Four Tips for Remodelers Working with Contract Designers
Remodelers know that working with designers is beneficial and attractive to clients. Still, for many remodeling businesses, it makes more sense to contract with outside designers rather than hire an in-house design team.
Here are four tips to ensure remodeling businesses work successfully with their architectural and interior contract designers.
- Decide what type of designer you need.
Generally, there are two types of designers with whom remodelers work. First, is an architectural designer, who considers the structure and framework of the remodel. They might draft and create blueprints. Next, is an interior designer, who concentrates on refining and optimizing interior spaces for function and aesthetics. They work with layout, color schemes, lighting, and materials to create cohesion.
- Provide designers with clear and defined expectations.
Contract designers “are an extension of the team, and they need to be perceived that way by the client,” says Diane Welhouse, CKBR, CMC. She is a business consultant and leadership coach, who knows what’s involved with design and general contracting because she used to do both.
She advises firms collaborating with outside designers to have clearly defined terms, such as expected involvement in sales and closing processes, the designer’s compensation structure (hourly or flat fee, for example), liability, and documented processes and procedures.
- Contract with designers who can effectively communicate and collaborate.
Designers work with homeowners and remodeling contractors to align on the design, budget, and feasibility. “A good designer always knows he or she is a part of this – not only the sales process, but also the budget and construction processes,” says Chris Egner, MCR, CR, CKBR, UDCP, CRPM, CCP, president and owner of Chris Egner Design-Build-Remodel.
Many times, the designer works with the homeowners to capture their visions. Then, the designer must bring that back and translate it into industry terms for the remodeling contractor.
Welhouse adds that firms should strive to provide a seamless customer experience. “The client wants this to be easy. You're disrupting their world, and they have a lot of choices to make.” Clients want one-stop shopping, even if the designer is external.
- Establish robust documentation processes.
When architectural designers work closely with remodelers from the start, everyone can be on the same page about what’s viable structurally and financially. Egner describes a scenario that can happen too often in remodeling: A salesperson sketches something, but when it is turned over to the designers and construction crew, it isn’t feasible with the existing structures.
“The earlier that stuff gets brought into the design process, the better the results are going to be getting to something that's actually possible and on budget," Egner says.
That idea extends to interior designers as well. Establishing expectations regarding timelines, deliverables, and milestones protects the team and the clients from unnecessary project delays and cost overruns.
Documenting standard operating procedures, Welhouse says, helps the whole team. “The bigger the project, the higher the price tag, the more opportunities there are for estimating and other types of errors."
NARI is proud to announce its new Certified Remodeling Designer (CRD) program, which addresses the key concepts experienced designers must master to develop functional and buildable remodeling designs for more profitable projects and satisfied clients. The online CRD preparatory course will lead students through a structured learning process to help them prepare for the exam, while the CRD certification validates designers’ expertise in this intricate role. NARI’s CRD enrollment is open, with preparatory classes starting March 5 and Sept. 24, 2025. The first CRD test is scheduled for May 2025. Find out more about NARI’s CRD program at NARI.org/CRD.
| 12/9/2024 8:44:28 AM |
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