Dear Dakota,

I am struggling with my fee structure proposals whereby I make good profit but also retain clients, make them happy, and get repeat business.

For instance, I’m bidding on a ground-up assisted living residence. Rooms will be replicated (cookie-cutter) and public spaces aren’t vast. I don’t yet know the budget and this is my client’s first time with a project like this. 

Help!

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Dear Dakota,

Our clients feel nickel and dimed paying for freight, receiving, storage, and white glove delivery. I want to consolidate these costs and collect them when invoicing for the product. How do I calculate what this number should be?

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Dear Dakota,

What’s the best practice for handling requests from clients about furniture that shows wear and tear or gets damaged after a period of time from regular use after they’ve moved in and the project is finished? Seems our clients expect that everything we source should be durable, and if it’s not, we should address the issues no matter how long it’s been.

On the one hand, I understand the frustration that some pieces aren’t as durable, but on the other hand, the less durable pieces are often the ones that were sourced with budget in mind (per client's request) - so they are not custom pieces, and not manufactured with high-quality finishes. So it is not surprising that these issues come up.

Our contract states we are not responsible for quality defects, but clients still view us as being on the hook since we chose these items for them. However, we want to preserve the relationship so we often submit the claims to our vendors. Some will gladly send replacements, but others won't. I want our clients to have a good experience and love everything we choose for them - so I try to make sure even the budget items last - but there has to be a better way to move forward - I can't be on the hook forever.

I don't know how to tell my clients they can't expect me to be there forever to help replace items without paying me for the time.

I'd love to hear your insights.

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Dear Dakota,

Should I charge clients a different flat fee for projects my junior designer completes versus ones I complete?

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Dear Dakota,

Should I post my fees on my website? And how do I do it if every project is different?

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Dear Dakota,

Although I have completed several kitchen and bath projects, I don't market myself as a K&B designer because I haven’t found the service to be profitable. Is that an area I should expand my business into? And what advice do you have for how to make these projects more profitable?

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When it comes to interior design projects, transparency in pricing is key to establishing trust and ensuring a successful collaboration between you and your clients. When I say transparency, I don’t mean you should pass along your trade pricing, disclose proprietary to-the-trade vendor information, or explain how you came to your (or your team’s) hourly rate.

Yeah, no. ← and if a potential client requests this information from you … RUN.

Or if a … clears throat … “business coach” puts out a blanket statement that it’s illegal to charge markup … RUN.

What I’m saying is …