Not enough time! That must be the single biggest issue we are currently hearing from Landscape Designers at the moment. In the Australian residential market, there’s plenty of work coming in but designers are feeling like they are drowning. It’s not easy to say no to work either. These days it’s so difficult to predict what is going to happen next. Will the economy go into a slow down with rising interest rates, or will Australians continue to invest their money in what they can live in, and what feels to be a safe bet? Only time will tell.
What we do know is that time is precious and it should be spent on tasks that generate value. Whether that be in your work day, business or personal life. If we just look at a designer’s work day, time is much better spent on your skill set – designing – which is what your clients are paying you for.
So how can you enable that to happen without adding to your workload or stress?
There are a few options out there but sometimes you just want a little bit of support that doesn’t create any additional impact on you. Take outsourcing for example. For some, it can just be too much of a jump or change in your current process to take that step, especially if you are already struggling to keep your head above water. What you probably don’t know though is there are other smaller steps that you can take to dramatically boost your productivity without altering your process too much.
A hybrid option
When you are busy, it’s much easier to stay with your current process otherwise you might just be adding another thing to think about. So, rather than changing your current process, you can simply outsource a small piece of that process. If you are one of those designers that actually designs in 3D, this can be a perfect solution for you. Rather than spending hours modeling the house and topography in SketchUp before you even start on the hardscapes, did you know that you can actually have that done for you?
SketchUp Base Models are a super easy way to make outsourcing work for you and your business without having to adapt and change your current process. They also come at a fraction of the price of traditional 3D rendering services.
By ordering a SketchUp Base Model through Pitch Box you also have the flexibility of choosing how much detail you want. Maybe you just need the house modeled, or perhaps you’d like help with the topography and existing hardscapes as well. The choice is yours. Just place your order through the web based app, then send through your house plans, elevations and site survey and the model will be completed for you within 5-10 business days. Once you receive the base model, you are ready to hit the ground running with your design and your own rendering.
Systemised workflow
One of the added benefits of outsourcing your SketchUp Base Models, is that you can build a predictable timeline of work which can help deliver reliability to your clients.
We all know that any business that has a streamlined workflow with efficient and repeatable processes is likely to be more profitable and usually run with less stress. By outsourcing your SketchUp Base Models, it forces you into an established workflow sequence. Following a sequence provides structure and certainty for both you and your clients. It helps to produce a high quality end product with consistency. Pitch Box, uses an exclusive, integrated app to simplify and streamline the flow of information when ordering and delivering services. It supports you all the way through, from start to finish.
Knowing that your SketchUp Base Models will be reliably completed by a certain date, gives you certainty in structuring your own design time and helps provide realistic delivery dates to your clients.
Case Study
Tony from Revell Landscaping in Western Australia has been using Pitch Box sketchup base models as part of his design process for a number of years. Here he offers some great insights into how it’s helped their design team and transformed that department into a highly productive part of the business.
How has Pitch Box helped your design team?
“3D is only something we have been using for about 3-4 years. Previously it was only 2D design work. Before we started using Pitch Box, we drew it all up from scratch. Sometimes transferring from CAD into Sketchup”.
Do you think Pitch Box has added value to your design service?
“Absolutely. The quality of the sketchup base models is very good. Otherwise I would just do a basic rectangular box for the house, if doing it myself. With quality base models, we can create a very realistic design concept with accurate existing house context”.
The Revell design team do a great job creating their own 3D renders, can you explain why just outsourcing sketchup base models works best for you?
“Our designs develop as they go. It’s problem solving on the fly. We prefer to be creative and leave the boring tracing work to others. It’s time saving & mind saving”.
Summary – Flexible businesses succeed
We understand that not all designers work in the same way or have the same design process, and there is no perfect method when it comes to creative design. What we do know is that whatever your process, at some point you can probably do with some support. If you love designing in 3D and have a process that is working but just need to increase some capacity, outsourcing your sketchup base models could be a solution that works for you. By using an on-demand service provider such as Pitch Box you have nothing to lose. You can choose to just use the service when you are busy and do it yourself when you have more time. Or you may choose to spend that new found time on more value generating activities or growing your business.
In this economic climate it is the flexible businesses that succeed. All it takes is a shift in perspective and the courage to try something different.
About Pitch Box
Pitch Box helps increase your design capacity without the need to hire staff
Pitch Box delivers 3D renders , SketchUp base models and a range of 2D CAD plans for landscape designers and home designers and architects in the residential market. The company prides itself on exceptional customer service, with a dedicated customer support team based in Brisbane, Australia. Delivering high quality products with a guaranteed project completion turnaround time of only 5 – 10 business days. Unlike many 2D and 3D external service providers, Pitch Box’s pricing is transparent and competitive. Our customers know exactly what they are getting, each and every time they place an order. Discover more about how Pitch Box can support your business and place your order by visiting our website today!
