You need some help with design? Our clear process ensures that you are satisfied with our work at every stage:

This process applies from the time when you contact us to when we finish the detailed design. We may not follow it exactly, depending on your requirements, but it gives a good outline of the usual process. If you find at the end of the design process you want us to manufacture the design then we can do that too and will discuss it with you at the time. To keep things clear, each stage in the design process is numbered D1, D2.. so that we can both be clear what we are talking about.

D1: You contact us

Send us as much information as you can so that we can offer you the best response based on our experience, this means as our client that you will get the most comprehensive service as quickly as possible.

Tell us:

• Generally what the design project is about.
• Whether you want us to: 
  • simply provide sub-contract design services on an hourly charge basis
  • provide design consultancy
  • generate design concepts
  • prepare all detailed designs and manufacturing drawings
• When you need the design work completed and any key milestones along the way
• Your email and contact details together with the delivery address

Call us if you would like to talk the project through on 01723 336322.

If you want to send us information you can do so in several ways:

By surface mail to: makersmith, Workshop No.2, Farfield, Wykeham, Scarborough, YO13 9QB

• in print form
• on CD, DVD or memory stick or other storage device.

By email: to makeit@makersmith.works

• as an attachment
• from cloud based services such as Dropbox.

If you have a lot of electronic information and don't know how to send it, let us know and we will send you a link to a location on our Dropbox site where you can store it and we can access it. 

We can accept most data formats for graphics and 2D & 3D drawing information. We also accept some specific programs for our process equipment. You can download our reference document here that tells you exactly what we accept: makersmith data formats.

D2: We respond to you within 1 working day

Our response at this stage will depend on the complexity of your project. We will evaluate the information you send us and then: 

We may need to meet you to discuss the project – if so we will call you to arrange a meeting. We will acknowledge your enquiry and if necessary ask for further information or confirm we have all we need.

D3: We prepare our initial proposals within 5 working days

Once we have all the information we need, we will prepare and send to you: 

• an initial general project proposal detailing what you are asking for and what we will do to meet your requirements. 
• a workflow that shows the design stages that apply to your project and the associated fees. 
• a sign-off form that you sign and return to us to confirm that you are happy with our proposal and that you want to proceed to the next stage (D4) 

When we receive your sign-off to proceed we send you a pro-forma invoice for the fee applicable to stage D4. You pay us the fee and we start stage D4.

D4: We carry out a detailed evaluation of your project

We carry out a detailed evaluation of your project and prepare a full project proposal. We then send you: 

• an initial design concept or concepts 
• a detailed project specification 
• firm fee quotations for the next stages D5 & D6
•  a broad indication of manufacturing cost – if applicable 
• a sign-off form that you sign and return to us to confirm that you are happy with our detailed proposals and that you want to proceed to the next stages (D5 & D6) 

When we receive your sign-off to proceed we send you a pro-forma invoice for the fee applicable to stage D5. You pay us the fee and we start stage D5.

D5: We develop a full concept design

Based on the agreed specification we carry out a full concept design exercise. We then issue you with: 

• the finished concept design. (We may of course need to meet with you or discuss design issues during this process.) 
• a sign-off form that you sign and return to us to confirm that you are happy with our concept design and that you want to proceed to the next stage (D6). 

When we receive your sign-off to proceed we send you a pro-forma invoice for 50% of the fee applicable to stage D6. You pay us the 50% fee and we start stage D6.

D6: We carry out the full detail design

Based on the concepts agreed in D5 we fully detail the design. We then issue you with: 

• all detailed design information in a form previously agreed. This could be electronic, paper, or both. 
• a sign-off form that you sign and return to us to confirm that you are happy with the detail design information and that the project is complete. 

When we receive your sign-off, we send you a pro-forma invoice for the remaining 50% fee applicable to stage D6. You pay us the 50% D6 fee and the project is complete.

Terms and Conditions of Business

When we carry out work for you it is very important that you agree with our Terms and Conditions of business so that you know what to expect when we work together. They will be provided to you on other documents but you can also read and download them here - Terms and Conditions.