| 22 June 2010 | |
To charge or not to charge? |
Back |
Charging for design is a matter of respect, says designer Chris Simmons...
Peter Hill says that whether or not you charge for design comes down to professionalism and respect, and points out that clients would not expect free plans from their architect.If I were an architect, I would not be too happy to be compared with a kitchen designer, qualified or not.
I started designing kitchens 45 years ago, both on the drawing board and with Planit. I have never once charged for a drawing, and I have always allowed my customers to take home my drawings, which I have been quite proud of.
I firmly believe that the number of potential clients who might have used my drawings for the benefit of my competitors is minimal.A good kitchen designer should be able to produce a scale drawing and a perspective in a couple of hours, and with CAD, your clients can join in.Peter Hill would also be horrified to learn of the number of times I have told clients that if, after paying a 20% deposit, they were not happy with their kitchen, they didn't have to pay the balance.
It all comes down to a bit of trust and getting to know your customer. Most of my customers came by recommendation, my company traded for 25 years before I sold up and retired 10 years ago.I still design a few kitchens for people I know just to keep my hand in, and I still don't charge for my drawings. Know and trust your customer, and they might trust you. You don't want the dodgy ones anyway. Happy planning.
