I sometimes receive phone calls that I would classify as either “lookey-loos” or serious people doing their homework. I’d rather work with the latter of course. Most serious subcontractors would agree on how to qualify customers rather than prospects, but customers should do the same with their contractors. Don’t ever be afraid to ask serious and direction questions with people that are going to be spending lots of your money. Here are some questions to consider:
- Do they have a contractors license? These are different for each field, so make sure they have the right one. Serious interior designers will have completed a college curriculum. There are some that will take the short road and attend certification classes for 8-12 weeks that give a decent understanding of laying out a simple floor plan or putting some textiles together. These classes are ok if you just want someone to fill your home with accessories, but I highly suggest that you work directly with other drapery, lighting, construction contractors.
- Ask how long the contractors have been in the trade. If they just started their own firm, they most likely worked for other contractors. Ask for professional references.
- Follow that up by asking for client references.
- Do they have a website or marketing program? This will show you a lot about their business. Do they look organized enough to show a good image? This is important in my industry. I see horrible ads and websites by other designers and I scratch my head.
- How do they structure their fees? Most projects require estimates in my opinion and they will all be different. Hourly fees or consultation fees will vary in the industry.
I charge to come out to a home. It is a small fee but I still charge for that time. It is my way of qualifying my clients. You may be tempted by a designer that offers a free initial consultation. Ask yourself why do they have that much time? I wish I had enough hours in the day to give away my time for free but the truth is I do not. It’s unfortunate, but my experience shows me that customers that want a free consultation will end up looking for a deal on every step of the process and will end up unhappy anyway. Conversely, those that happily pay for my time usually end up happy and content with their great interiors.
Finally, true professionals won’t get into a bidding war because of a clients need to get the best deal. It should be more important to feel comfortable with who you are working with. It’s a relationship over the course of the project. For myself, the client can ask me any question in the world relating to their home in that first meeting they are paying for. Nothing is lost and the client feels they’ve received a wealth of information. Most likely, you will have a good indication whether you want to hire that person for the entire project. This will save you a lot of heartaches and headaches I’m sure.
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