FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:

INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

WHAT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT WILL DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS FINANCIALLY

HOW CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT BUILDS CLIENT TRUST

THE SMALL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO START MANAGING PROJECTS WITHOUT FEELING OVERWHELMED

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If you’ve just been offering decorating services, construction management can seem ‘overwhelming’, or ‘out of your league’. These are terms I kept hearing in a recent webinar I had.

Frankly, nothing is out of your league. I want you to really believe that. And overwhelming things can be tamed with knowledge and experience. 

Demystifying construction management

Have you ever been asked by a client to manage a renovation project? Maybe you were excited by the opportunity, but you weren’t quite sure if you were ready for the ‘construction’ part of it.

I frequently hear this from designers, and frankly, that’s a compliment, and I want you to see it as such! If your client is asking you to take on a complex service, like construction management, they’re clearly seeing something in you that you may not be acknowledging in yourself. 

I want you to consider why that’s being offered to you….

Construction projects are becoming more and more common in our industry. They always have been, but maybe we’re just talking about how many designers really are  on construction projects day in and day out. 

If done right, it can transform your business by adding this service. 

Why construction management?

Most of us, at least myself, started in this decorating business because I love the the creativity it brings. I love the problem solving and the esthetics and bringing it all together and delivering this amazing space for my clients. 

But what if I told you, in addition to that, you could be adding construction management to your services? And it could significantly increase the profitability you are getting for each project. While still allowing you to do the creative decorating that you love doing. 

A lot of designers think they have to give up decorating. No! I decorate on every single construction project. 

You need to be decorating. If you’re building a room, then you need to decorate it and bring it to life. The beauty of it is you are a part of every single decision along the way. And that becomes powerful.

Construction management does give you more control over the end result, which means, a better outcome for your clients, and then ultimately, more profit margin for you.

And you may be thinking, ‘That just sounds like more work though.’ And yes, it is more work, but it’s a different kind of work. Construction projects have big dollars attached to them, though. When you’re involved in both the design and the project management, you’re able to capture more of that revenue because you’re offering a comprehensive service. You become a one-stop shop for your clients. 

But this isn’t just about adding a service. Managing construction projects requires a skill set different from decorating. 

There is some overlap, but there’s a lot that doesn’t overlap. And I hear that’s why some designers shy away from this service, and I get it. But that’s also why I built the course INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. So I hope you understand why. But you can’t start managing projects until you learn how to position yourself for this important service. 

Construction management is all about how you’re presenting yourself.

That’s how you’re presenting yourself in person and online. So if you’re not already doing this, start positioning yourself as someone who can manage. Not just the esthetic side of the project, but the entire process. You don’t have to say you’re a construction manager right away, but you can start planting those seeds. 

There’s so much you can be doing, that I go into detail about in my course, that can shift your marketing not just with the clients but with industry partners – for both your design and construction work. These things can make a huge difference in how your clients see you.

So you think you want to do this. Now what? What is your first step?

Honestly, start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you won’t succeed because that won’t benefit your business and will likely leave you overwhelmed and confused and making mistakes that will likely cost you money. 

I started with a kitchen refresh here, or a bathroom there. And honestly, that’s the best way to do it. It gives you the confidence to take on larger projects as you grow. 

What I don’t want you to do is overstate your experience. That will get you in trouble. First of all a contractor will know your levell of experience pretty much on day 2. So trying to ‘fake it til you make it’, will absolutely backfire on you.  

Please don’t overpromise to your client. Again, it will backfire on you in the end. But if you are open and honest about your experience, clients will still hire you. But they’ll know what they can expect. And yes, you will be pricing yourself accordingly. The contractor will know what to expect. And he will know how the role will be oversharing along the way, which is an opportunity for you to learn and grow your own skills. 

Once you start doing this type of project, clients absolutely will come back for more. They will likely refer you to friends. And the best part is that you will now be their go-to for every project!