As someone who has had to make a living from providing design services, it has always been interesting to observe the variation in attitudes towards the “value” of my chosen profession. This can range from being hailed as the hero who created the blueprint for the...
In the residential sector of the landscape industry, it’s tough to make a good living purely delivering design services. It’s common, if not the norm, for the design department of design-build firms to break even at best, much to the disappointment of their designers...
Most residential landscape designers and design-build landscape contractors take longer than they should to guide their clients from the design and costing phase of a project into the construction phase. As a guy whose entire business is based around helping...
Four out of five landscape contractors who are trying to develop the design arm of their construction businesses, struggle with design fees. They have trouble communicating the value of design to their clients, they lack confidence in discussing what’s involved in the...
Several times a week, I’m asked by people from our industry, mostly landscapers, if I have any suggestions for how they might go about attracting new clients to their business. Most, if not all of them are interested in appealing to wealthy clients. Up until that...
It’s now been a month since you first dropped by Jim and Heather’s home to discuss their hopes and dreams, needs and wants, likes and dislikes. You’ve put together a design which they’re clearly very excited about, you’ve spent hours with a ruler and calculator...
