The Custom Mural
Process - A Planning and Execution Perspective
As a budding muralist, my first revelation
was that I could use a good contractor to plan for
and administer my mural projects. My second revelation was that
until I become rich and famous, I will have to fill this role
myself! As I write this, I am wearing my contractor hat. It's
a bit roomy but it is becoming more comfortable with each passing
day. ;-)
As a budding contractor, I know a
business relationship is best served when both parties have
a good working relationship, a clear understanding of the requirements
and a clear understanding of the proposed solution. I know a
contract has to be a "win" for both parties. And I know we have
to quickly get to the cost. To help with this, I have developed
a process based on my experiences with past projects.
Customer Consultation Request
Where do we start? Contact me
via email or through my web
site to set up a first consultation. The more information
I receive beforehand the more productive our first meeting will
be.
No Charge First Consultation
In the first meeting, I gain preliminary
knowledge of the requirements and ideas for your mural project.
You gain insight into the mural creation process. The first
consultation includes:
- Reviewing your requirements and ideas for
the mural
- Reviewing design concepts and themes
- Reviewing the size and complexity of the
mural
- Reviewing a very rough cost and schedule
estimate
The cost / schedule estimates are
very rough at this point and are based on mural size, mural
complexity and past experience. The estimate will give you a
general idea of what this type of project will cost.
No Charge Follow-Up Session
If all goes well with the first
consultation, I will prepare a preliminary statement of work
and schedule a follow-up session. At the conclusion of the follow-up
session, you should have a basic understanding of:
- The process I plan to use to create the
mural
- A preliminary estimate of the project cost
and timeframe
- A basic understanding of potential design
themes and
- A clear understanding of the steps going
forward
You, of course are under no obligation
to proceed. If, after reviewing the preliminary statement of
work and reviewing other alternatives, you choose to move the
project forward, I require a non-refundable
deposit to complete the mural design and contract (as defined
below). The deposit will be applied to the total cost of the
project should you decide to go forward with the mural.
Mural Design and Contract
Proposal
Some mural designs are very simple
and others are quite extensive. Regardless of the complexity,
you should have a good understanding of how your mural will
look when we complete the design.
The contract proposal is developed
concurrently with the mural design. After we review the contract,
you should have a clear understanding of all costs and payment
terms. I like to schedule 2-4 equal payments as the mural is
being painted. Small project payments are usually 50% upon contract
signing and 50% upon completion. Large projects are segmented
into 3-4 payments. A typical payment plan for a large project
plan is:
- 25% upon contract award (less the nonrefundable
deposit)
- 25% upon 1st completion milestone
- 25% upon 2nd completion milestone
- 25% upon completion of the mural
Mural Creation
The project begins when both parties
sign the contract. It is important to maintain good communication
throughout the project. Any questions or issues must be dealt
with quickly and directly. I generally do this "as needed"
at the mural location or over the phone. For projects lasting
longer than several weeks, I find it helpful to document and
review progress, plans and potential issues on a regular basis
(weekly or bi-weekly).
Project Changes
There are times when you may want
to request changes to the project plan. After all, change is
natural and we have to expect it. You have my commitment to
be flexible and to honor change requests that do not substantially
increase work hours or material costs. However, adding more
detail or changing work that is already in process almost always
increases the time I spend on the mural. This cannot be emphasized
enough. The best protection against change is to have a fairly
complete understanding of and agreement to the project before
signing the contract.
In the event that changes are requested
that substantially alter work hours or material prices, we will
have to agree to a contract amendment with price changes. I
will base price changes solely on time and material changes
to the contract at roughly the same rates quoted in the original
contract.
And in Conclusion...
Does all of this seem undaunting?
Maybe but fortunately it's a lot simpler than it sounds. For
small projects (less than a week in duration), you will know
what the project costs and how your mural will look before committing
to the actual work. For large projects, we start with a solid
planning framework, add details as we work through the design
then execute the plan as we complete the mural.
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All info written and used with permission by
Diana O'Gorman of DIANART Decorative Services
Web site: www.mnsi.net/~dianart
Email: dianart@mnsi.net
