5 Simple Strategies to Help Your Clients Stick to Project Plans
Avoid the pitfalls of indecision and shifting plans with UK pros' easy solutions to inspire confidence in your clients
A renovation project with minimal changes throughout is the dream when it comes to getting things finished on time, on budget and stress-free. However, this can be hard to achieve when clients change their minds halfway through. Read on to find some tried-and-tested strategies from UK professionals on Houzz to help avoid constant indecision – and deal with a change of mind when it does arise.
2. Keep talking
As a project gets underway, there might be extra decisions that need to be made. The key to ensuring client confidence throughout is to keep communicating.
“Having regular meetings (whether virtual or in person) is a vital way of ensuring the client has a good grasp of the proposals,” says Angus Eitel of Fiftypointeight Architecture + Interiors. “This is applicable at the early stages when discussing concepts, but equally at later stages, for example to agree [on] a lighting layout.”
If you’re using our Houzz Pro management software, take advantage of the tools that allow you to share daily logs with your clients, as well as schedule regular video meetings. You can also quickly create detailed 3D drawings, moodboards and proposals to help your client visualise their project and make instant decisions when needed.
As a project gets underway, there might be extra decisions that need to be made. The key to ensuring client confidence throughout is to keep communicating.
“Having regular meetings (whether virtual or in person) is a vital way of ensuring the client has a good grasp of the proposals,” says Angus Eitel of Fiftypointeight Architecture + Interiors. “This is applicable at the early stages when discussing concepts, but equally at later stages, for example to agree [on] a lighting layout.”
If you’re using our Houzz Pro management software, take advantage of the tools that allow you to share daily logs with your clients, as well as schedule regular video meetings. You can also quickly create detailed 3D drawings, moodboards and proposals to help your client visualise their project and make instant decisions when needed.
3. Provide plenty of information
In order to feel confident in their decisions, clients need to know exactly what those decisions are. You can help this process by ensuring designs are presented clearly.
“Homeowners often find it difficult to visualise how the proposals will actually look,” says Eitel. “It’s important to understand that many can’t fully understand plans, sections and elevations. We frequently use 3D modelling software to provide 3D visuals and walk-throughs to help provide a greater understanding of the proposals.”
“Really detailed designs based on accurate ‘as existing’ survey drawings are key, so we’ve identified and thought through all aspects of the space before starting on site,” says Hoad. “[We ensure we have] a really detailed specification of the building works needed, together with a full, costed second fix list, with the aim that as little as possible is ‘up for grabs’ when work actually starts on site.”
“Often, someone changing their mind mid-project is because they have to make a decision they didn’t know they were going to have to make,” says Dhala. “We anticipate all of these moments before we start and make sure the full picture is agreed and understood in advance.”
In order to feel confident in their decisions, clients need to know exactly what those decisions are. You can help this process by ensuring designs are presented clearly.
“Homeowners often find it difficult to visualise how the proposals will actually look,” says Eitel. “It’s important to understand that many can’t fully understand plans, sections and elevations. We frequently use 3D modelling software to provide 3D visuals and walk-throughs to help provide a greater understanding of the proposals.”
“Really detailed designs based on accurate ‘as existing’ survey drawings are key, so we’ve identified and thought through all aspects of the space before starting on site,” says Hoad. “[We ensure we have] a really detailed specification of the building works needed, together with a full, costed second fix list, with the aim that as little as possible is ‘up for grabs’ when work actually starts on site.”
“Often, someone changing their mind mid-project is because they have to make a decision they didn’t know they were going to have to make,” says Dhala. “We anticipate all of these moments before we start and make sure the full picture is agreed and understood in advance.”
4. Plan for changes
For Hoad, it’s important to be realistic about altered plans during a project. “Clients do sometimes change their minds for good reason – more money becoming available for instance,” she says.
“I think we accept that changes can happen and do happen, and often this can be a positive,” says Eitel. “If this does happen, it’s important to understand when this can happen without causing significant cost increases.
“We try to help clients understand that making changes when construction has started can be a costly process,” he says. “Changing minds during a planning application will result in additional cost arising out of additional design fees, even more so at later stages when other consultants (engineers, for example) might need to make amendments, resulting in additional fees.”
Browse contemporary Australian living rooms on Houzz
For Hoad, it’s important to be realistic about altered plans during a project. “Clients do sometimes change their minds for good reason – more money becoming available for instance,” she says.
“I think we accept that changes can happen and do happen, and often this can be a positive,” says Eitel. “If this does happen, it’s important to understand when this can happen without causing significant cost increases.
“We try to help clients understand that making changes when construction has started can be a costly process,” he says. “Changing minds during a planning application will result in additional cost arising out of additional design fees, even more so at later stages when other consultants (engineers, for example) might need to make amendments, resulting in additional fees.”
Browse contemporary Australian living rooms on Houzz
5. Design in flexibility
By being open to clients changing their minds at some point, either during a project or even afterwards, you can take positive early action.
“We do try to create flexibility in internal layouts where possible to allow for changes either during construction or even after completion,” says Eitel. “Allowing for plasterboard walls that are not load-bearing and can be removed easily mid-construction or indeed after construction is sensible.
“With that in mind, discussing ‘future-proofing’ is also sensible,” he says, “talking through what changes may or may not be required in advance of any construction to accommodate growing families or changing family dynamics – multi-generational households, for example.”
Your turn
How do you handle indecision during a project? Share your experiences in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the professional conversation.
More
Looking for your next read? This article has you covered – Trade Shows: Why They’re Important Events You Don’t Want to Miss
By being open to clients changing their minds at some point, either during a project or even afterwards, you can take positive early action.
“We do try to create flexibility in internal layouts where possible to allow for changes either during construction or even after completion,” says Eitel. “Allowing for plasterboard walls that are not load-bearing and can be removed easily mid-construction or indeed after construction is sensible.
“With that in mind, discussing ‘future-proofing’ is also sensible,” he says, “talking through what changes may or may not be required in advance of any construction to accommodate growing families or changing family dynamics – multi-generational households, for example.”
Your turn
How do you handle indecision during a project? Share your experiences in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the professional conversation.
More
Looking for your next read? This article has you covered – Trade Shows: Why They’re Important Events You Don’t Want to Miss
Sponsored
Sponsored
The best way to avoid a change of mind midway through a project is to take the time to plan thoroughly early on.
“We make sure we’ve got to know in depth what the clients are trying to achieve (and sometimes why),” says Cat Hoad of Absolute Project Management. “We’ll then have thought through and made particular design decisions, having already borne in mind and discarded other possibilities.”
“We invest a lot of time in the initial stages of a project, working out what it is a client really wants and carefully separating the reality from the images they see online,” says Amy Dhala of Decorbuddi. “This can be a slow process, but it’s well worth it and means everyone is very much on the same page before a project starts.”
Dhala says it’s important not to dictate design ideas to clients, but instead help draw out of them their preferred aesthetic and direction. “Again, this avoids uncertainty further down the line and means they’re truly comfortable with the scheme, which has been carefully pulled together to reflect their personality and lifestyle,” she says.
Find, follow and network with other design and building pros on Houzz