Finance: Hiring A Spa Consultant For A Design Project

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Is it your dream to open a spa or renovate an existing facility? Whether you’re a seasoned spa professional or an enthusiastic newbie, executing it requires a substantial amount of capital and even more planning.

To avoid costly mistakes, many potential and existing spa owners turn to consultants for guidance. “The right consultant can make a spa, and the wrong one can cost a spa owner a fortune,” says DAYSPA advisory board member Nancy Trent, who is president of the New York City-based public relations firm, Trent and Company (trentandcompany.com).

Good spa consultants conduct extensive market research. They study industry trends to determine whether your venture can become profitable—before you ever break ground. They also foresee design flaws that can save you a ton of money in the long run. “A spa consultant with hands-on experience can guide the owner on the right critical path from the beginning, which leads to a reduction in construction, equipment and pre-opening expenses,” says Hugh Jones, president of HUW Enterprises (huwenterprises.com) in Ormond Beach, Florida.

Here are some things to consider before you hire a spa consultant for your design project:

• Check references.
  Get recommendations from architects, spa directors, interior designers and anyone else who has worked directly with the potential consultant. “Spa owners should not base their decision to enter into a contract on the spa consultant’s portfolio alone,” says spa consultant Mindy Terry, president of Creative Spa Concepts in Kennesaw, Georgia (creativespaconcepts.com). “Beautiful imagery is a good measurement of the abilities of an interior designer and architect, not a consultant.”
• Consult first.
  The best time to hire a consultant is before you begin the design process. This way, the consultant can work directly with the architect to maximize space and function, and minimize fees incurred for costly mistakes. “Often companies will make the mistake of bringing a consultant on after the design process has started, only to find that costly changes to the plan are required to ensure the facility is designed properly,” says spa consultant Peter Anderson of the Santa Monica, California-based Anderson & Associates (anderspa.com).
• Understand billing terms.
  Most spa consultants base their fees on scope of work, or they bill an hourly rate. For larger projects, they usually require an initial retainer, then charge a monthly fee for the duration, Jones explains. Some consultants will also charge for their travel and accommodation fees.
• Research typical fees.
  There isn’t an established industry standard for spa consultant fees. Terry says consultants can charge anywhere from $80 per hour to $500 or more per hour. A consultant’s knowledge and experience should determine how much she charges for her services. “Consultants charging less than $150 per hour are not likely experienced,” she says. “At the same time, there are good firms that don't charge more than $250 per hour.”

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