Got My First Retainer...

ruskent

As you guys know i am a design/build landscape co. Majority of my compeititors will give the client a full property plan, draw by a LA in full color for free with their proposals.

Now, this method must work good for these companies if they keep on doing it.


BUT i think its a bad idea. I've recently had a few customers fax my proposals to the other companies bidding the same project. Even though they blocked out my prices, i was still annoyed by that. I couldn't give out my plans/concept drawings, since i do not leave them with the customers.

Overall i got tired of typing of detailed proposals.

SO i decided on the next one, i'd talked about my ideas with the customer, give them some ballpark prices, give them references, etc etc, and if they wanted to lay out $1000 retainer i'd Draw up the plans and give them a detailed proposal.


Plans belong to the customer if they decided not to hire me for the work.

Well the first customer i asked for it went for it.

My friend who recommened this method to me, (who happens to be in another business where designs are always neccessary), says he has a 99% closing rate once he gets that retainier.




Anyone else doing anything like this?

POOLMANinCT

I do it all the time.....
site plans & technical specs are my intellectual property..... I won't even release a technical drawing for renovation, of the HOs existing pool...

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......Less with the jaw & More with the paw.....

Mike Finley

Round here, we've got landscape designers who just do land scape design, last time I checked they charged about $350 for a full blown design including plans and a list of plantings. Some of these designers are attached to green houses, some are lanscapers who will then do the landscaping work and plantings.

So you doing it as a retainer instead of a plan design shouldn't be a problem, if you can get $1000 on a regular basis even better. I wouldn't say there wouldn't be people willing to pay $1000 for a landscape design, but it would seem to be on the very high end around here.

Greg Di

I do it too.

In fact, I just had a new client drive to my house to drop off the pre-contract fee on Saturday.

Gotta love it when they come knock on your door...literally!

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ruskent

The 1000 is not just for the design. Its also for my time to price it out.

I work the cost of the plan into the job, so its not like i am telling people it will cost X for a design.

dirt diggler

i think it's GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!