On my blog, I share a lot about renderings (duh!)—both the artistic side and the business site. I have written about how I quote and don't give a number without seeing the project information. Some send me a vague description, and others send their plans and elevation; however, I need many things to get an accurate number. I don't think people are trying to lock in a low-number, knowing their project has some hidden obstacles (most projects have hidden obstacles), but I am sure some do.
Somehow 3004 Belmont slipped through the cracks with things that would have majorly changed what the project would have cost to be illustrated. Often materials are not ready, and I'll get a description like "exterior will be brick," as with this project, but brick with stone mixed in, in very particular places, changes the equation in a big way. Also, I don't think people switch and bait often, although I have seen it. 3004 Bemont's original submitted documents had a simple landscape plan, and updated plans got pretty specific, with a dozen particular tree and bush species.
My contract addresses these things. However, I rarely push the contract card, and I try to roll with the punches until I can't roll anymore. When these kinds of things happen, I remind my client that the request is called scope creep, and usually, people understand. In this project, I mentioned the scope creep, but I let it at that, and I continued with the project without making a fuss.
When a project is quoted, the number I give is what it'll cost. Like a lot of business models, they come in low, knowing they'll make their profit in markups. I don't do that. I understand that projects will creep, and I also understand that people have budgets. It would upset me going into a project with one number budgeted, knowing that whoever I hire dang well knew that the number will go up. Projects do creep, and I will, at some point, create an addendum, but that is when my time isn't being respected, and they are the ones trying to play the game that I refuse to play on them. This is when they know the number quoted will not cover the cost if the hidden things were revealed when the project is quoted. Having said all of this, 3004 Belmont is a small reminder to be on guard because, although this project didn't, some project's scope creep will be malicious and bury you, messing up all your other projects and cost you more than just money and time.
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