How To Communicate With Homeowners During A Custom Build
Building homes is your specialty, but when it comes to custom home design, you have to make sure you understand the homeowner's needs entirely to avoid costly mistakes, to prevent ongoing projects, and to keep things running smoothly.
Homeowners are not builders, which means they rely on you as their professional to tell them what is feasible with their home-building project. Your job is to communicate effectively with the homeowners — no easy feat — while accomplishing the build to their specifications under a strict deadline. To make the build easier, use this guide to help you work with homeowners during a custom build to avoid stress on all parties involved.
Get desires in writing
Before you draw up your first blueprints for your homeowner clients, ask them to provide you a written list of their final desires they wish to have in their home. You'll get many rough drafts, but insist on getting what homeowners really want in their design before you begin. This way, you'll know truly what you are working with and that you've reached a commitment for design with the homeowners. This makes it more likely that your accompanying blueprints will be met with approval.
Keep the homeowner involved
Every stage of the building process should be approved by the homeowner before buying supplies. Just because a homeowner specified the brand of cabinets they wanted or the carpeting they desire, make sure you get their approval before buying the equipment for the home. This lessens the chances that homeowners will negate the build as it goes on.
You may have to call the homeowner often to get their input, which is fine. This shows you are a caring and responsible builder who wants the homeowner involved as much as possible in the build. Unless you've been given certain creative license in writing from the homeowner, don't complete any part of the home project until you get their OK.
Stay on budget
Your homeowner clients have a certain budget, and they may not realize that their wishes exceed their finances. To make sure the project stays on budget, sit down with the homeowner periodically to discuss the monies spent on the build and what is needed to continue. If changes need to be made to accommodate your clients' needs, it's better to find out before you build than after. This way, your custom homes can be built without a financial stall along the way.
For more information, contact local professionals like those found at Bluebonnet Dream Homes, LLC.