How large design organizations receive orders. Business for a designer - design firm

Your first million.

Today in Russia, if you really want to make money, it is to earn money, and not to indulge yourself with illusions about the “money fall” while lying on the bed, or sitting at the computer, it is possible only in the area that is in demand. The question immediately arises: what is relevant today? Where and how - you ask. I will say right away: I don’t think that you can earn enough money (well, everyone has their own “ceiling”, and the concept of “money” too) selling ice cream (if you don’t have your own factory for its production, otherwise it’s not a business, but just resale), the organization of "hotels" for pets, the organization of various dubious (in terms of payback) "productions", such as the production of candles, calendars, etc. We will aim at the leading area in terms of production: Construction! So, to business!

Design firm.
Conditions: You have a computer, Internet access, e-mail, you know what Word and Excel are, you know how to speak technically competently. The latter is necessary, since, after all, you can hire a hungry student of a technical university, preferably a builder. At this preparatory period ends, let's get to work!

Now we need a Customer! I won’t say that it’s easy to find the Customer, but you can find him if you wish. There are several ways, here is one of them: go to the public procurement website and see who won this or that tender (auction) for design. Do not be afraid of numbers with many zeros! You haven't grown up to them yet! Look for within 2-3 million rubles. Find a few firms that have won a particular design tender. Now you need to call them and offer your services as a subcontractor for a symbolic cost, while telling and describing what orders you have completed and what you can do. Believe - you can EVERYTHING! (but more on that later).

The fact is that not all design firms have a full staff, and there is a situation that there is no one to do any section of the project documentation, that is, there is no specialist. And you have to look for a specialist on the side. This is where you come in with your proposal. After discussing all the issues with the General Contractor, namely: which section is given to you, deadlines, discussing working moments, such as registration, etc.

You leave to do your job. It should be noted that government orders for design are usually laid out in early spring or winter, rarely in autumn. This is done so that the company that undertook to make the project could complete the work by the beginning of the construction season, that is, by the summer.

Not the fact that you will find a company that will give you an order right away. In this case, there is a second option to find a job: in any locality, the administration has a department of architecture. You have a direct path there. Usually civil servants, who are forbidden to have side earnings, open a “home firm” at their department. Most likely, your administration also has such a company.

There is a lot of design work in the architecture department, believe me! This is how it turns out that they give the work to themselves, do it during working hours, and have a good salary. But here's the problem: not all jobs can be handled. Well, since you can do everything (more on this in the second step, I will explain why you can do everything), then go ahead!

The third option to find an order already requires a small investment. Place advertisements in printed publications that you provide services for the design of residential buildings. A small digression: by law, any design organization is required to have membership in an SRO (this is something like a license to carry out a certain type of work), but there is a small loophole with which this law can be circumvented. The fact is that during the construction of buildings (private houses for example) with a height of up to three floors inclusive, project documentation as such is not required. That is, it is not subject to special verification.
With the help of this loophole, we will design houses for individuals, for cash. True, in this case, you will still have to fork out for an A3 printer (about 11 thousand rubles) to print finished projects. So, using all three ways to find customers, you can find a job. Well, now directly to the performance of the work, using the example of what you were given to earn on a subcontract.

We pass to the second stage. At the second stage, you go to the Internet, look for forums on our topics, register on these forums and post an ad for freelancers. Believe me: the offers will not keep you waiting long.
On the first day there will be several applications. You negotiate the conditions under which they agree to work, choose the most beneficial for you, issue the TOR received from the General Contractor and wait. Depending on the amount of work, the terms are up to a week, especially if the section is quite large, then there are preliminary sketches that require coordination with the General Contractor.
Your freelancer will send you intermediate versions of the work, you show these results and agree with your customer. It is not necessary to issue the results of the work, albeit preliminary ones, in the AutoCAD file format. Ask for them to be sent to you in pdf format. So it will be calmer for both your mercenary and you.

Well, the job is finally done. You are paid, you in turn pay your virtual worker. Usually, depending on the object and the amount of work performed (the number of completed sections), the amount that remains in the bottom line can reach 100-150 thousand rubles. This is only from one object, and who prevents to conduct another object in parallel?! Over time, having gained experience, and having already opened your own company with a current account, you will be able to take the General Contract yourself, but that's another story.

