Do you charge for initial consultations with prospective clients? It's been more miss-than-hit lately, and a lot of time is spent researching the properties, driving to the site, and meeting with clients. I'm considering charging a small fee to cover these costs and to potentially weed out less serious clients. Any experience dealing with this?
senjohnblutarsky
Sep 30, 19 8:07 am
At one point, I thought about telling people that I had a flat rate fee for the first four hours of work. Didn't matter if they used one hour or four, that it would be the same. And the initial meeting would be part of that. The hourly rate for that was going to be lower than my regular rate. Which, I intended to tell them. Or, they could just choose to go with my regular hourly rate and regular process. It was to mostly be used as a weed out thing. Most people not actually interested would balk at the flat rate cost and never schedule a meeting.
I decided it was a bad idea and a waste of my time.
OddArchitect
Sep 30, 19 10:27 am
When freelancing and when working in firms the we never charged fro an initial meeting with a client. I would be upfront with clients that this would be a short (60 min max - typically about 30 min) meeting to review their project and see if we could offer them assistance.
If the client wanted to proceed we would create a proposal for them. We would NEVER do any work without a contract. One thing I would do though is produce sketches in front of them during the meeting if warranted. The potential clients would not get to keep a copy of these sketches. The sketches served two purposes. First it helped me document what the client wanted. Second hopefully it made a good impression on the client and provided incentive for them to work with me (I'm good at sketching so that helps).
Wilma Buttfit
Sep 30, 19 10:32 am
No. I've been chatting with clients through email or the phone first though which seems to help us determine if it's a good fit or not. No design ideas given until the first payment is made. They always ask, what do you think or what would you do and my answer is always we'll take a look at it. I only talk about how I work, permitting, etc, show them my previous work. Sketches are good too like said above. Builds their confidence in your ability.
proto
Sep 30, 19 3:29 pm
+1 to weeding out over the phone. If the request comes in via email, we schedule a phone call to see what's what. First meeting is free...usually to see the space in question (barring significant travel) & get more detail on the proposed work. We've had requests to look at potential properties for purchase & renovate. Those meetings are billed hourly because they do not necessarily lead to work.
chigurh
Sep 30, 19 1:07 pm
Potential clients are the biggest time wasters if you allow it happen. They will ask a million questions pick your brain an all kinds of shit then oftentimes pick a different architect or some craigslist draftsman. Giving them a free sketch is a mistake (even if you take it with you), that is your intellectual property they can just pass along to the next guy by drawing it themselves after you leave. I usually give them about an hour, after that send a contract, if they are serious you will know by their commitment to move forward. Don't even start the property research till they are signed up...to go in telling them what they can and can't do is just giving away free info that you have been trained to research as part of the project and your professional services.
thisisnotmyname
Sep 30, 19 4:25 pm
As others have said above, breaking the habit of doing free research work or giving out free advice/ideas at the initial meeting is a good thing to do. For us, the key is quickly figuring out if the client has the money to do the job at all. We are coming off a period where we had multiple inquiries from people who only had a small fraction of the funds it would have taken to build what they wanted us to design.
If a potential client has provable funds and/or a track record of building things, we will, in some cases, do a little more prep for an initial meeting. This is mainly because I know our competitors in our market are doing the same thing.
gibbost
Sep 30, 19 5:05 pm
I do not charge for the initial consult, but should the project move forward, I do count that as a billable hour against the job. Obviously, you don't capture every hour you give as many of those do not turn into projects. Chalk those up to 'marketing.'
I keep the first consult to strictly budget and schedule. Managing those expectations up front is key to the success of the project--and avoids getting too deep into the weeds on design. I'm willing to offer up off-the-cuff design advice as a courtesy, but never any sketches or hard ideas.
I think of the initial consult as a test drive or a walk-in to a retail establishment. The patron should be allowed to look around and ask meaningful questions and build rapport--without feeling pressured into a contract. If you've done your job, a contract will follow. Or, you'll learn it was doomed to fail and walk away. Both are worth an hour of my time.
Miles Jaffe
Sep 30, 19 5:44 pm
When an inquiry comes from a real estate broker I cite a fat consultation fee to be credited against future work. This put an end to purchase verification BS.
Probably not an issue for many, but I used to get these all the time on my father's old houses. Now that most have been torn down it's not an issue.
citizen
Sep 30, 19 6:16 pm
Excellent thread.
geezertect
Sep 30, 19 8:16 pm
Use the initial consult to subtly or not so subtly let them know what a potential minefield a new building can be, and that watching Saturday real estate shows on cable tv doesn't confer expertise. A little intimidating code and construction lingo lets them know architecture is more than pretty drawings.
