Concept vs. Final Designs: Do's and Don'ts

I learned this fall when it's appropriate to draft a concept plan versus a final plan. Some potential clients asked us for a plan, along with an estimate. I spent hours on the base plan, design, plant selection, and detailed estimate.  I presented everything at our follow up meeting, and they seemed excited about the project, but were a bit hesitant about the price. After several follow-up emails and phone calls, I never heard from them again. I won't write them off for spring quite yet, but I'm not counting on them calling back. It was frustrating for me and I'm sure the company, because they paid me for all my work,  for which I was planning on billing the client. 

Final Plan

 

 Plant List

This is a great example of keeping it simple in the beginning design phase. Clients don't need a plant list at the first meeting. They probably just want a ballpark estimate and some ideas for their landscape. I learned this is Design 101 (not the exact class name), but didn't really learn it until now.

So, my goal for the next projects are to convey the idea without being bogged down by details. I'll try to follow these points:

• Remember that the first design is a concept plan. That means it is a general notion or idea. It is a lure to attract the clients to a final design and signing a contract.

• Don't spend too many non-billable hours on something to which the client doesn't have to commit. This includes design work, plant selection, and estimating.

My goal is to revisit these often to keep me on track and to hopefully speed up the design process.