Question
Hello there, I live in a small town and saw that they are accepting bids for someone to design a park, dog walk, campground. I have no experience in design. I would love to take a shot at it but Im not sure. I have plenty of ideas but i havent the slightest clue at what to price to put for the design any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,

Jenny JOse

Answer
I think "I have no experience in design" says it all.  Jenny, I'm going to be speak frankly, so if you feel inclined to venture into park design with no formal training, then hang on, and good luck!  I will be saying this not to upset you, but keep in mind, this is a public facility; There are liability issues if it gets done poorly or haphazardly.  If you truly have no experience before this project, I'd consider partnering with someone who could help your great ideas get put into a form that is "build able" (Landscape Architect,Architect, or a contractor).  Having said that, I've seen lots of successful places designed by artists, community activists, neighborhood groups, and the like.  It is a public place usually designed with lots of public input.

Typically there is a packet of basic information available from either the city staff or the community administrator, mayor, or community leader so that all who offer services can be evaluated on the same basis by the agency that is asking for the work.  For example - how big is the project? Who will it serve?  How will it get built?  All factors in pricing your services.

Price is the least of it.  Each state upholds certain basic requirements for public safety, usually though licensing of Landscape Architecture.  Only Colorado, Vermont & New Hampshire have no such licensing requirements, relying instead on a sort of apprenticeship arrangement for designer competency.  If you live in any of these three states, check with their State Consumer Affairs or Department of Occupation regulator.

As far as professional fees, they vary, based on regional demand.  We typically figure out how long it will take, then multiply that time by our billing rates, then convert that into a "Lump Sum" not-to-exceed fee.  The hourly rate is a combination of labor cost, overhead, and profit.  Some clients prefer hourly rates.  If you have no experience in how long it will take you to design this park and campground, there are professional resources that may assist you in this.  The book, Timesaver Standards for Landscape Architecture is a good place to start.  Check it out at Amazon.com or on the net elsewhere.  Other neat stops on the web are the National Recreational Parks Association (NRPA.org), and also check out an example of a great community build park in Idaho - http://www.idahoparksinc.com/community.htm

There lots of are time-estimating books and software programs that help a project designer "guess" at how long a task may take.  Our company has a tremendous resource - completed jobs versus our estimate of time for the job before we start.  We can usually get within 2% of actual costs because of out track record.  We would most likely be the type of folks you would be competing against when submitting a proposal for services.  If it truly is a small project, it could be perfect to get your "feet wet" because it would be too small for our company to bother with.

Each site is different, and each client is different.  Some require LOTS of what I call "fuss" time, while others just jump out of the computer and into the ground.  So, add time for project administration, meetings - public & private, plus graphics preparation time for these meetings.  People like "pretty pictures" of ideas before you start digging holes and planting trees.

Hope it hasn't been too discouraging (or lengthy!).  Great ideas come from all sorts of places, not just professional designer's heads...don't give up if you truly want to pursue this dream!