88Buildings
Oct 1, 19 8:47 pm
Oh yes ! You must charge.
If someone who would not even pay for a few hours of works up front it is a sign you cannot work with this person.
Do you charge for initial consultations with prospective clients? It's been more miss-than-hit lately, and a lot of time is spent researching the properties, driving to the site, and meeting with clients. I'm considering charging a small fee to cover these costs and to potentially weed out less serious clients. Any experience dealing with this?
At one point, I thought about telling people that I had a flat rate fee for the first four hours of work. Didn't matter if they used one hour or four, that it would be the same. And the initial meeting would be part of that. The hourly rate for that was going to be lower than my regular rate. Which, I intended to tell them. Or, they could just choose to go with my regular hourly rate and regular process. It was to mostly be used as a weed out thing. Most people not actually interested would balk at the flat rate cost and never schedule a meeting.
I decided it was a bad idea and a waste of my time.
When freelancing and when working in firms the we never charged fro an initial meeting with a client. I would be upfront with clients that this would be a short (60 min max - typically about 30 min) meeting to review their project and see if we could offer them assistance.
If the client wanted to proceed we would create a proposal for them. We would NEVER do any work without a contract. One thing I would do though is produce sketches in front of them during the meeting if warranted. The potential clients would not get to keep a copy of these sketches. The sketches served two purposes. First it helped me document what the client wanted. Second hopefully it made a good impression on the client and provided incentive for them to work with me (I'm good at sketching so that helps).
No. I've been chatting with clients through email or the phone first though which seems to help us determine if it's a good fit or not. No design ideas given until the first payment is made. They always ask, what do you think or what would you do and my answer is always we'll take a look at it. I only talk about how I work, permitting, etc, show them my previous work. Sketches are good too like said above. Builds their confidence in your ability.
+1 to weeding out over the phone. If the request comes in via email, we schedule a phone call to see what's what. First meeting is free...usually to see the space in question (barring significant travel) & get more detail on the proposed work. We've had requests to look at potential properties for purchase & renovate. Those meetings are billed hourly because they do not necessarily lead to work.
Potential clients are the biggest time wasters if you allow it happen. They will ask a million questions pick your brain an all kinds of shit then oftentimes pick a different architect or some craigslist draftsman. Giving them a free sketch is a mistake (even if you take it with you), that is your intellectual property they can just pass along to the next guy by drawing it themselves after you leave. I usually give them about an hour, after that send a contract, if they are serious you will know by their commitment to move forward. Don't even start the property research till they are signed up...to go in telling them what they can and can't do is just giving away free info that you have been trained to research as part of the project and your professional services.
As others have said above, breaking the habit of doing free research work or giving out free advice/ideas at the initial meeting is a good thing to do. For us, the key is quickly figuring out if the client has the money to do the job at all. We are coming off a period where we had multiple inquiries from people who only had a small fraction of the funds it would have taken to build what they wanted us to design.
If a potential client has provable funds and/or a track record of building things, we will, in some cases, do a little more prep for an initial meeting. This is mainly because I know our competitors in our market are doing the same thing.
I do not charge for the initial consult, but should the project move forward, I do count that as a billable hour against the job. Obviously, you don't capture every hour you give as many of those do not turn into projects. Chalk those up to 'marketing.'
I keep the first consult to strictly budget and schedule. Managing those expectations up front is key to the success of the project--and avoids getting too deep into the weeds on design. I'm willing to offer up off-the-cuff design advice as a courtesy, but never any sketches or hard ideas.
I think of the initial consult as a test drive or a walk-in to a retail establishment. The patron should be allowed to look around and ask meaningful questions and build rapport--without feeling pressured into a contract. If you've done your job, a contract will follow. Or, you'll learn it was doomed to fail and walk away. Both are worth an hour of my time.
When an inquiry comes from a real estate broker I cite a fat consultation fee to be credited against future work. This put an end to purchase verification BS.
Probably not an issue for many, but I used to get these all the time on my father's old houses. Now that most have been torn down it's not an issue.
Excellent thread.
Use the initial consult to subtly or not so subtly let them know what a potential minefield a new building can be, and that watching Saturday real estate shows on cable tv doesn't confer expertise. A little intimidating code and construction lingo lets them know architecture is more than pretty drawings.
Oh yes ! You must charge.
If someone who would not even pay for a few hours of works up front it is a sign you cannot work with this person.
Well unless you have too much free time .