How many bids should I give away for free versus charge for design?
Short answer
A straightforward walk-and-price bid is free. Real design work, drawings, or multiple concept revisions is a paid service, always.
Where the free line ends
Walking a job, measuring, and giving a price is sales work, and it should be free, that's how you win the job. The moment you're drawing layouts, sourcing finish options, or doing multiple rounds of concepts before a signed contract exists, you're doing design work for someone who hasn't committed to you yet.
Charge a design fee that's credited back if they sign the contract. This filters out people who are collecting free plans to shop three other contractors, and it makes the ones who do sign feel like they got value, not a favor.
How to introduce the fee without sounding defensive
Most homeowners have never had a contractor charge for design and don't know it's normal, so frame it plainly the first time it comes up, not apologetically. Explain what it covers and that it comes off the final price if they move forward.
If a customer balks at a design fee, that's useful information early, before you've sunk free hours into someone who was never going to hire you.
Introducing a design fee
Customer
“So can you just draw up a few layout options for us to look at?”
You
“Sure, that's design work, it's $450 for a set of two layout concepts. If you sign a contract with us, that full amount comes off the project price.”
Customer
“Oh, I didn't realize that cost extra.”
You
“Totally normal question. The walkthrough and ballpark price are always free, it's the drawn-out design options that take real time on our end.”
Design fee math
| Design fee charged | $450 |
|---|---|
| Credited to project if signed | $450 (100%) |
| Net cost to customer if they hire you | $0 |
| Cost to you if they don't hire you | $0 (fee covers your time) |
The math: Design fee = your hourly design time, fully credited if the contract is signed, kept if it isn't.
Where owners get this wrong
- Giving away drawings and concept work for free and hoping goodwill converts to a signed job.
- Charging for a basic price walkthrough, which should stay free to keep the sales funnel open.
- Not explaining the credit-back clearly, which makes the fee feel punitive instead of fair.
Ask your version of this question
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Now run it against your numbers.
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