The client who has the lower rate probably won't be asking -- you might raise that rate, too. If the client with the higher rate was a referral, chances are the friend revealed your rate, which you'll find out if you quote a different (higher, but not a lot higher) one. So you can explain your rates go up periodically, and then, say, describe your recent continuing education or professional honors etc. -- some specialized thing that makes you different from other fine gardeners. (I've observed colleagues leverage high-profile volunteer gigs this way -- the pro bono stuff gets them name recognition, which gets them more referrals, which enables them to charge more...) If the client with a higher rate happens to have a good friend who is one of your other clients, same thing: rates go up periodically, they're still getting a good deal because (cite your skills, knowledge, etc.) and (cite your projects, pro bonos, awards, etc.). Jobs are different, too. I've charged more for steep gardens with poison oak (where I sprained an ankle on the loose steps) than for level sites where it was easier to haul things around. I've heard the same kind of anecdote as INK, where someone tries to set the price too high to force the client to say no, and instead gets the job. The one I heard was a photog, tired of traveling, who quoted what he thought was an absurdly high rate for an annual report for a bank in Asia. The bank had wanted a conservative, dull report, with photos of the suits. The photog said, if I were to do this, I'd take pix of the people in native costumes at specified sites all over the country, and not only my high rate but also first-class travel and accommodations and a big expense account. On the one hand, he was thinking, this would make it worth doing and be sort of a vacation, but on the other he went so overboard that he thought, there's no way they'd go for this. They did. (One of Rick "Day in the Life of..." Smolan's stories.) The art is to set your rate so you can be selective and do mostly jobs you love for people you like.

tlbean - Probably not. All they need to know is how many hours you clocked, so probably all they are allowed to see is the department's employees and a place to enter the hours worked. Databases are great for showing just a part of the information, depending on who logged in and what their privileges are. In a similar circumstance when I was testing HR software, if I logged on as an "agency liaison" I could see who was working on a project, who their boss was, and which agency had placed them, because it was my job to make sure the agencies all had their contracts correct ... but I could not see hourly pay because it was none of my business. If I logged in as a project manager I could see my subordinates, their skills, pay grade and their hours because it WAS important to a project manager. Could see who was working on other projects and their skills ... but not their pay or hours until I requisitioned them for one of my projects. Even the HR manager couldn't see everything ... they saw who worked for whom, but details about the projects were not available because it was confidential. Payroll only sees enough to allow them to cut an accurate check.

1) widening the house by 2 ft. would be the most beneficial. 2 ft can really make a difference in a space. Focus those 2 ft. in the central area. Don't overdo the master bedroom in a house this size, extra s.f. should go to living areas. 2) For resale: Don't get rid of powder room. This is going to be a desire for most people. 3 bed/2.5 bath is very common and would be prefered over 3 bed/2 bath home. 3) Why change entry from garage to mudroom to gargae to porch? This would never be a request in my area-most everyone wants a garage that enters into a mudroom or landing area if plan is not large enough for a mudroom. Never had anyone request this configuration. Maybe regional differences? Keeping some sort of mudroom would be necessary in my locality unless you are designing for different cultures. 4) The top photo with the hip roof, double garage doors is likely going to be more expensive than second photo. How much will depend on building costs in your area, cost to build is very local. Any house with more complicated roof lines, more linear feet of foundation will be more expensive. The closer you get to a plain rectangular box going vertical will always be the cheapest. 5) You can do a small bump out (2-4 ft.) in the eating area typically reasonable in cost. Expanding much more or creating a morning room & costs will increase significantly. However, a small bump out in the eating area can make a big functional difference in room for table/chairs. Do it if you can afford too. 6) loose the angled island-they are dated and close the space. Keep base cabinets only in linear layout and you could extend cabinets beyond half wall and create a little seperation between living room/kitchen while maximizing # cabinets. 7) Dining Room: keep it and treat it more like a flex room. Install pocket door between dining room and kitchen would allow this space to be a dining room, future home office, kids play area,etc. Flex rooms that can change for how people live are very popular, especially in smaller homes where space to get "all the needs" is limited. You want to create a home for your needs but it's certainly wise to also build for what's desireable if you want to preserve maximize home value over the long term. Good luck on your project!

"There will definitely be some hiccups but could they be major?" Yes. "I would be hiring higher end well reviewed contractors throughout the process" Yes, and why exactly would these busy subs put the work of the General Contractors that give them several hundred thousand dollars worth of work every year behind for your onsie project? "Will there be contractors that mess things up and don't do things properly for the next trade to come in?" I promise. "Will there be things that are being done wrong and I won't even know?" Oh, you're going to know. You can't miss that big fat red tag the local division of inspection will post. "Once you have all blueprints are things relatively straight forward for each trade if they follow plan properly?" No. You have to know how to coordinate trades with each other. "Will trades or contractors not take me seriously and take advantage?" They'd be stupid not to. You're one little project one time. Who cares if you're angry and upset? What, you're not going to hire them for the next house you build twenty years from now? You have no relationships with subs. No relationships, no leverage. No leverage, big trouble.