With all the information available via the Internet, hundreds of home improvement shows on TV and free design services available at your local retailers, people always ask me why they should spend money for design services.
At Interior Transformation, Inc, we say because you can't afford not to. Most people who do any type of remodeling or new construction do it maybe once or twice in their lifetime - learning as they go. The process can be very overwhelming and very costly if the project is not planned correctly.
We work with remodeling and new construction projects every day. We know the problems that can arise and we understand what needs to be done to avoid them. As independent designers, our loyalties are with you. We don't represent any builders or favor any of their suppliers. Our goal is that in the end you are delighted with the finished project and that you had a positive experience with your remodel or new construction.
Here is a great example of how working with Interior Transformation, Inc. could have saved a client over $5,500.00 and 6 weeks of unnecessary disruption and disarray in her home.
Sharon called me with an SOS, when she was in the middle of a project and knee deep in construction.
"In the beginning the contractors were everywhere, building materials were flying and everything seemed to be moving along great. Then all of a sudden after the drywall had been hung we realized that layout of the space wasn't going to work at all because there was no room for our furniture, no place to put our TV and no outlets or cable jacks to plug in to. In a panic I called Interior Transformation hoping there would be a solution."
After I received Sharon's call, I went to the home to evaluate the situation and how to fix it. I could see right away what had gone wrong but I could also see a solution. Some of the newly constructed walls needed to be moved. We also needed to bring the electrician back to pull additional wires for the television and rework some of the recessed fixtures. I also noted a few other areas where they could use convenience outlets to avoid having to run extension cords.
"When Linda came in, she immediately went to work on creating a revised floor plan which included some great suggestions on the electrical. When her plan was finished all of our furniture had been accommodated and we had all the rest of the details needed to complete the project. I couldn't believe how organized her materials were and how systematically she went about getting the project back on task. All the winging it came to a halt."
I worked as quickly as I could to deliver completed plans so the project could get started again. Of course the contractor had already moved on to another job and said he would get back to them as soon as possible. Meanwhile, they were living in dust, their house felt like a battle zone and they had already paid 75% of the contract with nothing to show for it (his contract called for 50% up-front, 25% after drywall and final payment upon completion).
Once the plan was together, we worked with the contractor to get the rest of the finish materials ordered and on site. As a team we negotiated the costs of the change orders and put together a schedule for the job completion.
This story had a happy ending but cost the client an additional $8,500.00 for items that could have been avoided. Our initial fee would have been $3000.00 so her net savings would have been $5,500.00. More importantly, she would have saved herself weeks of stress living with construction and having her home in disarray.
"I learned a valuable lesson with this project and when we do our kitchen remodel, Linda will be the first person I call. Her design fees are worth every penny and her understanding of construction is amazing."