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Anastasia

I would like to design residential and public buildings, but this question scares me: "Where can I find a customer?"

Denis

How much do you want for your work?

Misha

Anastasia, we ourselves are struggling with this issue :-). It has become especially "fun" since this autumn. Even prospective Customers

decided to wait. Our approach: Professionalism, complexity, mobility, accessibility. But it is not always necessary to follow the lead of the Customer or the Contractor. Success colleague!

Anastasia

Denis, please tell us what exactly interests you? Such issues are discussed in person and at a meeting! I can assure you that the company's services are not expensive!

Anastasia

Michael, tell me what is the name of your company and what city are you in? If not a secret of course? And how do you go to the customer, or does he find you?

Edward

It has become more difficult to find customers for PIR now. Our design organization is in a similar situation. Funding for construction has been drastically reduced. Try to actively promote the organization's advertising, participate in forums, exhibitions, conferences. Go to budget sources, participate in auctions :-), and, finally, the main thing is that you do the work efficiently and on time: often new customers are found through your old customers. Good luck

Oleg

I agree with Edward. The main thing is to do your job, extremely high quality. We have no problems with customers, although we have never given any advertising or PR. Our advertising is our job.

And another question. Designing what? What sections? Architecture, engineering? Each area has its own specifics.

Michael

I observe two types of designers in my life.

The former, sit in a good office, receive good money for the order, which is, as I assume, a form of bribe for the necessary subsequent approvals and permits.

The second are those to whom the first send the received technical specifications for design. Moreover, the former are not able to figure out what the latter will write. The second ones are far from seven spans in the forehead, but, apparently, the cheapest on the market. A normal designer does not fit into this scheme. I look with surprise at Luzhkov's construction sites. With all the evidence of his interests, I must admit that the project team working for him consists of people who are able and willing to work. I have never come across any of these. A bit envious. A lot of design work should have been in supermarket chains. I don't take Auchan and Perekrestok. Little cheap "Pyaterochka", "Kopeyki", "Avoska", they must develop, despite the crisis.

Tatiana

through acquaintances

Edward

I agree, but this is an option

Alexander

Anastasia Martynyuk Answer to you personally. I don’t know in which area you are a specialist, designer or architect? But I can advise a practical thing, go away from this region, absolutely seriously and without jokes. If you are still in Krasnodar! All those tips that you have been given or will be given for "G". Krasnodar are absolutely useless, I worked there for about 8 years. Therefore, I know firsthand about the system for distributing objects, and as for the private sector, even if you turn inside out, you will outdo Gaudi (if you are an architect) and just “bend” at work working for days on end you won’t earn normal money for life. There is a completely different approach. Everyone wants for free, or very very cheap, and the amount of work is maximum! Well, the Kuban customer does not understand what the designer needs to pay for, here are plumbers or tilers, yes, and you can see the work (in meters), and you can feel it! And here are some "papers" "pictures" what do these designers want, what do they pay money for?

Michael

* Calculations use average data for Russia

Once upon a time, the work of an engineer was considered low-paid and not at all prestigious. However, today the situation has changed dramatically. Good specialists receive decent wages and are worth their weight in gold. However, sooner or later, many of them get tired of working for "someone else's uncle", and they think about opening their own design organization. In general, this business is considered profitable, but not easy, especially for beginners. Regardless of whether you have experience in this area or you are just in the process of acquiring it, you should start with the development of a detailed business plan that takes into account all costs, determines the payback period and expected profit, and evaluates the prospects for its development.

Design organization is a profitable business

A project is a temporary undertaking that is intended to create unique products, services, or results of such work. A project organization, in turn, is understood as an organization whose main activity is the implementation of projects. At the same time, its main expense item is personnel costs. Design organizations include research institutes, design bureaus, design institutes, software developers and suppliers, design bureaus, audit, appraisal and consulting companies, etc. In each of these cases, the result of the organization's work is a specific project - a report or an article about a research, technological, project or design documentation, a prototype, a report, an advertising company, etc. What unites all companies that are so different at first glance is the fact that the main part of their expenses is the cost of maintaining a project team (although for example, equipment costs can also be significant).

