Keeping Your Design Project on Target and within Budget
Here are just two of the many choices I had to make during my recent bathroom remodel, neither of which I anticipated in advance:
• Where should the tile pattern begin in the shower – at the right edge, left edge, or in the corner? This affected not only the finished look, but how much tile needed to be ordered.
• Did I want my ideal medicine chest, which would delay the project at least four weeks (since I didn’t order it in advance), or could I settle for one that was available the next day? …and once I thought I’d made every possible decision, I found out that my countertops couldn’t even be ordered until the cabinetry was installed – another delay!
If you are stubborn like me, and you want to manage your own project, I strongly recommend that you take your role as project manager very seriously.
• First, recognize that supervising an interior design project is time-consuming. If you have a day job, consider hiring an interior designer or at least a project manager to help you keep track of the details.
• Next, research every aspect of your interior design project carefully, and develop a plan for it. Keep a notebook and/or file of every piece of paperwork, records of every conversation you have, and details about every decision you make.
• Establish a realistic timeline for completing your project. Remember that virtually every product and service has a lead time – from days to months.
• Select your vendors carefully, and keep in close contact with them. This may mean checking in with them multiple times a day during the busiest parts of your project.
• Be 100% clear on who is responsible for what. Require vendors to provide written contracts, and write down any agreements you make with vendors as the job progresses.
• Keep all of your paperwork organized. You’ll thank yourself later…whether you’re having an issue with a warranty or just trying to match a paint color!
You tell me: What have you done to keep an interior design project on target and within your budget?
