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You might be getting a lot of new contracts, and they’re certainly good for your business.
But now that you have been frequently getting new projects, you may want to up your game and learn a few more things that can help you and your guys build better homes.
After completing the structure with the help and services of your team and subcontractors, you may want to go the extra mile and offer good interior design plans.
After all, who doesn’t appreciate getting something extra from a company they trust? Not to mention that most people now expect their home builders to do interior designing as well.
Of course, it’s ideal for you to hire an interior designer in your team to help you in this aspect.
However, as you wait for that new associate, you might want to get a bit more familiar with interior design.
Here are some tips that can let you have a better understanding of this expertise and become familiar with how you can get your clients to approve of your designs:
1. Practice Effective Communication With Your Client
No matter how much of an expert contractor or home builder you are, if you don’t practice effective communication with your clients, then you still can’t come up with a successful interior design in the home you’re working on.
Effective communication isn’t something that’s taught in interior design or engineering textbooks.
It’s a trait that you should always possess or develop. With effective communication, your actions with the project that’s ongoing become transparent with your client and this puts them at ease every step of the way.
For example, you’ve got a client that wants to have a certain interior design element in their home.
But based on your expertise as a contractor, you know that design will only hamper their house’s efficiency when it comes to power usage, for instance.
Or the change that they want doesn’t fit with the size and shape of the house.
In that situation, you’ve got to communicate that effectively to your client and provide a realistic view, so everything is laid out on the table—leaving no room for misunderstandings.
If there’s something that’s not doable, you can always discuss it with your client. It’s the only way for you to find a compromise or let the client understand that some things are not just applicable to a home build.
2. Create a Budget
An important starting point of any home project is a good and workable budget. This means as a contractor, you should sit down and talk through this with your client.
Whatever their budget is, find a way to work with the interior design they desire, without going over the budget.
Again, this is where effective communication comes in. If there’s any aspect of the interior design concept the client wants to remove or change to meet the budget, you must make sure that you can somehow find a middle ground if the removal or change may compromise their home’s structural integrity.
In doing so, the construction and design process will flow smoothly when both of you and your client iron out all these important considerations.
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3. Start With Three Colors Or Shades
While you may want to go crazy with the design’s colors, remember that what you’re doing interior design for a house where someone will live in and not a work of art.
So, you’ve got to take it easy on the colors. If the client wants to bring in more color into their home, then try to limit the colors by discussing the fundamental triadic color scheme.
Anything more than three colors in the entire home can be chaotic. However, it’s not impossible to have more than three colors if you already have a professional interior designer on your team.
The main reason a triadic color scheme is recommended is that it’s easy to find references from interior design inspiration boards you can find on books and even the web.
4. Don’t Forget About the Long-Term Plan
The interior design of a home isn’t just about the design per se. Depending on the design elements that you have, there may be instances when this design is going to affect your client’s long-term plans.
This is something that building contractors and interior designers should always think about.
Assess your client’s needs, not just at the present, but even in the future, when coming up with your interior design.
Here’s a simple example. If your clients demand to have narrow doors, windows, and even staircases, there will be a time when they regret it.
For instance, what if they procure large appliances that are too big for their doors in the future? How can they fit those things and get them inside their houses?
You’ve got to explain to your clients that they need to be objective when it comes to their home’s interior design.
Depending on the client that you have, there might be those that are too excited or focused on style to the point that they forget about functionality.
Be frank about this, and your client will thank you. You should be able to balance the function from a perspective of a contractor and the design from the perspective of an interior designer to make the home functional and beautiful even in the long term.
5. Add Texture
If there’s anything that you need to focus on the house’s interior—apart from paint—it’s the texture.
You can always elevate what would’ve otherwise been a dull home with flat walls by incorporating texture.
Think, wood concepts, cement finish, grains, bricks, and even stones. There are so many options, depending on the style that you wish to achieve in the house that you’re going to build.
As you consider adding texture, do think about the personality of the owner as well.
In doing so, they feel like the home is truly theirs, while you’re able to add that hint of sophistication in their space.
Conclusion
Now, do note that these tips aren’t meant to universally apply to every home and client. You’ve also got to consider the specific features of the project.
At the very least, however, these can serve as your guide, so even before you hire an interior designer in your team, you can start incorporating interior design in your work and services.
