Top 5 Design Mistakes | RCD Article

 

5 mistakes client’s make in the preliminary design process (plus project’s examples)

Hello RCD readers,

This blog post we’ll give you some hidden gems for the mistakes designing phase. We’ll talk about 5 mistakes that client’s make in preliminary design.

RECAP LAST RCD ARTICLE BLOG POST

Our step-by-step guide for client’s that have no architectural or building background. :
•      Do the vision’s work
•      Get inspired
•      Paint the big picture
•      Develop a design
For a recap: https://rcdesignsblog.blogspot.com/2023/01/step-by-step-designing-guide-for.html
 
This article is about the mistakes I’ve noticed client’s make during the design phase and my tips for them.
 

What are the 5 mistakes that client’s make?

1. Inspiration
2. Dimension
3. Possibility
4. Process
5. Vision

 

INSPIRATION

The top biggest mistakes that client’s make in when looking for inspiration are:

• How & where they look for inspiration
• The purpose of the inspiration
• The usages of this inspiration

 
Tip 1: how & where ?
•      Bouw- en Woonbeurs
•      Website/ Facebook pages of construction companies and drawing offices
•      The good and old google search
•      Surgoed magazine
•      Architecture Facebook pages

Example One:
Find inspiration
This was inspiration for an old client. They wanted an different entrée. Because of the limitation of their current front yard space.
The inspiration was found by using house entrée designs in google search
 
Tip 2: purpose?
•      Everything you’ve found should be used as a base for your own design and NOT as a copy of the original. That is also the RIGHT PURPOSE of design inspiration.
 
Tip 3: usage?
Before using your chosen inspiration, always make sure to ask yourself the 5 basic questions.
 
What are the 5 basic inspiration questions?

1. Why do I like it?
2. What do I like about it?
3. How does it make me feel?
4. How do I want my own design to make me feel?
5. How will I use it?

 
Example One:
The 5 must asked question?
1) Why do I like it?
The client loved the flat roof design and the usage of wood.
 
2) What do I like about it?
The limited space in this design was perfect for their current concept.
 
3) How does it make me feel?
It makes the entrée pop without using too much space.
 
4) How do I want my own design to make me feel?
They wanted a modern feel for their entrance.
 

How will I use it?

• We decided to use the vertical wooden slats.
• Choose a wooden roof instead of concrete flat roof.
• But to make the space feel bigger we’ve decided to go 1.5m inside and 1.5m outside with making the entrance 3m depth.

 

DIMENSIONS

The top biggest mistakes that client’s make in when asking for certain dimensions are:

• No knowledge of design dimensions
• Reading Dimensions of layouts
• Reality of the chosen dimensions

Tip 4: no knowledge?

• Make use of free advice at bouw-en woonbeurs or other building activities.
• Ask about the min.&max. width, length, depth and height of spaces.

Tip 5A: reading layouts?

• Always ask the architectural draftsman for 1: 100 scale drawings.
• It helps to draw it out again for yourself. *Use millimeter paper.

Tip 5B: reading layouts?

• It’s essential to convert mm to m every time. When you read 2950 that means 2.95m. Remember 1cm equals 1m.
• Use the converting to check the rooms sizes & windows sizes

Tip 5C: reading layouts?

• Don’t forget the furniture when checking if you find the room spaces acceptable.
• Don’t forget to keep the doorway size and the needed space for entirely open doors in mind when checking if you find the door spaces acceptable.

 

Example TWO:
Reading layouts

• After sketching phase we have a consultation where we discuss the current layout.
• We use millimeter paper for the client to understand the design easier

Tip 6: REALITY OF DIMENSION?
1.    Use a tape measurement for the visualization of room sizes.
2.    Measure the size of spaces from your current living area to get an idea of ​​what you find expectable.
3.    Don’t forget the furniture inside every room when visualizing the dimensions of room spaces
 

Example TWO:
Reality of the chosen dimensions
•       We help the client understand the reality of the dimensions by discussing the minimum and maximum of each room.
•      And we always make notice of the furniture of each room.
•      The client can use our tape measurement for a better visualization
•      Patience is the key in this early phase of designing
 

POSSIBILITY

 
The top biggest mistakes of  client’s when thinking about making the design a reality are:

• the client’s & designs budget
• The building  of  the design
• The maintenance of the design

Tip 7a: client’s BUDGET?
•      Make a detailed income plan (monthly)
•      Make a detailed expenses plan (monthly)
•      Make a detailed savings plan (monthly)
•      Check all your loan sources

Tip 7b: client’s BUDGET?

• Keep in mind an estimate of SRD 4800/m2 for building phase. This is a estimate, can become higher or lower.
• Keep unexpected incidents in mind when choosing your realistic budget.

Tip 8: Design BUDGET?
Don’t cheap out on asking for a detailed budget from your architect.
 
Tip 9: building?
Client’s budget= Design budget= Building budget= Reality
Keep the following in mind when thinking about building:
1.    Building material budget
2.     Labor budget
3.     Transport budget
4.    Installation budget
5.    Interior budget (furniture)
 

PROCESS

The top biggest mistakes that client’s make are:
•      The knowledge of quality design process
•      The steps of design process
•      The purpose and importance of this process
 
Tip 10a: process?
Don’t underestimate that designing is a entire process and this takes time.
 
Tip 10b: Preliminary design process?

•   First interview
•   Preliminary program requirements
•   Sketching phase (Floor plan & Facades)
•   Feasibility study
•   Consultation
•   Preliminary design process

VISION

 
The top biggest mistakes that client’s make are:

• The whole vision of the site design
• The functionality of the whole design
• The responsiveness of the whole design

 
Tip 11: ask yourself?
Ask yourself: How does your daily activities look like?
 
A house design can become your own if you think about the functionality of each room and how it fits with your day to day life.
 
Tip 12: ask yourself?
Ask yourself: How does the design make you feel?
 
When busy designing the layout make sure to think about how it makes you feel. The visualization of the whole design helps you see the flaws what doesn’t work for you.
 

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