Who says clients don't pay for modeling?

[gpickren]

Chris, I had not read the latter post. It came in while I was writing mine. In my opinion the presentation should begin at the first appointment. That does not mean that we would necessarily present a design for them, but demonstrate how we go about the design process and show how other designs were developed. For example we sold one client by showing him the red trimmed house above and then the other example and explained to him why the homeowner likely could not see what he was getting. This client picked up on this right away.

All my designing is for design build so the budget is of utmost importance up front. I was a lender for 30 years so I am not in the habit of leaving the budget development in the hands of the client anymore than I would simply go out and draft their design sketch. Homeowners have no idea what their budget should be or how to go about it.

As to drafting, if I had someone who was an efficient and accurate draftsman I wouldn't care how he did it. Autocad, hand drawing, whatever. However, these seem to be quite rare so I am attempting to see exactly how much of the construction drawings can be templated. This is not my area of expertise, nor does it have great appeal to me, but I recognize there are those who are gifted in this area. It is like bookkeeping. I hate to do it, but recognize how critical it is and that a good one is worth her weight in gold. I say her simply because all the good ones I ever had were women.

My whole point in this thread simply is that if one is considering the modeling to be a separate product to be sold, that they are missing the greater point. It can be a separate product marketed to builders or other designers as Jason and others are doing, but I think the Larez has the better vision. He appears to be using his models to sell Larez, his design capabilities and his ability to present that to the one who writes the check. If I am a architectural client and I have to choose between a designer who can show me every aspect of my new house and one who can only give me plans that I cannot read or understand, I am going with where I am comfortable and, I believe, that all things being equal the modeling will sell them.

When my slideshow fades from a clients existing house to the new one and he says "wow" I know that I am on target. How many clients go "wow" over a blueprint?

In my experience the only things the clients are interested in seeing are the renderings (live or printed) and the floor plan, in that order. Everything else is for the builder unless the client is an engineer, lawyer or maybe an accountant.