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It is as much disappointing that the Society of Garden Designers should publish an anonymous letter at all.
In my view, there is no credibility attached to a point of view if the commenter is unwilling to throw their hat into the ring by stating clearly who they are or who they represent.
Keep us posted.
Regards
Phil
I realy don't see what is wrong with the arrangement you have mentioned above, and would be surprised if it is not repeated in other situations where you have designers and others who create the design.
Assumedly Mr Anonymous is how the letter writer decided to identify himself, interesting then than that he then chooses to threaten to 'name and shame' those whose designs he has used to keep in business and make a profit while remaining anonymous so he can carry on doing so.
While I can appreciate that there are times when whistle blowing there is a definite advantage to remaining anonymous, if your setting out to ruin other people's reputation and business then be man enough to do it honestly and in the open.
My rather radical suggestion is that garden designers should get stuck in with their own team of landscapers, that way they would get in touch very quickly with the economic and practical aspects sometimes lacking in their experience. That's what I did. I went from design only to running my own design and build team, and its so much better to have it all under one roof and I learned a whole lot more too. I also think that would squeeze out the landscapers who are poor at design and raise the whole profile of the industry and give the public a better service.
If the designer didnt put your name forward as a contractor would you have got the work or even known about the work?? So would paying 10% be alot to pay when if the designer hadnt told you you would have had 90% of nothing??
I am a contractor not a designer and i owuld hope that if a contractor advised a client to enlist the services of a designer that the designer would do the same and pay a 'commission' fee to the contractor for the lead.
If a designer is charging a fair and reasonable fee (see the SGD fee scale. http://www.sgd.org.uk/resources/SGD_Fee_Guidance.pdf )
Then should they be asking for more?
The ethical issue is that this is a payment that will be added to a contract by the landscaper, but one that the client knows nothing about. Since the designer and landscaper are supposed to be working in the clients best interest this doesn't sit well.
Should the designer in their contract with the client, incorporate a Project management fee, say of 10%, to recomend contractors and oversee the job. Then the designer would justify the cost and also have to be active in dealing with the landscaper. By paying a comission does the client or landscaper get any additional input from the designer? when you are looking at projects over £100,000 10% seems alot of money to give away for no work.
If a job was in a tender situation then there would be a lot of technical detail which the designer would have charged for.
Ultimately we are all trying to promote a professional industry. If we ever hear of other industries giving commissions or 'kick-backs' we soon start to scream. Should we be any different?
If a designer has already has been commissioned to create a design for a set fee and that fee is to include the selection and appointment of a landscaper to carry out the work then I believe the practice of 'backhanders' is wrong.
If a designer has been commissioned to create a drawing for a fixed fee and then asked afterwards to recommend a landscaper for the construction I feel that a reasonable 'finders fee' is justified but this should be paid by the landscaper from the fee that has been accepted.
The landscaper must make the decision in advance as to whether the addition of a further cost will reduce his or her chance of being successful.
As long as all transactions are carried out in an honest and transparent manner and all parties are clear on the terms of engagement then ultimately, the client will be able to assess what is the best route for him or her to follow.
Clive Warwick said:
we even get a bonus at work for finding new contracts or extra work.
mr anonymous can stick it,....STEVE LOFTUS
In particular that it should be the designers who expand their businesses to include landscaping. Surely if a landscaper has issues paying commission to designers for getting work then surely the answer would be for that landscaper to employ their own designer?