![]() ![]() In terms of cash flow, collecting is one of the biggest challenges especially for small firms – and yet, the AIA Handbook has very little advice to offer on things like what information an invoice should contain, how it should be presented, or what to do if payments are not received in a timely fashion. Yes, the design work is important because after all, that’s why your clients are coming to you. If you don’t know how to ask for money for your services in a way that gets you paid, the consequences are obvious.īilling should be treated as one of the fundamental business practices of small and large firms alike, rather than an afterthought. Needless to say, these self-deluding habits don’t serve anyone – not you, and not your clients, either. ![]() Then they send a huge invoice, and the fight happens anyway, only it’s worse than ever. Some designers may try to hold off on invoicing until the client is too emotionally invested in the project to back out. Or she may feel that the relationship that she has with her clients is so personal, so delicate, that even a single invoice would drive them all away. A designer may feel embarrassed to be demanding specific sums of money from his clients. ![]() Invoicing and collecting payment are a key element in the designer-client relationship, one which is often overlooked particularly with small firms serving private residential clients. “I attach this invoice to the sub-consultant agreement so that the sub-consultants can see how the information they provide to me is in turn provided to the client.” What should be shown on the invoice? “Sometimes the owner gives us an invoice template,” says Bernard. “The contract is the memory of the project, with all parties signatory.” “Use the contract to convey established billing practice,” advises Bernard. “We need to increase our value with our clients as service providers, and part of providing good service is to show a clear-headed understanding of money,” advises Michael Bernard. ![]() Put these photos side by side to increase the dramatic effect.By Rebecca Firestone with Mark English AIA | Other Voices Everybody loves seeing before/after photos. You’re probably already taking a few photos for your own reference your company Facebook/Yelp page. Some companies include the number of people working on a project to further justify their final price.įinally, include a few photos of the work done. Write that it’s for labor, including how much you charge for labor per hour and the number of hours the job will take. You’ll also want to include labor costs in the same way. It’s generally a good idea to include a serial number or ID numbers for materials used in case you want to do a follow-up job and want to use the same materials. When you list the materials, include the description of the materials, the quantity you’ll need, the cost per piece, and the total amount of that material. Your description should also be easy for the customer to understand, so they know exactly what work was done. You may refer to your invoices in the future, so the details will help you remember exactly what you did. Mention any specifics, not just the general type of job, where possible. The description of the work to be done should be brief, but it should be detailed as well. ![]()
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