First you need to decide what specialization your office will have. This, in turn, depends on the types of design work that you are going to do. We will understand what types of work are performed by design organizations. This can be an individual (control) and standard design or the development of individual solutions and regulatory documents. Individual design is the development of design and estimate documentation in a certain order established by SNiP 1.02.01-85: in one stage - a working draft or in two stages - a project and working documentation. The design company has the right to conduct engineering surveys and control the quality of construction work; design in the field of construction (residential buildings, commercial real estate, etc.); design in the field of architecture; technological design. Do not forget that a license is required to carry out design activities.

The profitability of this type of business can reach 20-30%.

Licensing of project activities

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The procedure for obtaining a license to carry out project activities depends on its scope. Of course, the most profitable thing, of course, is to draw up projects for geological exploration, which are drawn up taking into account the complexity of their implementation, the protection of the subsoil and the natural environment. But it is impossible to enter this market without vast experience and extensive connections, so let's consider the procedure for licensing a construction business, which is also profitable and highly competitive, but still more “real” for a young design company. The construction industry includes the construction of wooden houses, finishing and repair work, the construction of new reinforced concrete structures, and the actual design and survey activities. According to the law, both a legal entity and an individual entrepreneur (an individual registered with the tax office as a private entrepreneur) are entitled to obtain a license to conduct this activity.

The types of licenses, even within this area, also differ. They can be issued for design, for survey, engineering and installation work, for the construction of structures from various materials ... Since we are interested in design, we need to apply for a license for this type of activity to the State Committee for Construction and Housing and Communal Complex of the Russian Federation. The license is the permit itself and an application with a list of works that can be performed by the organization that received it. If you are applying for a license for the first time, then the maximum period of its validity will be three years. If you apply again, then in this case you can issue it for five years. For beginners, there is also a restriction on certain activities. It is removed only after three to four months from the start of work.

After working for some time, you can apply to expand the list of types of licensed work. It is not so easy to complete all the documents. To begin with, your organization must meet fairly strict requirements that apply to both staff and computer equipment and special programs for work. A minimum of two design specialists must be involved in any design work. Moreover, at least one of them must be a full-time employee of your company. Moreover, the total work experience in the specialty of this employee must be at least three years, which is confirmed by the submission of a copy of his work book. Computer equipment used to work on projects must meet all technical requirements. It goes without saying that all programs installed on your computers must be licensed.

The list of documents for issuing a construction license includes a notarized copy of the Enterprise Registration Certificate; a notarized copy of the Charter of the enterprise; a notarized photocopy of the certificate of IMNS on registration; a notarized copy of a certificate from the State Statistics Committee on the assignment of codes; a notarized copy of the memorandum of association (if any).

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If there were changes in the constituent documents, then you will also need to provide a certificate of changes in them (notarized). In addition, the bank details of the enterprise will be required; the actual address of the enterprise and the contact phone number of the governing body; information about the qualification structure of the enterprise (indicating the position, full name, education, work experience). For registration of qualification certificates, it is desirable to provide photocopies of diplomas, passports, certified by the seal of the company. Do not forget also about the lease for the office and the certificate of ownership (photocopy).

The procedure for submitting documents involves several stages:

preparation of a package of documents;

payment of official fees;

submission of documents to the Federal Licensing Center;

obtaining a license.

After you submit a complete package of necessary documents for obtaining a license, their verification is scheduled, and after two to three weeks the applicant receives either a positive or negative decision from the inspection.

However, the difficulty of obtaining a license for design work lies not only and not so much in meeting all the requirements for this type of activity. Although under the law, the economic activity of designing construction objects is subject to licensing, in practice, obtaining the necessary permit is often a very long and expensive process, which you need to be prepared for. If you do not have experience in obtaining a license, then it is better to seek help from a law firm that will take care of all the preparation and submission of documents.

Opening a design office

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As a suitable organizational and legal form for conducting project activities, either an LLC (limited liability organization) or an LLP (limited liability partnership) with a model charter is suitable. LLP is a type of economic organization created by agreement of legal entities or individuals by combining their contributions in cash or in kind. This option is easier to register, but has its own pitfalls. Be sure to study all the nuances before submitting documents. Decide in advance on the tax regime. The most beneficial is the tax regime based on a simplified declaration. You can register a company on your own, without resorting to the services of intermediaries. But it is advisable to first consult with a lawyer in order to choose the best option for you and insure yourself against possible problems in the future.

