Free Advice - Town Planning and Design

I'm very happy to post in this forum and make comment or answer questions, but questions about specific properties or specific opportunities require a little careful assessment and consideration.

My practice offers a 30 minute first consultation free. Sometimes that leads to a project, sometimes not. That's ok.

My question is about what happens next - when someone calls about a second or third property for a "quick look". There is a sense that the advice is always going to be "free".

So what are people willing to pay for preliminary advice and comments? Is an on-going retainer worthwhile where someone asks about multiple properties and haw should that be costed
?

If I ask my accountant or lawyer a question, I get charged. As a Town Planner and Architect with over 40 years of experience, the advice I give is high quality. Why do people think it should be free, and how can I change that outlook.
Thanks

 

And how do other professionals deal with a similar situation?

 

General advice/basic issue = freebie

Detailed advice (need to refer to a lease, DA, legislation, etc) ≠ free.

 

Always helpful to know that one can have a 30 minute chat with an expert for a reasonable fee. Reduces the barrier to engaging.

 

I’m always happy to pay for services received and wouldn’t have any issues with paying for initial advice on a hourly basis. I would expect that it was be decent advice though and not just a meet & greet / sales pitch. I used to work in an industry where it was expected that initial advice and IP was free - seriously annoyed me and I wouldn’t do that to anyone else.

 

Architects or drafters I know usually provide a sales pitch or a free site massing drawing.

Some charge $1000-$1500 for a site massing if more than 3 or 4 townhouse

You should make it clear on your website or when you talk to them the 'cutoff' point. What you willing to provide for free versus paid.

I would be willing to pay $500 for a massing drawing and basic explanation of services and other restrictions in the area to consider for the feasibility. The level of free services you offer however can already be figured out by a developer.

The main thing is you'll probably get 10% developers that will keep going and 90% first timers who realise after you inform them that is too hard. So there's always going to be people asking you.

As a basic free service you could put on your website the most common questions that could save you 50% of calls and that way the people who do call you are more likely to be engaging you

 

One solution is to charge a fee for the initial consultation and offer to refund it if they become a client. Also get them to provide some preliminary info before the consultation so you can hone in on what they are hoping to achieve. I agree with @K168 about putting responses to common questions on your web site helps increase your credibility (even though it is not needed) and provides some free value to those looking for advice.

 

I have removed my phone number from websites and even got a new number for personal stuff now. No one can ring me anymore! If you are going to do this have a dedicated number.

Before I was getting calls all day long with 'quick questions' and asking me to recommend accountants, people trying for free legal advice etc.

I still provide a lot of free info by writing on the forums but only speak to paying clients.