Working with Dan was a delight for us. He took our vague sense of what we wanted to create, fleshed it out and made it real. He was meticulous about selecting and then placing rocks “just so”, even when that meant moving some that probably weigh as much as he does! He was responsive to any questions or concerns we raised as the project went along. I would recommend him without reservation.
Sharon Buckmaster, Ph.D. |
Dan Chin is an amazing landscape designer and mover of stone.
My husband, BobDayton, and I first hired Dan Chin to design and build a set of stone garden steps with a cedar railing to link the garden to the back of our rental property. Little did we all know that this first test experience with Dan would inspire the big project for our backyard currently underway. It was because Dan's work was so beautiful, so inspiring, so graceful, so natural that the next idea for his work was born. We wanted more from Dan. Dan Chin has now designed and built an incredible stone patio containing a fire pit, a series of walls and stairways layered with black bamboo and Japanese grasses and a variety of beautiful plants and shrubs. Each stone is carefully chosen, sighted in and carefully stacked becoming a beautiful wall or set of winding stairs. We have watched Dan spend a week building a huge ramp with a pulley system just to get the stone from street level to the back yard. We have seen him single handedly unload many trucks full of stones and gravel then carting it all through blinding rainstorms and even snow down his long ramp. The resulting patio and garden space is breathtakingly beautiful. Dan designs wonderful spaces, follows through in a timely manner, stays focused, is willing to make changes and provides a clear budget. Dan is delightful to work with and we admire his hearty self throughout the diverse weather. His experience shows as he handles himself carefully in light of the mass of stone he moves and places by himself. Bob and I really feel like Dan has handed us a gift of art and beauty which is now our backyard patio garden. We again want more of Dan's work and are planning a wandering wall that links our street sidewalk area up to our rental house. We could not be happier with Dan Chin's work! Judy Vogland and Bob Dayton |
Five years ago, when we moved into our north Portland home, our yard consisted of lawn and chain-link fence. The real-estate agent described it, optimistically, as "waiting for your personal touches." Indeed. We put up with the boring, boring lawn for a couple of years and then asked Dan to draw up a plan to give it some character. The results far exceeded our expectations. Instead of just a pile of rocks, we got a elaborate rock sculpture, with tiered flower beds and paved walkways and curving staircases, all assembled without mortar, one rock at a time. Instead of a plain wooden fence, we got a work of hewn art, with unique geometric panels that cast intricate shadows. We now spend as much time as possible outside, working in the gorgeous garden that Dan established for us.
Caroline and Caleb |
I've hired Dan Chin for landscape design services both at my home and at one of my commercial buildings. Dan's design eye is excellent, as is his customer service ear, and his rock-lifting biceps. (He installed his own designs on both jobs. He even single-handedly moved and replanted a rather large Japanese Maple tree.)
I plan on hiring Dan as often as I can. He is very talented and truly understands scale and proportion. Plus he's an all-around nice guy. Kevin Cavenaugh |
I found DK Chin driving by one of his job sites - the work was so impressive I had to stop. Dan built retaining walls, raised garden beds and a water feature for us and it is all amazingly handcrafted, sturdy and beautiful. Dan is hard working, in all conditions. The quality of the work surpassed our expectations. Dan is a true craftsman!
Amy and Ralph Risch |
It was a pleasure working with Dan to revamp my backyard. He listened and knew what I was after and came up with some great ideas. He was also very honest and detail-oriented when it came to materials and costs. He then set about skillfully turning those ideas into reality, and was flexible and responsive enough to accommodate some last-minute changes without a hitch. I now have an outdoor space that is rugged, beautiful, and inviting.
Client |
Oregon Registered Landscape Architect #788
Landscape Contracting Business #8211 Landscape Construction Professional #14812 Bachelors of Fine Arts - RISD 1991 Bachelors of Landscape Architecture - RISD 1992 |