Design Is Not Free — And It Shouldn’t Be

Eric McQuiston’s article addresses something many in our industry feel but don’t always articulate clearly: the sales and design process has real value — and real cost.

Yes, Eric outlines consultation fees, retainers and tiered packages. But the most important takeaway isn’t the dollar amount.

It’s the mindset.

Too often in residential landscape design/build, the thinking, sketching, measuring, revising, estimating and reworking are treated as a courtesy — an add-on — or worse, a giveaway. Yet that early-stage creativity and planning is where the project’s success is born. It is where vision meets feasibility. Where budget meets reality. Where experience prevents costly mistakes.

And that work is not free.

Real design requires:

• Years of experience
• Technical knowledge
• An understanding of construction realities
• Awareness of long-term maintenance implications
• Communication skills
• Tools, software and systems
• And most of all, time

The irony? The more seamless a project looks in the field, the more invisible the thinking behind it becomes.

If we, as an industry, consistently give that thinking away, we unintentionally teach clients that it has no value. And once something is perceived as free, it is difficult to reposition it as essential.

This conversation matters across all sectors — designers, contractors and maintenance professionals alike. When design intent is rushed, undervalued or skipped entirely, everyone downstream pays for it. Budgets stretch. Details get compromised. Maintenance becomes reactive instead of strategic.

Each company must determine its own structure and pricing model. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. But the principle remains the same: creativity, planning and professional insight deserve compensation.

Charging appropriately for consultation and planning is not about being transactional. It is about being sustainable.

It signals professionalism.
It qualifies serious clients.
It elevates the perception of our craft.
And it protects the long-term health of our businesses.

At SYNKD, we believe that when design, build and maintain professionals operate in sync, the entire industry rises . Valuing the design process is part of that elevation.

Don’t undervalue your work.
Don’t apologize for your expertise.
And don’t confuse generosity with sustainability.

When we respect our time and our craft, clients tend to do the same.