Nope – not a pregnancy announcement! Although, undergoing home changes are definitely labors of love, so there’s a comparison to be drawn there somewhere…
Any changes to our home take time, effort, and the big word, a budget. The dollar amount can vary, depending on project scope, higher or lower grade finishes, and most importantly, quality of work. As a homeowner, aside from the legal jargon of due diligence and contracts, what things should you expect during a home project? After walking through this process with lots of clients (who usually all have similar moments of surprise, anxiety, frustration, and joy!), I wanted to give a little “tell all” of what you can prepare yourself for throughout renovation, redesigns, and décor projects!
1) Emotions. All of the emotions. Particularly, excitement and anxiety, simultaneously! Besides the fact that you are making a financial investment into your life, making decisions around big changes can be equally exciting and stressful. This is why one of the most important factors in choosing to work with a designer is trust. If you have trust in your designer, the process is SO MUCH EASIER. Throughout the course of a project I will be in your home several times, asking personal questions about how you live, how you use the space, getting to know you and your family members. I’ll be pulling together a master design plan for you, acting on your behalf with other tradespeople, working to design a space that is entirely reflective of you. Bring up questions or concerns, but always remember a little emotional upheaval is normal, and the end result will be worth it!
2) Design changes. It’s rare that the final design is EXACTLY like the initial plan. Whether it’s backordered products, challenges in the home’s structure, or just preferred ideas as the process moves along, you can expect there to be tweaks throughout the project. This isn’t a bad thing and again, is entirely normal. It doesn’t mean the initial plan was flawed; it just means that as more information has been gathered there are sometimes better options.
3) Ranging timelines. If I had a genie granting wishes, perfect timelines would be the top of my list! It’s always the goal to have projects completed on time, and many go perfectly smoothly, but there are several factors that are beyond control. A big one is living on an island, and having special orders brought here. Then when you involve the moving parts of renovations along with that, it definitely makes the term labor of love appropriate! I can’t speak for all designers, but when you work with me just remember it’s all part of ensuring the very best possible outcome for your dream space!
4) Bonus tip! Speaking of timelines, you’ll likely see varying degrees of visible progress throughout the course of a renovation. There’s usually a period of a flurry of activity, where lots of changes are being made, intermingled with some periods of apparent “downtime” – often this is the time when we are waiting for orders to arrive, for subcontractors to complete their portion of work, etc. Counter-tops for example are one area where there’s some waiting – templating for solid-surface counter-top happens after cabinetry is installed; there can be a few days following this process before the counter-top is placed! If you’re doing a less renovation focused and more design/furnishings focused project, you can also expect some downtime: between the finalizing of the design and the big install day, there’s typically about 12 weeks.
5) A space you’re proud of and love! The sure sign of a successful home project is the smiling faces of clients. Pride in the final result is a must-have trait for a designer or contractor – or else you’ll be receiving a less-than-stellar outcome. This is why trust between designer and client is such a big part of the working relationship. I’m here to make your space more beautiful, more functional, and the process of doing so a lot easier for you to walk through!
