FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:

INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE TRADES

WHY THERE IS SO OFTEN A DISCONNECT BETWEEN TRADES AND DESIGNERS

WHY YOU MUST FOCUS ON THESE RELATIONSHIPS

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Today I want to talk about learning, but from a very different angle than what you might be used to, and that is learning from your trades.

The best designers don’t just create beautiful spaces. They understand how things are built. And one of the smartest ways to deepen your expertise is by forming strong dependable relationships with the skilled trades who make your designs a reality. And the good news is – you are interacting with them constantly. 

This can go both ways. If you’ve ever felt like contractors or trades don’t take you seriously, or if you’ve struggled to get buy-in from your team on your designs, this is your episode, because I often hear about designers finding themselves at odds with their trades. The consequences of not fostering these relationships and understanding the construction details that can elevate your role in every project is not only bad for your project but ultimately will prove bad for your business.

I know that isn’t something you want, but I’m not sure designers put enough credence in learning from the trades on a day-to-day, week-by-week basis and understanding the power that that knowledge brings to you. 

Why does this disconnect happen between trades and designers?

Honestly, it’s fair to say that we have different priorities, and we definitely speak different languages. We focus on the function and the aesthetics of a project, balancing the client’s needs and their wants. 

The trades prioritize the execution, efficiency, and the feasibility of these designs. So these are totally differing priorities and that can absolutely create a misalignment. 

And then, our industry lacks hands-on construction knowledge. There – I’ve said it. I was lucky in that the dean of the school happened to be an architect while I was there, and a lot of the classes had a bend toward construction that I know is missing in a lot of the other curriculums around the country. And the reality is not all designers go to school in the first place, so we don’t always grasp the building methods and that is a huge disconnect and can lead to massively unrealistic expectations on our designs and cause costly mistakes.

Contractors’ experiences with designers

Contractors have had bad experiences with designers. I haven’t came across a single contractor in 30 years that doesn’t have a horror story to tell me about designers. Of course, there are always two sides to every story. But if you go in believing that Contractor Joe had a bad experience in the past, that helps with your mindset. 

It also helps to explain – not excuse – but explain, why we can be dismissed on jobs, which, I hope you’re realizing, is greatly impacting the success of your project. 

Power struggles

Ultimately, there are power struggles on job sites. When our roles aren’t clearly defined, tension rises between the designers and the contractors. This can result in a whole host of issues such as undermining authority, ignored specifications, project stress, client disappointments, and on and on. As we all know, any strange relationship on a job site, makes the project suffer. Whether that’s through miscommunication, costly errors, or delays, all sorts of hell can break loose when these relationships aren’t built, nurtured, and maintained throughout a project. 

What do these struggling relationships create in your day-to-day work life?

It’s likely the trades will give you pushback on your designs. A contractor that doesn’t respect your expertise is, honestly, is more likely to override your specifications. Our specifications tend to be elevated, and therefore a little more difficult. And if a contractor doesn’t respect you, he is likely to want to downgrade whatever that design is to make it easier for him, for his execution.

As we all know a misunderstanding can lead to expensive mistakes whether comes out of your pocket or the contractors, and it often extends timelines and possibly work stoppages happen because there are mistakes or misunderstandings. And God forbid you lose credibility with clients because a trade dismisses your input in front of the client, undermining your authority little by little, meeting after meeting. 

Then ultimately this creates fewer referrals and opportunities. Trades who trust and respect a designer will advocate for them every single time. This leads to more collaborations and word-of-mouth recommendations. 

You must focus on these relationships

Respected designers on the job site don’t just hand over pretty drawings. They understand why something is done in a certain way, and can absolutely engage in a meaningful conversation with the trades about it. They understand the why. Better yet, they ask questions, and they listen more than they talk. 

Designers with strong trade relationships acknowledge that while they are an expert in design, and we are, the trades are experts in the execution of our designs and an expert in their specific field. 

How to go into every project

There is a quote I heard that says to be curious, not judgemental. And that is how I want each of you to go into every project. I’m not saying they’re all going to love you and respect you. But what I am saying is that the majority of them will. 

It is really important to understand the value that the trades can bring you in your learning process. You can’t be an expert in everything. Hell, they’re not an expert in everything. Educate them along the way as well. 

Showing up on site, actively observing, and absorbing information to sharpen your skills is a must. Not a perk. Not a sometimes. It is a must. 

Designers who do this work, and build those relationships with the trades, they 100% get more opportunities and even better they get incredible execution of their project because the trades trust them. 

If you’re finding your designs are constantly being questioned or dismissed, this may be the missing piece.