Cup of tea | Day in the life RCD
Hello RCD readers,
You are not required to be everyone's cup of tea.
As I'm busy with finishing a project. 3D design for an old client. I was flowing with inspiration. I could've stopped with designing a couple of days ago. But I came up with two more designs. So today I'm finishing the 3D concept and figuring out what he thinks. This a client which I have never personally worked with but his employees. It is the first time we'll work together.
It's just a dance
The client-architectural designer relationship is like a duet or let's say a pas de duex. We have to find each other's rhythm.
Real pas de deux
Just as dance. The best dance partners are the one who listen and bring out the best out of each other. It is all about trust. You completely believe they won't let you fall. It helps when you also have a friendship or even more important chemistry. Not all chemistry are love interests. Most are just people that have a soul connection with each other. They share a piece of themselves that other's don't. And when the connection is nurtured you'll have a friend for life.
To bring the best out of the design you have to keep in consideration that you have a small time to figure out what your client will like. For instance I've noticed a big love for wooden beam construction with him. So with that in mind I've designed modern designs.
This dance works for 95% of the time. But once in awhile you'll get that 5%.
- different way of communicating
- different set of expectations
- different sense of work ethics
- different sense of work boundaries
I've had these experiences very little to actually complain about it and overall every client I've been able to work with.
The fickle client
I've had client's that keep changing their minds. And choosing in the end the first option eventually. I've learned to make a schedule before hand and be honest on the offer what is expected from both sides. This will make it a little bit smoother but not still bumpy. It is a lot of discussing and going back on what is in the offer and time limit every time. But if you stand firm and stay professional without losing your cool. It will work out in the end.
Unrealistic time expectations
I've worked on design project's for sometimes a whole year. You see a lot have this perception that you just need a drawing for a building permit and during building phase they will change the design. Which is an expensive route. So what happens. The time limit of the whole design process is doom to fail because people think you can get drawings within a week.
Honest time limit of the entire design process in it's whole.
Now I always write it in my offer the time limit. Which nobody actually reads. Because for some reason they think it will be faster. Preliminary and site visit with the 2 weeks. If the person knows what they want during the preliminary design phase is a week. The drafting of the definitive drawings for small project's can take up to 4weeks. With the client seeing the drawings during this time and being able to change one last thing. Plus one week to check for mistakes. Which some people never want to wait for.
Not everyone's cup of tea
Last project the preliminary design took longer. Client didn't like the design I think.
Site visit: May 16th
First concept: May 17th (made the layouts over night)
Preliminary design concepts: May 23rd. The client made changes 3 changes from the exterior. Which were corrected daily and mailed in the morning.
Definitive design : it took a week to make the drawings for this. The client did not like the preliminary concepts I think which is why I had 3 changes. And I had to work over time to finish this project still on time. June 7th.
Because I never got the personal information of the client self the drawings didn't have that. The client wanted their business information on the drawings which doesn't seem to be ethical. They agreed with me when I discussed that this wouldn't be a good idea.
Week for correcting the drawings.
They started sending corrections three days after the definitive design was finished. Instead of checking the drawings on June 7th. And set me back on other project's. So I finished the corrections. The definitive drawings were given on June 10 with the corrections with the explanation that the building cost will be given end of June. More because I needed a week to finish other projects that were put on hold during this stagnation.
One week finished work that was actually suppose to be 2 weeks of work. Just to not disappoint another client.
And of course June 17th this client wanted the building cost that week. Feedback was working " 2 months" on building cost and drawings is too long. We came to an comprise I make the building material list and the client will put in the prices. I did that within two days. And now follows the building permit. I hope they get to build their dream house. Because that was the whole point.
Moral of the story
Not every project goes that smoothly but if you stay calm. You'll make decisions that are good for your company and your client.
Now I'm busy with two simultaneously. One definitive phase and second is still preliminary phase. So this week tasks are:
- building permits for two project's
- preliminary design facades
- definitive drawings and starting with building cost and contract.
- finances for the month June
- follow ups for potential clients
- content for July
What I can give as advice?
Learn how to communicate correctly.
Learn peoples way of working and try to be flexible without disturbing other project's.
Always stay calm and professional.
Most important. Stay firm and assertive but don't take comments personally.
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