Value of a Designer
A new 154 Design client was going to build a 2 car garage and office addition to their home and stopped when the contractor quoted $75,000. The contractor had designed the addition in SketchUp and the plans and model loosely showed the design intent. The design was OK, not great. The home owner decided not to build the project as while their goals were met, they were not wowed enough by the design nor did they think it would add sufficient value to their home.
The client contacted me and showed me the contractor’s design and quote. The client was looking for less expensive options. I thought the contractor quote was reasonable and offered to do a site visit to explore design possibilities. 154 Design uses these initial meetings as design discovery with our client. We listen to our clients, learn about them and their homes and what they are trying to achieve with their project. Whether adding a 2nd floor, renovating a kitchen or building a new home, we listen and learn.
Our clients and I explored a few different options and the husband and wife fell in love with a new design concept. I explained that the new design was a $70,000 - $80,000 project. They quickly responded that the new design direction would clearly add value to the home and a project they would pursue. I quietly thought to myself, I should write a blog post about the value of a designer.
We are currently designing this project and we’ll keep you posted as to how it turns out!