Client Brief

What is a client brief?

As you are deciding whether to take on a job, you may visit a client to take a client brief, introduce yourself and become acquainted with the scope of the project.

In a client brief you are trying to articulate the essence of the job, record the clients wants and how they fit into the context of the site. This client brief can then form part of the contract if the project proceeds.

What are you trying to find out in a client brief meeting?

• What is the scope of the project? What is included and importantly, what is not included in the project. This accompanied with text in the contract can help eliminate scope creep later in the project when new ideas pop up.

• What are the functional elements that must be included in the space? What does the client wish to cater for?

• What are the aesthetic tastes of the client? What they dislike is just as important.

• What is the budget for the project? Is this realistic? Make sure you don’t take a client brief which is not achievable within the allocated budget. you might need to educate the client on what a garden costs. I am not the kind of person that could afford a full design and implementation but maybe there is something that is achievable.

• Knowledge of the site. Does the client have any special knowledge of how the site works, reacts to the environment etc.

• Is this a person you would like to work for?

• What the terms of the future business with the client will be

Tips

• You want to understand the whole family. I don’t go to meetings where not all the adults are in attendance.

• Take photos at this stage even if you are coming back for a full site analysis.

Making it an enjoyable experience

Some people like to keep this very business oriented. Cordial, but, not too friendly. Others like to really get to know the client and develop a relationship with the client so that they look forward to seeing the client and enjoy the interactions. You need to work out how your business will work. Things you may wish to think about:

• What can I do to set the mood I wish to have with the client into the future.

• How can you make the client feel more comfortable. They might not have been through an experience like this yet if it is there first house and garden.

Writing a client brief

As with anything that you write you should think about who the audience is and what are the objectives. It is best if you keep it concise and well thought out.

What I try to cover as a minimum:

• What the scope is

• What services you are providing for them

• What the client wants included in their design

• What you understand to be the client’s style and intended mood for the space

• What is the budget

Example of a client brief for a small project

sometimes I will write a client brief in format of an email so that I can send it back to the client and let them know that I have heard and understood them. I might also use it as a chance to clarify a few points and to agree on the scope of works and what is to be included in the space.

Hi …..

Nice to meet you on Thursday. After our discussion I have recorded what I see to be the client brief for the project. Can you have a read through and check that I have heard you correctly and haven’t left anything out and we can make amendments before we proceed.

You would like a conceptual design to be prepared for you on the entirety of the front garden at 9105 Central Springs Rd, Daylesford, including the driveway and down to the gate into the backyard and not including the front nature strip. The conceptual design is to include schematic layout and general themes but will not be suitable for implementing construction and planting (Scope).

You wish to have a space that is quiet and reflective as your backyard is small, so closing it off from the front street is critical. It should draw you out from the living room through the views out to the space (mood). Aesthetically you are drawn to minimalist spaces, with simple natural colour palettes that rely on cleanliness and good maintenance to stay looking good. You would love to connect your material palette to the local geology and plants you are open to an eclectic mix from around Australia. (Aesthetics).

You wish to include (Function):

- Seating on the front porch

- Somewhere to relax and read a book in the garden

- A water element

- Access from the gate to the front porch

- Lighting to the front door and some accents on vegetation

- Irrigation system

Thank you for your time. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Ross Uebergang

Sometimes I will write it as a couple of short paragraphs and some clinical dot points to be included in a contract.

For larger jobs

This becomes a really important document that forms part of the contract. You may wish to send a draft of this off to the client to make sure that you are on the same page and get them to sign off on it before proceeding.

Lesson Outline

• What is a client brief?

• What information are you trying to obtain?

• What is scope?

• Broaching the topic of budget

• Writing a client brief

• Example of a client brief

Presentations

Definitions

Scope - A sum of what needs to be achieved and is needed to fulfil the project.

Questions:

STAKEHOLDERS

• Anyone else from the house not present?

• How old?

• Are there any more children planned?

• What about grandchildren?

• Pets?

• What do the pets like to do?

• Are the pets going to destroy things?

• Does anyone have allergies?

• How long do you think you will own the house?

• Do you hope to retire in this house?

MOOD

• What emotions would they like to feel in each space?

FUNCTION

• What are the spaces going to be used for?

• How many people will use it in general?

• Would they like to make amendments to the building as part of the design E.g. Enlarging doorways.

• Do they need to park cars, trucks, trailers etc.

• Play equipment

• Exercise equipment

• How they would like to move between areas

• Are there any views they would like to retain or remove?

• Are there any areas they would want to make more private?

• Clotheslines

• Do they need any storage?

• Where do the bins go?

• Do they have a clothesline?

Aesthetics

• Materials palette

• Formal vs Informal

• Can they provide you with images to articulate their style?

Plantings

• Favourite flower colours

• Foliage colour palettes

• Level of maintenance

• Structured or flowing

Water

• Do you have tanks or a bore?

• Do you capture water?

• Are they interested in Water Sensitive Urban Design interventions

• Would they like an irrigation system?

LIGHTING

• Would they like lighting included?

• Do you need functional lighting for safety anywhere?

• Would they like lighting to set a mood?

SUSTAINABILITY

• What do they consider sustainability for their garden?

• Would they like to create any shade for their house?

INVENTORY

• What would they like to keep on the site?

• What do they definitely want gone?

• What utilities do they have and where?

BUDGET

• Have they had a house or garden built before and understand how much things cost?

• What is the ratio of hardscapes to softscapes they envisage?

• Is their budget realistic?