How to Handle Disagreements With Homeowners on Projects
Communication is the key to avoiding problems and resolving them if they occur – here's how
In an ideal world, every renovation and landscaping project would run smoothly with no surprise issues, and clients would be full of patience throughout the process. But the reality is that homeowners often find renovating and landscaping projects stressful, especially when unforeseen problems arise. This can lead to conflict with you, their renovation or landscaping pro.
We recently spoke with experienced US renovation pros to get their wisdom on handling client disagreements. Their biggest collective takeaway: do everything you can to avoid discord in the first place. Here’s how to do that.
We recently spoke with experienced US renovation pros to get their wisdom on handling client disagreements. Their biggest collective takeaway: do everything you can to avoid discord in the first place. Here’s how to do that.
Another good communication practice is to document everything that’s discussed. “I preach to my guys that every conversation should be followed up with an email recap,” says Barone, who explains that the email should summarise the conversation.
Project management software like Houzz Pro can help you track communication with clients so you both have a record of what’s been agreed to. With Houzz Pro, builders and renovators can manage their emails, direct messages and phone calls with clients. They can also share estimates and change orders, project timelines and updated daily logs as a project progresses.
See more resources for pros in Houzz Pro Learn
Project management software like Houzz Pro can help you track communication with clients so you both have a record of what’s been agreed to. With Houzz Pro, builders and renovators can manage their emails, direct messages and phone calls with clients. They can also share estimates and change orders, project timelines and updated daily logs as a project progresses.
See more resources for pros in Houzz Pro Learn
Communicate about your process
Communication with clients about a renovation or landscaping project begins well ahead of demolition or breaking ground. It’s critical that you outline from the get-go what clients should expect during each project phase.
“We don’t have a lot of disagreements with clients, we really don’t,” says Cheryl Kees Clendenon of In Detail Interiors in Florida, USA. “The reason is we do such a good job of preparing the client for how we work.”
Clendenon lays out her firm’s process five times for a would-be client before she ever creates a design proposal. The process is outlined in materials she refers to as “the Client Introduction,” which explains to homeowners the benefits of working with her design firm. Clendenon emails these materials ahead of the initial discovery call. And then she continues to repeat the information.
Communication with clients about a renovation or landscaping project begins well ahead of demolition or breaking ground. It’s critical that you outline from the get-go what clients should expect during each project phase.
“We don’t have a lot of disagreements with clients, we really don’t,” says Cheryl Kees Clendenon of In Detail Interiors in Florida, USA. “The reason is we do such a good job of preparing the client for how we work.”
Clendenon lays out her firm’s process five times for a would-be client before she ever creates a design proposal. The process is outlined in materials she refers to as “the Client Introduction,” which explains to homeowners the benefits of working with her design firm. Clendenon emails these materials ahead of the initial discovery call. And then she continues to repeat the information.
“We go over it on the phone in the initial discovery call,” she says. Clients hear about the process again in a follow-up email Clendenon sends after the call. She reviews the process once more during the initial consultation, which is when she visits the home to diagnose the problems leading the homeowners to want to renovate or decorate. Finally, information about her firm’s process is also on the company website as an FAQ.
Repetition is a great way to make the design or renovation process clear to homeowners. Remember, the way you do things may be a well-oiled machine. But many homeowners may be embarking upon a build for the first time.
Repetition is a great way to make the design or renovation process clear to homeowners. Remember, the way you do things may be a well-oiled machine. But many homeowners may be embarking upon a build for the first time.
Be upfront about your project backlog
Another key thing to communicate is the lead time before you can take on a new project, or get started in the design phase for a client who knows they want to work with you. That includes sharing with potential clients how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected your backlog of work.
For instance, landscape designer Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio in Wisconsin, USA, found that while project inquiries slowed for only a couple of weeks, his typical work process was thrown off for much longer. Normally, Drzewiecki works in an office with fellow designer Hannah Paulson, and they are quite collaborative.
When the pandemic hit, the designers worked from their respective homes, texting and touching base daily. This continued for three months. In May, Drzewiecki’s father died. All of this lowered productivity for their two-person team.
Another key thing to communicate is the lead time before you can take on a new project, or get started in the design phase for a client who knows they want to work with you. That includes sharing with potential clients how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected your backlog of work.
