Choosing to build a house is a huge commitment! I’m assuming you’re reading this blog post because you are either considering building, about to start building or you have picked a lot and now you are at the point of picking a designer to be by your side and I’m your favorite? Great!
Putting together my process for all my services was such a time-consuming thing for me. In my mind, it’s by far the most important document I will relay to my client throughout what can be such a stressful, overwhelming time. Having a solid process for my business to relay to the client builds trust, confidence, and reassurance that I’m here to move along the project as efficiently and stress-free as possible.
This process may evolve as my business evolves and each client may teach me something that I’m missing along the way but for now here is how NMI handles new build custom projects.
First things first, reaching out to me via my website. Filling out the inquiry form sends me an email with your name, number and a quick message that tells me that you have found me and are interested in what its like to hire/work with me for your home build. From there will you get a message back from me to set up what I call a “discovery call”. This discovery call is for us to get to know each other, for me to understand most of the details of the project, and to ultimately see if you and I are a good fit to work together. Example of not being a good fit: You are wanting to build with a completely different atheistic from NMI. The reason that it’s better to part ways there is so the project is a positive experience and there aren’t a lot of disagreements on design ideas to delay time. When you’re picking an interior designer to renovate, build, or decorate make sure you are following these things HERE.
After the discovery call and contract is signed there is usually another meeting with a builder, architect, landscape architect to get a high-level overview of the project. This is important to sit down with these people, so everyone is on the same page. After that, my contract is sent and signed, and the process of design begins!
The design days/selecting materials can be about 8–10-hour days depending on the size of the project, schedules, efficiency or doing a lot of inspiration hunting before and getting on the same page beforehand.
Once the design days get started the construction begins to get scheduled. Working closely with the builder and project manager to keep the client updated as much as possible is a must in the process. No communication is the worst. The building process can have a lot of changes and unexpected things pop up, so to be aware of them with a solution as soon as possible is the strategy I really like to take. It does take a team effort! Scheduled design meetings, on site meetings, zoom meetings or in person to go over anything the client needs, are all part of the NMI experience when building.
To conclude, make sure you design, project manager, and builder all have their set processes, and they are all being communicated to you (the paying client) accordingly. To read more about NMI’s process, please follow to the process tab above!
All the best!
Natalie
