Interior Design Services to Contractors

Did you know that Waldron Designs offers services for contractors to provide a comprehensive design-build service, and to assist with selections, design and drawing review?

I'll be honest, I often wince when I see a contractor's "designs" that are horribly dated, not suiting the home's architectural design, or have the "builder grade" look, regardless of the level of craftsmanship and quality work. This isn't the fault of the contractor! They simply aren't designers. If a client asks them to select switchplate covers, tile, etc, they will grab from their frequently used items, rather than source something creative, personal and unique to the home. 

I had the very rare opportunity in college of being a part of an interdisciplinary program, which allowed me to do studio courses and projects with students of architecture, landscape architecture, construction management, and of course other interior designers. Learning how to collaborate with the different fields gave me a unique viewpoint that often results in people in these fields saying that it's a "breath of fresh air" to work with me. I do not demand control of a project but work as a team player, gleaning knowledge from these different perspectives. I am proud of how well I work with others in the field and look forward to opportunities to have fun collaborating together.

Let's talk a bit about each of these services and HOW we work with contractors to ensure that homeowners get an affordable, well-designed result when they may not be able to employ a designer start to finish.

Design-Build Services

Often times, a client wants a comprehensive service with ONE point of contact who holds complete responsibility for their project. In this instance, we still meet with the homeowner and work with them one-on-one to ascertain design style, functional and aesthetic needs as well as any safety concerns or physical constraints.

The contract in this instance is through the General Contractor and we will hold a contract with the GC. In this scenario, it is very important that the contractor review our agreement before moving forward. We offer a discount on our hourly rate to General Contractors so that they can mark up on our rate and the client is not seeing an increased rate for the service. It is important for contractors to note that they may want to adjust their contract and insurance to include additional liability.

Finish, Fixture, and Color Selection

This is a great service to utilize a designer for because contractors typically have zero interest in specifying these items. We offer this service on an hourly basis (can be "not to exceed") or by square footage for larger spaces.  Again, this is offered at a discounted rate to our contractor and architect friends, allowing them to price accordingly. 

What we need to provide this service:

• A list of products to be sourced (scope of work)

• Drawings or access to the space.

We can offer this service with consideration to your project needs- give us an allowance, and we can spend time sourcing with our reps providing a thorough, unique and personalized service or we can take these needs to CFM and make selections quickly in a single visit! It comes down to your client's needs and budget.

Pretty easy, right?!

Design and Drawing Review

Contractors are often asked to draw up designs for clients who are not on a designer budget. The problem with this is that the design training doesn't exist, so we end up with a "decent" design that is very buildable but may not consider the user or the aesthetics. 

With this service, the contractor can bring their drawings into our office for a simple hourly meeting to review, redline, and discuss the needs of the homeowner. When needs haven't been thoroughly considered (which is not unusual... and again, not anyone's fault), a follow-up meeting may be required.

Homeowners- this is a great option if the designer budget isn't attainable but a step up from the contractor design is desired. We offer these services directly to the homeowner as well, at our regular hourly rate.

Has this helped you? Please pin our article so others may gain from this as well!