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INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

MISTAKES MADE WHILE REVIEWING TRADES PROPOSALS

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A TRADE DAY AND CREATING FIELD BOOK

HOW TO DEVELOP AND PRESENT FLAT FEES TO CLIENTS

HOW VIRGINIA PLANS ON IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THESE LESSONS SHE’S LEARNED

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Today is Part 2 of my interview with Virginia DesRoches. If you missed the first part, Episode 187, I suggest going back and listening to that one first! 

Virginia DesRoches and John Foran are the dynamic couple and trailblazing visionaries behind Ironwood Studio, an all-encompassing firm that seamlessly merges construction and interior design along the South Coast of MA. Rooted in strong family values, they have earned a robust reputation for their work in designing, building, and renovating family homes, from floor plans to furnishings of extraordinary quality and character. 

Drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature, their designs always blend modern and rustic elements, creating a luxurious and welcoming atmosphere ideal for family living. Their dedication to their craft has been recognized in publications such as The Boston Globe, DIY Network, and The Nest.

Virginia emailed me recently about a new build she had just recently completed. Her goal was to share her mistakes, which she calls rookie mistakes, with all the designers listening so they could learn the lessons that she experienced throughout this project. 

There was so much value in our conversation that we split it into two episodes! So, today, we are going to dive further into what I call, teachable moments, and she calls rookie mistakes.

Reviewing Trades Proposals

Today we start off with how there are things you have to factor in that often get forgotten about while reviewing trade proposals. 

Virginia shares how she had a tub she had to move. In the proposal, you’re not having a conversation about how that tub is getting up to the second floor. Who’s actually carrying this tub up?

“None of them wanted to do it, let’s be real. The conditions were muddy, and temporary stairs. We ended up hiring a moving company to come and get the tub in, and that was another cost that we ate. Again, I didn’t see that we should charge the client; that should have been something that we had thought of prior,” says Virginia. 

Thinking about those things ahead of time is definitely something that needs to be considered. Who is going to handle it, and whose costs are going to be rolled into it? 

Virginia shares how she learned about having a Trade Day and creating a Field Book through taking my course and how she has learned that even when the Trades kick you back a proposal, you can’t assume that everything you went over on Trade Day will be in that proposal. So clarifying every little thing, even if you think you sound like a broken record, you need to make sure it’s either in writing or have an email saying, oh yes, that is included. Some kind of backup so that there are no surprises at the end. 

But so often, the guy who comes out and looks at the job is not the guy sitting in the office writing up the proposals. There can be a loss in translation, or they forget to tell the person—all sorts of human things can come into play.

It’s not always the designers’ fault either, and I don’t want you to think that. It’s ok to bring things up and clarify how maybe you did have those things in the drawings and they are the ones who missed them, so really, they shouldn’t be an extra charge. Sometimes you do have to stand your ground. If the responsibility isn’t entirely on your shoulders.

The best way to handle these things is to focus on them case by case. How well do you know the guy? The repor, whether you’re going to want to work with him again. All these factors have to come in before you know exactly how you’re going to stand your ground. 

Most importantly, when there are mistakes, you manage them, you push through, and then you hope to never have it happen again.

Implementing lessons learned

So, for Virginia’s next two builds, she jokes that she is doing ‘everything’ differently. 

Firstly, she is moving away from the fixed fee and never mentioning it verbally. There is absolutely no way to get to the realistic number until we go through the process, make all of the selections, and have all the trades kick back their proposals, so there are no allowances. 

Eliminating the allowances is key. 

When you eliminate allowances, the only way to do that is by having all the selections and an accurate proposal. 

It’s not a fixed fee. It’s a budget or an investment estimate. Having a fixed fee allows the homeowner or the client to understand their full investment with you before they commit to the project.

You’re also learning when you’re new, so you’ll take longer, and as you get seasoned you do things come quicker and easier, so that is also where you make out better with a flat fee.

We hope you enjoy today’s conversation! I want to leave you with a reminder that you are NOT alone in making mistakes, screwing up proposals, or the only one fill-in-the-blank. We are ALL doing it. It may not be the exact same mistakes, but we are all doing it. Don’t beat yourself up over making mistakes. That solves nothing except making you feel horrible. So please, skip that step! And know these are all opportunities to learn.

As always, if this episode leaves you with more questions than answers, please feel free to reach out to me at renee@devignierdesign.com or shoot me a dm on social media!