Frequently Asked Questions
How does Mary Donovan charge for her design services?
Design consultation & specification services are billed by the hour, i.e. a Professional Design Fee, with payment due at time of service. Payment can be made with cash or by check. The check should be made out to the firm, DONOVAN DESIGN, LLC. A receipt can be issued for cash payments.
Billable time starts as soon as Mary Donovan arrives at your property. Once the time exceeds the minimum requirement any further time used is billed in minute increments, not rounded up to the next half hour or hour. In other words, you only pay for the time you use.
Instead of charging a travel fee, Mary has come up with a way of assuring you always get design work for your financial investment in her services. Homes within a 30 minute one way drive from the design firm's location in Cumming, GA have a one hour minimum charge per meeting. Homes located between 30 minutes & one hour from DONOVAN DESIGN, LLC have a two hour minimum charge per meeting. Clients located a greater distance than one hour travel time from the design firm will be quoted individual minimums.
Design and specification services performed by Mary, such as phone conferences, email consultations, research and scouting/shopping for merchandise, are undertaken with the client's prior approval and billed at the regular hourly rate. There is no hourly minimum requirement for work performed at the design firm.
Does the firm charge the same hourly rate if Mary acts as my project manager?
No, the Project Management Fee is usually half the regular Professional Design Fee. Only properties located within a 30 minute drive from the design firm are eligible for project management services. Onsite project management work also carries the one hour minimum per visit. Only properties where Mary Donovan has done all the design/specifications are eligible for project management services.
What is the benefit of hiring Mary Donovan to manage a project?
Are you too busy with work & or family to feel you can successfully oversee your remodeling or new construction project? Are you uncomfortable working with contractors or feel you don't know enough about construction and products to protect your interest? Having Mary oversee your project, or at least assist in overseeing it, helps assure that the original design concept will be carried out by the contractors. Any contracts for labor services or products are made directly between you and the contractor or store. This affords you maximum protection and control over money in case something goes wrong with the store or contractor. You can also take advantage of store specials and use your preferred credit cards with the stores. You will always get to decide when & how much project management you want from DONOVAN DESIGN.
Can I just get good design ideas from Mary and then do my own shopping and deal directly with contractors I already know or find on my own?
Absolutely, plus Mary Donovan will be happy to share the names & numbers of favorite contractors & sources with you as long as she has already done the design/specification work for those elements of your project. Neither Mary Donovan nor DONOVAN DESIGN, LLC owns any of the other companies and, therefore, cannot guarantee their work. It is up to you, the client, to interview whomever you want and decide who you wish to hire or buy products from for your project.
Why should I hire Mary Donovan when I can get the big box stores to draft my kitchen for free?
Mary often suggests to clients a way to get the best of both worlds. She is your design expert, is well versed in how each aspect of your home interacts with the whole. Mary Donovan will recommend products & contractors that should give you good results. You never have to worry about Mary recommending one product over another because she makes a larger commission. Mary takes no commission!
Why not consult on the kitchen or bath with Mary, first. Then have the installation firm, i.e. big box (Home Depot or Lowes) or major kitchen contractor draft the room to scale for free instead of paying Mary to draft it. Then you and Mary review the drawings to make certain they will meet your needs. You order the product and installation from the big box, taking advantage of their buying power/ warranties and they recover their drafting fee through their commission. It is a win, win solution.
Does Mary do color consultations over the internet?
Color varies from one camera to the next and from one computer monitor to the next. Mary Donovan must be at your home, with the appropriate amount of daylight, in order to perform accurate color consultations. Rainy days, overcast days and snow days are not suitable for color selection so sometimes appointments have to be rescheduled.
Speaking engagements can be done anywhere in the country but design consultations only take place in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.
Will I still feel this is my home when Mary Donovan is done and not a home with a designer's stamp on it?
Yes, it will still be your home, with your collections & favorite style, only put together in a better way. Mary Donovan will be maximizing the home's architectural interests, improving traffic circulation, and achieving a comfortable, welcoming environment.
Contact Mary Donovan to schedule your interior design or exterior design consultation today.