Overwhelmed might be the first feeling that sets in after the excitement of deciding to update your home. You have a lot to think about including cost, design and most importantly, who are you going to trust with your design and vision. Once you begin your search for the right person, you will quickly realize there are many people to choose from. The hard part is finding the one person that will listen to you, complete the job on time, and will stay withing the agreed budget. In addition, give you the quality you deserve and the customer satisfaction that is always expected.
To make to process of finding a designer/contractor easier, I have made a list of the three most important things to consider while interviewing potentials.
Experience
First thing first. You don’t want a greenhorn on your dream remodel. The designer/contractor can make or break the vision you have by not having the experiences required to execute a Scottsdale home design. I recommend choosing someone that has been in the business for several years, minimum, and has an extensive portfolio and list of references. One reason this is so important is the seasoned designer usually has a crew they have worked with for several years. This is important because they know exactly what to expect from them and how they work. In addition, you don’t have to worry about having random strangers in your home that have no connection to anyone. If random workers are in your home or are being hired day to day, the quality could seriously be compromised and so could the time and cost of the project.
Common Vision
When interviewing for a Scottsdale Interior design, find out what their specialty is before you tell them what you are wanting. If you are wanting a modern, cutting edge kitchen, don’t waste your time on a designer that only specializes on traditional designs. Additionally, if you get this question out of the way at the beginning, you can avoid spending unnecessary time interviewing someone. Sometimes you may stumble upon a designer that has effectively mastered all the genres, if that is the case, ask to see their portfolio’s so you can review their work.
Additionally, when working with a designer, you want to make sure they are listening to you and what your overall vision is. A truly great designer will take what you want and guide you along the way, not give you a cookie-cutter design that doesn’t fit your vision, personality or flow of the house.
Organization
It doesn’t matter what business you are involved in, organization is key. The last person you want on your job is scatterbrained, unorganized and forgetful. Ask for a list of references from the designers you are interviewing and call them! Ask them how smoothly the job went, if it was completed on time, on budget if the job was done in an organized fashion that made sense. An example of this would be having the tile laid before the foundation was dry or the island was installed. Or that when they called to ask questions, the designer always prepared and knew what stages the project was on.
By covering these three key points, you should feel pretty comfortable in your decision and not be so overwhelmed when thinking of your Scottsdale home remodel. Lastly, choose someone you get along with and relate to. Don’t go with someone that matches all the requirements but annoys you to death. In the end, you will have just as bad of an experience than if you went with someone else.
