[Fine Edge]

Nice point Chris. I mostly agree with agla on the size of the project that requires some type of project management or contract administration but when you are the designer and have 5,6 or 7 different subs on a job, it IS the best interest of the client to have someone supervise to some degree.
Even though our economy is better than most around here, the larger jobs ( over $100k) are definitely going to be the ones that have a better chance to make that extra 10 - 15%.
But designer beware:::: The norm for higher priced landscapes around here seem to involve the builder getting 10% of the landscaping budget to also act as a project manager. This was the case on our last project and when the client told me this news, I was sorta dumbfounded. My client talked the builder down to 5% but we also had a decent design fee as well as management fee. For a builder to get even 5% of a landscape budget when they have nothing to do with it seems ridiculous.
But, with hiring the right subs and working closely with the builder and client, everything turned out great.
You just have to have enough experience to be able to pick out the right subs when, for example, you get 4 quotes for brick columns ( 25 ), 2.5' knee wall between the columns ( 516 linear feet) and aluminum fencing on top of knee wall.
2 quotes around $62,000.
1 quote around $90,000.
1 quote around $114,000.
HUH? Now it's time to figure out who is for real and who is not.
In the end, I dug the footers, installed the rebar and poured the footer. Then let my masons do the brick and subbed out the aluminum. Made more money that way and looks like we all thought it should.

As far as management fees for projects that are fairly simple, I doubt there's much of a market.

[schleng]

The only thing I might add, or repeat what others have said is the following:

Do not lower the fee for what you think a design is worth based on hoping to get project administration. First of all, if the design takes more time than expected, you'll feel you are not being compensated. Secondly, if you do not get to manage the installation, at least you will have been compensated fairly for the design.

Do not lower the project management fee...or what you think your time is worth at the minimum at least. Project management involves a huge amount of time, often with lots of headaches.

Susan

[agla]

It looks like we all did a much better job of articulating our thoughts on this subject because there is much more of a consensus than in previous threads. I think it worked out much better than just doing a search and reading the old threads.

[Fine Edge]

Agreed.

Now we must have a motto.

"I don't design for free, must get out of poverty."

It can also be used as a rally cry at gatherings.

[saslandscape]

Love that motto- thinking of putting it on all of my business cards