobile use of the service. In theory, clients should be able to check on projects whether they are on the couch, or on vacation a few states away.
How much does Shrubhub cost to use?
Shrubhub’s main draw is their price tag. Their most popular package costs $97, although initial browsing does not reveal whether additional fees apply. For this price, you receive the services listed above as well as other small items such as a company e-book.
The site implies the existence of other, more expensive packages. However, the cost and details of these other packages are not readily available without beginning the design process.
While browsing the site, you will notice the company claims limited packages are available daily. They claim their designers have limited availability and can only take on so many designs per day. Whether or not this is a genuine statement is not clear as numbers displayed for remaining packages rarely change.
Is Shrubhub legit?
Shrubhub is a verified company providing low-cost design service to online users. In that respect, yes, Shrubhub is legit. Users should not worry about their credit card information being stolen, or getting scammed out of money and sensitive information. However, actual user experience with the company varies depending on where you look.
While Shrubhub’s own site boasts overwhelmingly positive reviews, other online threads offer insight into different experiences. It can be hard for the average consumer to get a barometer for what the true Shrubhub experience is like. From Yelp to Reddit, experiences are polarizing. Still, for those looking for designs on a budget, Shrubhub remains a loud voice in the digital landscaping marketplace.