Designers and residential planners benefit from placing in writing the agreement between practitioners and the client. These are legal contracts and are an important part of protecting both the client and the professional.
Assignment Description
Various types of contracts are available to designers. Copies of these contracts can be obtained from professional organizations. However, many designers also write their own contracts for small residential jobs.
Assignment Step-by-Step Instructions
Create a letter of agreement for a project that includes the following necessary elements:
Write an introduction: Include a few sentences to introduce the project.
Identify the parties: State the name and address of the client.
Specify the areas to be designed: List the number of rooms and describe each room if handling changes.
Specify design services to be rendered: Detail the sequential development of the design phases and your method of operation to complete the project.
Provide purchasing details: Detail the purchasing arrangements, such as ordering of goods, services upon receipt of goods, deposits, terms of pricing, and payment for goods.
Provide compensation details: Detail how you will charge for the design services to your client. These charges should include disbursements, additional fees, and payment.
Identify collateral material: This element is a general category that addresses topics that do not fit into the previous categories, such as:
Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
Disclaimers of the designer’s responsibilities
Rights to photograph and publish work
Third-party services
Arbitration processes
Provide a closing paragraph: Don’t forget a closing paragraph that includes a space for the date of the agreement along with your and your client’s signatures. The letter of agreement must have a professional appearance and should incorporate any graphics utilized in your resume and cover letter.