Even at the stage of obtaining a license, start looking for a suitable place for the office of your company. Most entrepreneurs are considering mainly premises in the city center. However, in large cities, it is worth considering the option of renting an office in one of the developed “sleeping” areas. The main thing is the availability of nearby parking space and convenient transport interchange. In the city center, the cost of rent may turn out to be unreasonably high, and due to constant traffic jams during working hours, it will not be convenient for all your potential clients to get to your office. It is desirable that the office be spacious enough - from 50-60 sq. meters. It can be standard - divided into offices or organized according to the open space principle - with low partitions separating workplaces, or without them at all in one room.

Focus on the reception. Do not force your visitors to look for free chairs and a place to sit. Put comfortable chairs or a sofa, provide a table where you can drink coffee or tea and discuss the future project with the customer. Perhaps earlier, design organizations were associated with state institutions. However, now they, like other companies operating in the service sector, have to fight for each client, constantly improving their level of service.

To equip the office, it will be necessary to purchase (or rent) office equipment - a copier, fax machine, printers, telephones and computers, as well as furniture and stationery. Ideally, you should also buy a projector and a screen for presentations and presenting the project to the customer. Do not forget about special literature and regulatory documents. Even if all this is freely available on the Internet, it does not hurt to have paper copies that are more convenient to work with.

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However, in the first place is still not the interior of the office, the convenience of its location and equipment, but the qualifications of the staff working in it. Very high requirements are imposed on the employees of the design organization. If you plan to engage in design activities in the field of construction, then the staff of even a small firm will include a chief engineer, a chief architect and individual specialists in the section of projects. All your employees must necessarily have a specialized higher education and extensive work experience in their specialty (at least three years, and for leadership positions - 5-10 years). When hiring a chief architect, keep in mind that he must have a license issued by the Union of Architects. Before starting work, all your specialists must undergo pre-licensing training, confirmed by a qualification certificate.

Good highly qualified employees with extensive experience are the key to the success of your company in the market. Finding those will not be easy. The only way to poach valuable talent from other organizations is to offer them higher wages. Thus, it is the payroll fund that will become the most significant expense item when opening a project company.

Promotion of the design organization

Of course, such services are not in mass demand, but still very much in demand. When developing a marketing campaign, consider the specifics of this business. The usual means of advertising in this case will not work. As a last resort, you can try placing print ads in specialized publications, if there are any in your city. But still, it is better to focus all your attention (and money) on promoting on the Internet. Develop your site, fill it with thematic articles, order its promotion in search engines from specialists. Groups in social networks, like traditional advertising, will not give you a large influx of customers, since they are not your target audience at all.

As for word of mouth, recommendations certainly play a big role in the project business. But, firstly, you should not count on them at the very beginning of your work, and, secondly, even later, you still cannot do without investing in advertising, which should be taken into account when planning your expenses in the long term. However, this is not a reason not to care about the quality of your services and the good name of your company.

The project business is highly competitive. The cost of advertising and promoting your services will be the second largest expense item (after payroll). Let's be honest: even if the best specialists work for you, you still cannot do without connections. Many companies have special employees who are responsible for developing and maintaining such relationships with high-profile individuals.

Another important factor is the cost of your services. Analyze the prices for similar services from your direct competitors. It is not worth lowering your prices to the detriment of your own benefit. This is not the best way to compete, which is not beneficial to all market participants, except, perhaps, the customers themselves. But if you charge high prices for your services, you must be able to justify them so that your customers agree to pay more and get a better result.

Costs and income of the design organization

The main expenses that will be required to open your own design bureau consist of the following items: rent of premises (from 40 thousand rubles per month) recruitment and search for personnel - from 10 thousand rubles (the cost of services of specialists in the field of recruitment, posting vacancies on specialized sites); remuneration of specialists - from 100 thousand rubles per month (the exact amount depends on the region, state, qualifications of employees); purchase of the necessary equipment - from 100 thousand rubles; the cost of processing the necessary documents for work - from 70 thousand rubles; marketing expenses - from 20 thousand rubles per month. Although design belongs to the service sector, but due to the high cost of the services of good specialists, without which this business cannot be done, as well as additional costs not mentioned above, but inevitable, if you are counting on large orders, opening such an organization will require large start-up capital. For this reason, the partnership option is most often used, when participants contribute their funds in exchange for a certain share of future profits.