Peter Hill, from London kitchens company Urban Myth, airs his views on charging for design...
I read with interest Lisa Mather's column on charging for design or not. It comes down to two words; professionalism and respect.
Frankly, I think you have to decide if you are professional or not. Try going to your local architect and walking away with a set of 'free' plans, see how far you get. How long can you spend with your solicitor without 'coughing' up? Or your accountant? And then ask yourself why?
I shall answer my own question with the obvious answer; because they are professional and because they engender that feeling right from the start. Everyone knows that you can't get free architect's designs, or free solicitor's advice, so why should you get free kitchen or bathroom designs?
We invest a lot of money in staff, displays, CAD and websites so that we can provide the best advice and service. We have staff trained in design and staff with many years of experience, and we don't think it's right to offer all of these services and experience for free.
In these difficult times people want value for money. That's fair enough, but giving your designs away for nothing is not giving value for money it's just unprofessional and could go some way to losing the order, because if you don't put a value on your work, why should the client?
You don't have to charge the client to do a design, they cannot walk out the door with anything more then the quote without making a financial commitment, a genuine client won't have a problem with that. Explain that if they want to take the design away to show the builder, electrician etc, then that's fine, let them place the order and they can have the plans.
If it's the design they want and the builder needs the specification, what's stopping them placing the order? If it's because the final specification is not exactly right even though the layout is, then you could ask them to place a reduced deposit. If it's because the showroom down the road is cheaper, then the showroom down the road can do the design and specification, can't they?
You know the only reason the client wants your design without placing the order is to tout it around to see who will be cheapest, unfortunately there are companies out there who will see the potential of a sale they would not have got otherwise if they take your hard work and discount it. You know they exist, why make it easy for them?
If you are asked do you do a 'free design', explain simply that while you don't charge for doing the design work, the client cannot take the design away without some kind of financial commitment. Your time and skills are valuable and the client must understand and respect this.
Think of the companies that advertise 'free design'. Are you impressed by them? Because, without naming any names, I am certainly not. Go into some of those same companies and check out the 'designers' that give the free designs away, would you employ them?
If the answer is no, why put yourself in the same bracket? Decide if you are a designer with qualifications and/or experience? Or are you a salesman chopping out dozens of plans in the vague hope of fooling someone enough to order with you? You choose which route you want to go and then go for it in the best way you can.
