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• PRO

  Richard Gadsby March 25, 2016 at 12:34am

  If people's first question is how much is your hourly rate it sets alarm bells off.
  I do charge by the hour but don't set rate until I've seen the job as it could be horrid which sends the rate up!!
  Give advice it will lead to sales in the end but don't give work for too little. Just be polite.
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  Mitchel ingham March 25, 2016 at 6:55am

  I usually ask what the job entails over the phone for starters then when I get to job I start asking questions like have you had any other quotes do you have an idea of how much your looking to spend or a budget in mind.
  
  I know how you feel I'm quoting two landscaping projects at the moment one at 4.5k and other at 2k and if neither come off I'll have wasted hours getting prices togeather.
• PRO

  Gary RK March 25, 2016 at 8:08am

  Good reading and advice found here ......
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    Craig Flatters > Gary RK March 25, 2016 at 8:30am

    Cheers Gary, good article. I'll take up the advice in it, see how it works for me.
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  Billybop March 25, 2016 at 8:32am

  Yes there's often a perception that we are some monty don style bubbling fount of horticultural wisdom, in some ways being asked the hourly rate first is actually a good opportunity to take an obviously unfruitful telephone or email enquiry no further, and avoid potential embarrassment and a wasted trip to view a garden where the clients are unable or unwilling to pay one's rate. In fact even if they don't ask but one gets the impression that they think they are dealing with the £5-£10/hour brigade I will light heartedly drop into the conversation that i'm very good but very expensive, but in life the cheapest isn't always the best, a bit of a risk there that I will lose a genuine job but in general if they don't baulk at that then they are probably worth dealing with... As for the people picking your brains for free without it leading to any work, maybe offer the punters who you get bad vibes about, a "Garden Consultation Service" where for a small fee (refundable against work done) you will do your best tichmarsh impression
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    Mitchel ingham > Billybop March 25, 2016 at 8:35am

    Last bit seems a good idea haha love it
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  Thermo March 26, 2016 at 7:58am

  always a difficult one. mixture of good questions on the phone and a bit of gut instinct. normally the phrase do you do free quotes or we need to get the garden done after the builders and we havent much money left, or my husband can do the labouring, or we can we get the materials ourselves, sends the alarm bells ringing.

  mind you sometimes the advice for a quick phone call can lead to a job out of it, so you never know
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  Rosalind Rosewarne March 26, 2016 at 10:23am

  I'm a garden designer so slightly different but of late have started enforcing my website stated hourly initial consult rate due to timewasters and people wanting your time, you to travel to them and your advice but are not willing to pay for it. I offset this fee against any work commissioned thereafter.

  That way I get paid for my time and expertise regardless.
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  Joe Collinson March 26, 2016 at 11:44am
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  Michael Lowe March 26, 2016 at 12:18pm

  A lot of sensible answers. Though I would never use the phrase im expensive or too expensive or im very good. Nobody likes a tradesmen or designer or whatever who is too far up there own arse either! Just show confidence in your professional ability by stating your rate straight off the cuff! No sense in beating about the bush. With a certain amount of tactfulness and always polite I inject or steer the conversation towards rates discussion quite soon in the meeting if the alarm bells go off as another member mentioned: loud and clear are: we've just finished the building work and working on a tight budget now! Depending on the scale of the job you need to be clear with the client about realistic possibilities, because often they have no idea how costly it can be. Just always put yourself in your prospective clients shoes and think, how would I see it or how would I feel if I was strung along?? I still struggle to this day with this whole debacle! Some people are really crafty and those that are self employed themselves are the trickiest because they know the ins and outs of negotiation! Usually. And as John Fulton mentioned it's the nature of the beast, potential clients shopping around. Giving your rate fairly early in the conversation will always save you a lot of time, as already mentioned it will separate the wheat from the chaff or should I say chavs?!!