Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/638790
" DEFINITELY. I CHARGE a design fee mainly because, as a professional, I want to be paid for being a designer, not a product seller. This also protects my work as a designer." Joyce Blackstone, owner J.W. Blackstone South Lake Tahoe, CA " THE DESIGN FEE is charged up front because the customer may take the design and drawings and try to get work done by others at a cheaper cost. The estimate cost is disguised so that if we do not get the project, the [company they go to next] has no idea of the project cost. David McKee, chief designer Hardware Concepts Edmond, OK " OUR DESIGN WORK is free unless cli- ents would like to take home hard copies of our designs. We then charge $250+ for the layouts, which is applicable to their purchase if/when that takes place through our company. Keegan Leehan, kitchen & bath design and sales South One Supply Erie, PA " NO. I CHARGE by the hour plus a markup on products. Clients take advantage of you – knowingly or unknowingly – on a fee. An hourly fee is fair to everyone. As I tell them, my time is their money, so they make decisions more quickly and the project moves along more efciently. Michele Heidt, owner Heidt and Oldfeld Design Bellevue, WA " RARELY. I USUALLY require a design fee only from clients whom I deem "not seri- ous" and who might plan to use my skills for purchases elsewhere. Like most of my gener- ation, I refuse to pay a "diagnostic fee" when I take my automobile for a repair, and I would not personally pay a design fee to a remodeler who has yet to impress me. Robert Sutter, design/sales Signature Kitchen and Bath, div. of Lami Wood Products St. Charles, MO " YES, I ALWAYS charge a design fee. Customers and clients expect to pay a fee for quality services. I would not design any space free of charge. Sydney Doulames, owner/president KE Design Studio Costa Mesa, CA " I STRUGGLE WITH this a lot, but unfortunately I do not. In my area, if you say to a prospect that you charge a fee for a design, you don't hear from them again. I've even tried charging $50 for complete in-home consultation and drawings – still nothing. People are just used to getting it for free. I've been designing for 19 years and I know that my designs and my ideas have value and I would love to get paid for them. What bothers me the most about this is that I know that [some prospects] will use my drawings and buy their cabinets from someone else. Steve Barrios, president/owner Kitchens By Design Pearl River, LA " WE DO NOT. I see it as a service for our clients and good PR. We get most of these jobs so I consider it a good investment. Joe Burns, owner Cedar Creek WoodWorks, Inc. Townsend, TN " I CHARGE A design retainer that [can be used as a rebate], but not refundable if they don't do the project or have their product needs met elsewhere. This is their commitment to purchase whatever product they are going to buy from me. I don't want a client's money until they know that they are in the right place with the right product and the right person. It must be all three. They will know [it's right] because my product and pricing along with my knowledge are in line. Maria Stapperfenne, manager Tewksbury Kitchen & Bath Whitehouse Station, NJ " YES. THE FEES charged are to com- pensate me for my time and experience." Lee Wacek, residential designer ProBuild/Builders FirstSource De Pere, WI " YES, ABSOLUTELY WE charge a design fee. Our design services defnitely set us apart and are worth every penny. A 'keen eye' can save a client thousands of dollars in mistakes. The design fee is money well spent. Seldom does the fee truly cover the actual time involved – the customer always benefts from this portion of the contract. Rachel Barone, owner PDP Countertops Cartersville, GA " WE DO NOT charge a design fee for designing cabinets. We live in a small town of 13,000 and don't want to be the frst cabinet showroom to charge for designs. I would really like to start charging as we have many customers who shop to see [which place] is the cheapest and really don't care about what is being ofered. Also, there is a box store in town that does not charge for a design. However, our showroom is part of a larger lumber yard and we did start charging for drafting and designing homes about two years ago. They have an upfront fee with a $50 per hour charge for changes. The fees are totally reimbursed if the customer buys 75% of the materials for the project at our yard. Kim Anderson, designer/sales Hilltop Lumber Alexandria, MN " NO, WE MAKE proft on our fxtures and cabinets. Tara Catalano, designer/sales Lake Erie Winnelson Cleveland, OH " YES, ALL OF my services are paid hourly. I never mark up products, but rather assure clients that the discounts I pass on help ofset the costs of my experience and time. Barbara Barton, CMKBD, owner Barbara Barton and Associates Denver, CO " NOT OFTEN, BUT we do on occa- sion. This is only because we do not hand out foor plans to our clients unless a pur- chase is made or a fee is taken up front." Jodi Diehl, kitchen & bath designer Carter Lumber Macomb, MI Dealers & Designers Discuss Design Fees WHAT DO YOU THINK? Email your feedback, contact information and the subject, 'Market Pulse' with your message to Janice@SOLAbrands.com Do you charge a design fee? Why or why not? 8 Kitchen & Bath Design News • February 2016 MARKET PULSE READERS' OPINIONS ON INDUSTRY-RELATED ISSUES