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I definitely charge for design consultations. I charge $75 for a two-hour consultation, which is credited back to them if they decide to hire me to create a landscape plan. If they just want an estimate and aren't sure if they want to go with me, I give them my general ballpark figures for doing a design ($800-1200 is the average cost for small residential gardens and it moves up from there), some ref's, and addresses where they can view my past work. I am happy to talk on the phone for free.
Only took one a$$hole to pick my brain and use my ideas to DIY to make me rethink the free consult idea.
If they want to tire-kick myself and the competition, they can pay me for my time, and I will give them every idea I can come up with in that time, so even if they don't go with me for a design, they've gotten something from the consult that they can use with another person or on their own.
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