Hiring a professional designer

In every case, especially after the fact, our Clients have always felt they made a wise decision in hiring a professional Designer.

The larger the project, the stronger we urge you to hire a Designer.

The Professional Designer will listen to the Client's design expectations & guide them through the selection & design process, while minimizing the stress of making the proper decisions. As the Client's advocate, the interior Designer will act as a liaison between the Builder & Client to ensure the Client's expectations are communicated correctly to the Builder.  This helps eliminate misunderstandings in the field which can mean costly mistakes & delays.

Newcastle has a list of proven Designers we can recommend.  Which Designer will depend on your personal preferences, the project’s scope, timing & location.  However, it is ultimately you who should make the choice as to which Designer to hire.

We’ve outlined a few helpful tips when choosing Designers, & key communication topics to discuss once you’ve entered the design phase.

DESIGNERS DESIGN & BUILDERS

BUILD THAT DESIGN

For that reason, it is important for Clients to understand how each phase plays off the other in order to have a successful project progression.  The Designer will communicate the Client’s approved design concepts to the Builder in a proper format that the Builder can execute. This critical relationship emphasizes the need for Builders & Designers to have a proven track record of great results working together that ultimately greatly benefit their Clients.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Consider your project deadlines when selecting options from your Designer.  Always ask what sort of lead times certain styles may have, as this can have a dramatic effect on the expected timeline & completion date.  For example, most tile is either readily available, or has a lead-time of less than a week. However, some tile distributors can have lead times up to several MONTHS.  Be sure to ask the Designer to verify lead times or if items are readily in stock locally.

STREAMLINE THE SUPPLY LINE

An interior Designer has a wealth of sources in both retail & trade, many of which will allow “one stop” shopping for each aspect of the selections (plumbing fixtures, appliances, decorative light fixtures, flooring, etc.). By consolidating the suppliers, it helps maintain the Client’s budget & deadlines by minimizing the moving components of your project, reducing freight & lead times, special installation materials, compatibility of all the different manufacturers’ fittings & parts, etc. 

While it’s still more important to get exactly what you want, in many cases you can keep the same manufacturer or distributor & find similar -if not exactly- the same item from the same supplier.  Never hesitate to ask your Designer if options exist within the same product line that might fit just as well, if not better.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND NAILS

The design package can be a collection of photos, renderings, written instructions or CAD drawings.  The finalized design spec package is essentially the Client’s “agreement” with the Builder as to what the project entails.

Just as importantly, it is a reference manual for the Builder.  In order to maintain the Client’s budget & timeline, it’s important to have all of your design aspects finalized prior to the Builder starting your project. The Builder will use your design package to initialize permits (if necessary), start the material orders, & schedule the trades in a proper manner in order to execute the design package in logical progession. 

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

We recommend trusting your Designer until the completion of your project. More often than not, midway through a construction project things can appear a bit unsightly.  In many cases, projects won’t come to fruition until the very last phase, often right up until the last lights are installed & powered up.  During the construction phase, just remember it tends to look worse before it looks better. Your Designer & Builder are in constant communication regarding your project in order to ensure everything is completed to your satisfaction.

Armed with a little bit of knowledge, you should expect a successful, smooth process from start to finish with your Designer.  Please remember that we here at Newcastle are happy to recommend proven Designers that have developed a relationship with all parties involved, especially with our past Clients.  

Feel free to reach out to us anytime, we can’t wait to be a part of bringing your project to life.

Sincerely,

The Newcastle Team