fees for
full service
design services
—an explanation
It’s a question that people ask at the get go:
“What do you charge?”
The next question is:
“How do you work?”
So here is a basic guide for Full Service projects. (An informed client is a good client. ;-)
FLAT FEES
I propose flat fees where I feel like they are appropriate. After our initial meeting ($250 in your home or on site), I determine the way to bill for your project and that is detailed in your Agreement. I sometimes propose hybrid type Agreements if there is some question about parameters of the scope.
For remodeling design work, you should take into account that my fee would be between 8-12% of the overall cost. That's the budget that your contractor will start his part of the job with, not the budget you have at the beginning of the design process, as wants and needs often change as we go along. As these jobs often do not contain much product sales through my business, this percentage works well so that I can provide full service throughout the project.
Example: $150,000 construction cost - $15,000 design fee, approximately.
These jobs are always quoted after analyzing the scope of work, as there may be areas with much detail, design and consideration and areas where there is not.
Any flat fee or percentage based fee is estimated for design and design plans only, not procurement of any goods or site visits after construction has started.
MY HOURLY RATE AND HOW IT’S BILLED
I sometimes work on an hourly rate, for example as with Additional Services to the original contract. My rate is $175 per hour. I charge $75 per hour for drive time, when traveling outside of the parameters of The Woodlands for any reason.
I charge for my assistants’ time when they are working on CAD drawings, sourcing products, or visiting a job site or showroom for me for your project. I do not charge for their time when they accompany me to job sites or meetings....so you don’t get billed for both of us in that instance. Their time is billed out at $60 per hour, drive time included.
I bill either once or twice a month, this will be stated in your Agreement.
INITIAL MEETING
We begin with your email request about your project (email me at carla@carlaaston.com). We will answer back with a few questions about your project. After we receive your response, we will book our first get-to-know-you meeting. This appointment has a cost of $250 for an approximate 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour visit, payable prior to the meeting with a credit card, or at the meeting with a check.
THE AGREEMENT
After our initial meeting and we all want to proceed on to the next step, I write up a Letter of Agreement, where I describe the services you are requesting and detail the payments required, etc. After you sign that, via SignNow, for a digital signature or in person, and make the first design fee payment, we can get started.
Flat fees are detailed with parameters as noted in the Agreement.
Minimum project design fee is $2000, no matter how small the job. This amount is generally for a single room design, like a powder room, laundry room, maybe a room with partial furnishings.
For remodels, like a bathroom, the minimum design fee is $5000. There is lots of detailing and construction drawings to do in this type of project and time needs to be covered completely here. Contractors buy the products or you might buy them directly yourself, therefore, I’m not making money on product in these instances.
After a construction project is started, site visits are always done additionally by the hour or as a bundle of hours. Once a week is usually typical to help us keep tabs on things with a good contractor managing your job. We strongly encourage our clients to keep us involved this way, as that's the best way to ensure the integrity of the design is achieved.
Site visits are defined as unscheduled visits done at our convenience, to check on the job. These are not onsite meetings. Onsite meetings are done, during construction, at the regular hourly rate.
Design fees generally include:
Programming - verifying site and project parameters in detail
Schematic Design Presentation
Two or three additional meetings as required for the project
Documentation of the design with drawings, general notes, and specifications
Digital storyboards are included depending on the project.
PURCHASING THROUGH MY STUDIO
I expect full service clients to purchase their furnishings through my studio if the project involves furnishings. Your cost of product includes my procurement fee, shipping, tax, etc.
IF YOU HAVE A TIGHT DEADLINE
If you have a tight deadline or a drop dead date or you need me to jump on your project right now, an additional fee is assessed to accommodate special needs.
ONE TIME CONSULTATIONS AND OTHER OPTIONS
One time consults can be fit in and I welcome those when my schedule permits. Click here to find out how our in-home and on-line consultations work. All consultations are paid up front, prior to the meeting.
If I cannot take on your project or I find it might fit better with another designer, I urge you to peruse the ASID TGCC website for many qualified designers in our area.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option for design services, I do a Q&A type consult remotely too, Designed w/a Click.
HOW WE STAY CONNECTED
I prefer e-mail to phone calls, because I’m often out driving, on job sites, or in meetings. You’ll get my personal cell # when you sign your contract.
I’m pretty much available anytime, except Sundays please, but again, if it’s after hours, contact me via e-mail.
I prefer to use texting only if it’s urgent, as it is not a good way to reference and keep record of our interactions and messages. Please note that all correspondence, including texting and email, is billed if project is done on an hourly basis, in 15 minute intervals. This includes any correspondence or texting done in the Construction Administration part of the job, as that is done on an hourly basis, as your Letter of Agreement will state.
I cannot do weekend meetings, but I can do a late afternoon meeting during the week, starting no later than 6:00 pm, with a one hour limit.
Please note that I have a great team that has been hand-picked and trained by me. They handle much of the day to day and production part of the job. On projects, I am the project designer, so all design choices and selections, all design decisions are finalized by me. They may help me with many things throughout the process, from management to errands, and much of your interaction will come through them. However, I am a control freak :-) and I am well aware of what's going on with your project at all times.
I also use remote specialized services to support my business, in particular, for construction drawings, renderings, etc.
I hope this takes some of the fear of the unknown out of working with a designer. It’s here for your information so that you can be better informed when we start.
Thank you! / Carla ;-)