Fee Scales and Introduction Fees
Terraverde
What an arrogant and domineering attitude ! It would be so nice if we could
share info.with each other and leave the shoulds and shouldnts out ! Thanks
for taking the time anyway
Susan
Duncan Heather
In message <875785198...@terraverde.demon.co.uk>, TerraVerde
<su...@terraverde.demon.co.uk> writes
>So you have your own contractors too? I dont, just do the
>drawings,supervise construction -the contractor gives me a % for giving
him
>the work. This works well for me- I think my clients like me being
>independent ie-on their side ! What do you charge for design ? Im
between
>350- 700 ( so far!) Business is good just now-whew,hectic times! I have
a
>Landscape Architecture degree which means little in this business -we
didnt
>design one garden ! I love water in a garden..... Anyways, Look forward
to
>a blether with you
>Susan
>
Hi Susan
I have a business partner called Richard Barrow who runs the contracting
side. He did an HND in landscape construction at Pershaw College in
Worcestershire. I personally don't have time to be involved with the
contracting team except to over see the work as it progresses. Richard
is responsible for the estimating, scheduling, implementation and
labour force. I concentrate on the design and specification side.
Just because my clients use me for design work doesn't mean that they
are obliged to use my contractors.. We normally obtain three tenders
for the client, one of which will be from Richard.
The client then chooses who will do the work depending on price and
time scale.
I am concerned to here you take an introduction fee from the contractor.
Far from being "independent" this put you in a position of divided
loyalties Unless you disclose the fact that you have excepted an
introduction fee to your clients, you could well be held professionally
negligible if the clients ever involved you in litigation.
Does the £350-£700 include everything? Or have you left a '0'off. If
this represents your total fee then I'm not surprised that you need to
take back handers from the builders. You should be charging a % cost of
the contract. Our ranges from 7-22% on the contract fee depending on
the size.
How can you do sketch proposal documents specifications, construction
details planting plans and contract documents for £700 -surly this is
not cost effective.
--
Duncan Heather
Duncan Heather
In article <01bcd18f$c3c30e00$5321edc1@terraverde>, Terraverde
<su...@terraverde.demon.co.uk> writes
personal criticism. If it came across as arrogant and domineering I
apologise, however, a certain amount of arrogance probably goes with the
profession.
If you check your e-mail you will find that I had forwarded a copy of my
companies scales of fees at the same time as I posted this reply, so
from now on you can start charging a professional rate rather than just
pocket money.
For professional designers involved with private gardens we are
surrounded by 100’s of enthusiastic ammeters only charging a couple of
hundred pounds who are not only devaluing the industry but killing it
off at the same time.
Clients expectations of what Garden Design is all about consist
primarily of a floor plan and planting plan. This is encouraged by
organisations such as the RHS who have been partly responsible for
turning garden design into little more than giant external
flower arranging.
Unless clients see the employing of a garden designer to be in the same
bracket as that of an architect, then there will never be a garden
design PROFFESION. Until garden designers charge a professional fee
they will not be able to offer a professional service.
If you employed a land surveyor, £300-£700 in many cases wouldn’t cover
the site survey fee, yet you say that this is what you are charging for
the whole service. I know this may sound harsh but you have obviously
had the training, yet for some reason seem embarrassed to charge for it.
I was told at college, the only way to survive as a designer was to have
50% ignorance and 50% arrogance (The only person who will believe in
you:- is yourself). Judgingfr om your comments above, I have obviously
achieved this. However a little arrogance/self confidence (call it
what you like) wouldn’t do you any harm either!
--
Duncan Heather