For instance, landscape designer Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio in Wisconsin, USA, found that while project inquiries slowed for only a couple of weeks, his typical work process was thrown off for much longer. Normally, Drzewiecki works in an office with fellow designer Hannah Paulson, and they are quite collaborative.
When the pandemic hit, the designers worked from their respective homes, texting and touching base daily. This continued for three months. In May, Drzewiecki’s father died. All of this lowered productivity for their two-person team.
Now the designers are back in the office and project inquiries are higher than ever, but Drzewiecki and Paulson are still digging themselves out of the hole that the shift in their work process – plus the general stress of the pandemic and the loss of a loved one for Drzewiecki – caused. As a result, their turnaround times to produce a new design are longer.
“We tell people six, eight, 10 or 12 weeks” before a project can start, “depending how busy we are. And some people are contacting us when it’s only been four weeks,” says Drzewiecki. “We live in [a world with] an Amazon mentality.”
Drzewiecki is telling clients about the lengthier turnaround times when they call, so that if they want to work with him, a conflict doesn’t arise over the length of time they’ll need to wait for his services.
Houzz Launches Houzz Pro Business Software for Renovation Pros
“We tell people six, eight, 10 or 12 weeks” before a project can start, “depending how busy we are. And some people are contacting us when it’s only been four weeks,” says Drzewiecki. “We live in [a world with] an Amazon mentality.”
Drzewiecki is telling clients about the lengthier turnaround times when they call, so that if they want to work with him, a conflict doesn’t arise over the length of time they’ll need to wait for his services.
Houzz Launches Houzz Pro Business Software for Renovation Pros
Handling a conflict with a client when it does occur
If you’ve communicated throughout the project and documented all the client’s decisions, there should be little opportunity for conflict. But occasionally disagreements can’t be avoided. And in those cases, you have to keep in mind what matters most to you: being right or keeping your client happy.
“There is a cost of doing business,” says Clendenon. “If you know that they signed off on the yellow knob and all of a sudden they want the red knob, you just get the red knob.”
While that’s a minor example, differences of opinion about a project’s direction might occur with a client you’ve already agreed to work with. “I come back to ‘the client is always right’,” says Jimmy Crisp of Crisp Architects in New York, USA. “Unless it’s something that is going against code or could be dangerous, I tell clients … ‘If you want a purple tower connected to your house, I will do the best purple tower that can be done.’
“I will say, ‘I don’t think it goes with the architecture’ or ‘It’s not a good colour for the neighbourhood,’ but it is their house.”
If you’ve communicated throughout the project and documented all the client’s decisions, there should be little opportunity for conflict. But occasionally disagreements can’t be avoided. And in those cases, you have to keep in mind what matters most to you: being right or keeping your client happy.
“There is a cost of doing business,” says Clendenon. “If you know that they signed off on the yellow knob and all of a sudden they want the red knob, you just get the red knob.”
While that’s a minor example, differences of opinion about a project’s direction might occur with a client you’ve already agreed to work with. “I come back to ‘the client is always right’,” says Jimmy Crisp of Crisp Architects in New York, USA. “Unless it’s something that is going against code or could be dangerous, I tell clients … ‘If you want a purple tower connected to your house, I will do the best purple tower that can be done.’
“I will say, ‘I don’t think it goes with the architecture’ or ‘It’s not a good colour for the neighbourhood,’ but it is their house.”
Your turn
What have you found helpful in preventing and resolving conflict with clients? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
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Need more practical advice on working with clients and running your business? Read Houzz’s stories for pros here
What have you found helpful in preventing and resolving conflict with clients? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Need more practical advice on working with clients and running your business? Read Houzz’s stories for pros here
This may sound basic, but it’s true: a good way to avoid conflicts with clients regarding a project is to communicate about everything.
“There are three things clients want communicated: price, schedule and finish, meaning how it’s going to look,” says BJ Barone, a builder at 41 West in Florida, USA. “Most builders fail because they don’t communicate in all three of those. They’ll send a bill out too late in the game, and the customer will say, ‘Oh I thought that was included.’”
Homeowners don’t naturally know how unexpected issues or changes they’d like to make mid-project will affect the timeline or the bottom line, especially if they haven’t hired a pro before. So when a client brings up a possible change to the project, Barone or his employees immediately address the three key points: price, schedule and style (or look).
His company also quickly sends out change orders that detail how the change will affect price, timeline and look. The client must sign off before workers proceed.