Types of Fees Charged By Designers — Part II – Hourly

Last week we discussed some initial fee scenarios you might, or are likely to, encounter when working with a designer.

Once you decide to move ahead with your project and work with a specific designer or firm, you may be offered one of the following:

An Hourly Fee:

This comprises all the time expended by a designer and his/her staff on behalf of your project. It covers everything from administration to drafting to shopping to working with your architect and supervision of the job site (if construction is involved).

These fees are generally invoiced monthly (though sometimes bi-weekly on more complex projects) at a specified, hourly amount, based on the scope of work that your project requires.

A Ten-Hour Mini-Package:

A ten-hour block of time allotted to your project for any and all time expended by the designer or her/his staff, but applied in any way you choose. This could include consultation services, shopping for materials, furniture or floor plans, site visits, palette selection, purchasing services, installation services, or advice on third-party vendors.

The Mini-Package is great for projects of limited scope or for first time clients not used to working with a designer. You control the speed and direction of your project.

Please note: the hourly amount for a limited scope project may be higher. Why? Your designer or firm of choice has to set aside time for your project that might otherwise be spent on a larger or more complicated project. This does not mean that your project has less value. What is does mean is that time and resources are being allocated in a more compressed way to provide the results that everyone is working toward. And, there is a clear end to the process…literally…your time is up! In addition, what it costs to manage a firm continues once your project ends. A designer or firm is always looking at how cash flow is facilitated throughout a 52-week year, not just during a 9-month or ten-hour segment of time.

Whether or not a mark-up is charged (generally 20-35%) on items of merchandise varies from designer to designer and firm to firm. If you’re paying a mark-up on an item, you should not also being paying an hourly charge. It’s a trade-off. The flat percentage covers a specified amount of work, beginning “here” and ending “there.” This will be (or should be) outlined by your designer. During the “from here to there” period no hourly charges should apply for that item, though exceptions do occasionally occur.

Carefully review this process with your designer so that everyone is clear about expectations, due dates and percentages due to be paid.

Next week, we’ll look at per square foot and value-based fee charges.

Ciao for now…

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It was really helpful to see your process. How do you charge for your services? –SN, Rome NY

Great question SN…because that really is the next step. What will the project cost and how much of that is my designer’s fee?

Once asked however, it’s a little more difficult to answer without any hard facts on the case! Typically a designer’s fees, no matter how they actually charge them, run to approximately 1/3 of the total expenditure on services and materials. This could involve the design itself, working with an architect or kitchen and bath specialist or percentages on items of merchandise.

That said, here’s how we initially approach a project. We’ll offer a few other options over the coming weeks.

Best,

Kent

The Meet and Greet:

An on-site, no-fee*, initial meeting lasting one-half-hour provides you with an introduction to our staff prior to formalizing arrangements. The terms of our working relationship and appropriate compensation, based on the scope of the project may be discussed.

*No design direction is provided.

The Consultation Fee:

A flat amount, covering an in-person appointment to discuss your project in detail, offer ideas and discuss potential costs based on the scope of work. Consultations have a 90-minute minimum charge* up to 1000 square feet. Larger projects reflect larger minimums. One, 15-minute, follow-up phone call or two follow-up emails are included.

*not applicable to any future work

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Design Process: Part VI — Review

So now all the parts have come together, seamlessly…or not, ending in a beautiful and inviting environment that you’ll want to spend time in, enjoying both celebrations and channel surfing with family and friends.

But like a Christmas list, we check our Process once…and then twice before we call a project “finished.” We mark off all the all steps we made, calling each complete, making sure we didn’t miss anything on the list below, taken from the Process Page on our web site.

Only when that’s done can we sit back and enjoy our creation!

HOW YOUR PROJECT TAKES SHAPE IN THE STUDIO…AND ON THE JOB SITE

Phase I: The Concept Phase

-The Scope of your project is defined
– A site survey is conducted of:
Your existing floor plan
Your existing furniture plan
Your existing items of furniture
– Alternate floor and furniture plans are drafted
– Custom cabinetry and appliance selections are discussed
-Additional materials; new furniture, window, wall and floor coverings are reviewed
-A color palette is devised
– A suggested budget sheet may be created

Phase II: Design Development Phase

-Revise and refine plans from Phase I
-Meet with the project architect and the contractor of record
-Shop for cabinetry, tile, stone and specific items of lighting and furniture
-Obtain detailed price quotes for each item
– Develop custom items of millwork and furniture

Phase III: Construction/Purchasing Phase

-Place orders for materials and items of merchandise; arrange for their delivery
-Work with the project architect and any specialty trades to coordinate and refine    electrical and audio-
visual plans; delivery schedules; tile and grout layout; cabinetry, wood-plank and solid surface
installation; hardware placement and the like
-Observe progress at the project site and confer with the client and the project architect

Phase IV: Installation Phase

-Accept and inspect all post-construction furniture deliveries
-Oversee installation of floor coverings and window treatments as well as the assembly of any
shelving, closet systems and built-ins not previously installed
-Arrange furniture according to the furniture plan
-Have new sheets and towels laundered and beds made
-Organize kitchen pantry and cabinets
– Shop for additional art, accessories or household items as required
– Unpack and place art, accessories and books

© 2012-2013 Design Discourse / Ask Kent and Co. All Rights Reserved | All Rights Reserved

Design Process: Part V — Putting it all together

At last!! All the decisions have been made, the fabrics and finishes selected, the hard-goods ordered, the furniture plan chosen. You’ve waited anywhere from 4-16 weeks for your deliveries. A few things trickled in early, but the piece that was a “sure thing” takes 18 weeks from Italy!! Why? It never made the boat. Why? It’s Italy. There is no explanation. It’s frustrating. You have a nail-biter. How will it all look? Did you and your designer make good picks? Let’s take a look at the final result…

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Design Process: Part IV — Selecting Items of Furniture

Welcome back…and welcome to a new year!! I hope 2013 brings you your hearts content.

Picking up where we left off, selecting materials for our project, today we’re going to look at selected items of furniture to fill out the space. There are literally thousands of vendors in the New York Metropolitan Area to choose merchandise from, which can be daunting, but I think we’ve found some good opportunities that provide comfort, good looks and additional storage.

One of the keys with my work is to combine a variety of materials and finishes, i.e., wood, metal, glass, plastic, smooth, rough etc. There’s a level of “tension” you want to maintain between these, yet, you want don’t want anything too jarring or to stand out. You’re aiming for a subtle tension…if that makes sense?

Let’s take a look at some of the options.  Next week, we’ll show you how we used the selections in the finished space.

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