Frequently asked questions
Every once in a while, someone has a question for us. Well, actually, quite often folks have questions for us. Below are some of the more common ones. Have a question for us? Drop us a line at dani@tzk-design.com and we’ll try to answer it for you!
To read the question, just click on it in the list below.
- What makes the zen kitchen different from other designers/studios?
- What are your office hours?
- How much do you charge?
- How long will our project take?
- Ack! I’m in a hurry and I really need this job right away. Can I put a rush on it?
- How do I pay you?
- Do you handle the domain registration/hosting, or do we have to do it ourselves?
- How is printing handled?
- How many concepts will I see of my project? How many revisions do I get?
- How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
What makes the zen kitchen different from other designers/studios?
Let’s face it - there are a LOT of design firms out there. And it can be difficult to figure out which is the right firm for your project. the zen kitchen sets itself apart not only through the quality of our work, but through our commitment to your business - we specifically look for clients whose missions we can get behind, and clients that we can genuinely help succeed. When you work with us, you’re not just getting someone with an eye for design to “throw something together” for you - you’re getting a strategic partner that’s committed to helping you achieve your goals. And you’re getting high-quality work that stays true to the zen kitchen’s mission of beauty, effectiveness and sustainability.
What are your office hours?
You can reach us from 10 to 6 EST Monday through Friday. On a rare occasion, you’ll nab us after that, but we try not to make a habit of it.
How much do you charge?
Fees vary per project and are based on the project’s scope and timeline. Smaller, simpler projects will cost less than larger, more complex projects; projects that require more aggressive timelines (2 weeks for a logo, for example, or 2 days for a print ad) will result in rush charges which vary depending on the aggressiveness of the requested turnaround. Want to get more specific than that? Drop us a line at 617.412.0585. We’ll talk about your project needs, and give you an estimate of what your project will cost.
How long will our project take?
How long a project takes depends on a number of things; smaller projects can take as little as a week or two, while larger, more complex projects that require more research and planning can take as long as 1-3 months. Some of our projects have even taken longer than that! As long as you’re timely in giving us the content and approvals we need to keep the process moving, your projects will be done in the most timely manner possible.
Ack! I’m in a hurry and I really need this job quickly.
Can I put a rush on this?
Good design takes time - the more reasonable your timeline, the more research can go into the final project, and the more effective it often is. With new clients especially, that extra time taken to get to know your business is one of the keys to the zen kitchen’s most successful projects. However, we also realize that sometimes you just don’t realize you need something until the last minute. If you’re finding yourself in a time-crunch, don’t fret - we can often accomodate smaller rush projects, and sometimes even larger ones (ask us about the Annual Report we managed to put together in three weeks!). We do, however, have to assess a rush charge for it - taking on rush projects often results in working outside standard business hours and/or pushing aside work for our other clients.
How do I pay you?
Payment terms are negotiated at the beginning of each project. For new clients, we require a 50% deposit before work begins on the project, with another 25% due after the concept/design direction is approved, and the rest due within 30 days after the project is completed. For periodic projects such as updates to websites we’ve built for you, or monthly media ads, monthly payment arrangements can be arranged. the zen kitchen can accept payments by check, by cash or by credit card through Paypal - a 3% service charge applies to payments by credit card.
Do you handle domain registration/hosting, or is that something we have to do ourselves?
We’re happy to take care of registration and hosting for you. If you’ve already taken care of the registration and hosting, no worries - just send us the FTP information given to you by your provider and we’ll take care of things from there! Certain things, like a merchant account or payment gateway for an e-commerce site, will have to be handled on your end.
How is printing handled?
To make things easier for you, and to maintain the high quality and sustainability standards the zen kitchen requires, we handle all the printing for you.
How many concepts will I see of my project? How many revisions will I get?
The number of concepts and revisions available to you vary based on time and budget and are spelled out in the contract you will receive before work begins on the project. Typically, we try to budget for 3-4 unique concepts on logo projects with 2 rounds of revisions on the chosen concept; for brochures and websites, we do up to 2 unique concepts with 3-4 rounds of revisions. Revisions or concepts beyond what is spelled out in the contract will result in additional charges - but in our experience, that’s very rare.
How much would could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Excellent question. Our guess - 32 lbs.