This article shares what came of the 3D model. I am proud of how it turned out.

Let me know what you think of the renderings!

Recently, a client came to us and asked to see the possibilities of a unique stair system that is clear, slim, and chic for their home. This is not a typical home either. Split level entrance with a foyer that is open from basement to 2nd floor. It is also tricky because the stair is going to be supported by nothing between first and second floors, while walking out over the foyer.

So, we got looking for ideas of glass stairs……and found this company that provides frameless glass stairways that created this amazing stairway.

So, being that Design Build Solutions, LLC is about making people happy, I get to create something like this in a 3D model to share with the homeowner what their possibilities are.

Keep watching…I’ll show you the rendering when it’s finished!

Just one quick internet search yielded this website that has some great looking murphy bed designs and options. http://www.morespaceplace.com/murphy-beds/.

Maybe you too will want to save some space in your room.

With smartphone in hand; earbuds well planted in my ear, and streaming radio playing, I stepped out with a purpose in my step; paradoxically, to take a walk with no purpose at all, but to take in and enjoy. Below, I share with you the sights, beauty, and thoughts that I was able to take in while having no purpose.

I was noticing the variations of shape; changes in hues of color; alterations of size; and similarities between all. The fullness of beauty is present in the similarities and differences. I also observed that the Designer of this beauty didn’t use straight lines much, nor did He make one pattern constantly repeat itself; but used mostly curving and eye-pleasing lines to draw the viewer to enjoy new and different perspectives of the same objects.

I enjoyed the view, and had to realize that this concept of design is similar to what viewers appreciate in the beauty of their homes as well. A past project to make conceptual changes to the facade of a home brought this to light. The lines were long, straight, and un-interesting. Whole facades were flat and boring. Making small changes of texture, color, and movement of surfaces made for a much more interesting view, and welcoming presence in the homeowner’s eyes. You can see the current conditions of straight lines, and the results of this conceptual change in this home.

So my challenge is this: enjoy the fullness of beauty all around you. Life is full of downers, and we need to allow beauty to lift us up. It doesn’t take much to add color, texture, shape and movement in our lives; but we do need to do it. Allow it in the architecture of your home, the fullness of both interior and exterior. Allow it to permeate and be full in your complete life. You will eventually thank yourself.

For reasons I won’t go into here, they removed the fireplace, and exposed this.

For some reason, the roof repair person (I only hope it wasn’t a contractor) didn’t flash the chimney properly, nor build a cricket behind it to move water away from the chimney.

Had proper details and procedures been observed, someone could have been saved a lot of headache. In this situation, the mistakes did bite someone. Watching out for small details, mitigates small mistakes, and assures that larger issues like this don’t arise.  Is someone watching out for you?

Hence, we reviewed the needs and created a 3D model of the concept of how it could work.  Then, I created this video.  There may be other concepts coming.  We’ll see how it turns out!  Watch the video and let me know what do you think of this concept?

I like to turn this saying into a positive, pro-active tool during our projects as a reminder that details do matter.  How do they matter?  When do they matter?  Why do they matter?  Can we keep the devil away?

Yes, we can keep the devil away.  One of our major goals during  the complete design and documentation process is to communicate with everyone openly and frankly about the details of the project.

The details matter from the very beginning of planning.  A contractor needs details to properly affix a dollar value to the project. The homeowner needs details to approve the design and financial investment.  Even the designer needs details to ensure proper design.

Ultimately, these details are for the benefit of the homeowner, for the project is going to be used, and lived in by the homeowner.  Consider this picture.  What “little” detail was missed during the process (not our design), and how will it affect the homeowner until someone pays even more money to fix it.

By the way, I can tell you a professional would not have designed it this way.

However, to state empirically that the designer/architect should always take the lead on projects doesn’t add up to me.  My experience shows that clients do benefit greatly when the builder takes the lead.

Am I slamming architects/designers?No!  I am a designer – it’s hard to slam oneself.  But I do have reasons for saying that the the builder is a valid choice.

First, the builder is the one that is actually producing the physical product.  Whether the client is building a new custom home, or has commissioned a home improvement project, the contractor will be onsite and working with the client for the much larger majority of the time over the architect.

My next reason for stating this is the financial piece…the contractor will be invoicing the client for much more than the architect/designer.

This third reason may be seen as controversial, but I hope you will hear me out.  Relegating the design team to play second fiddle isn’t always a bad thing.  I can hear the hollering now; but I ask you to hear me out.  Since the contractor will be constructing the project, it makes sense that he/she have some serious input on the design phase.  An underlying point here is that the design phase affects the final investment cost, and since the contractor (not the designer) provides the financial piece of the puzzle, it would seem to make sense the the contractor has serious input.

Another reason that the design team should play second fiddle is that the design team – no matter how good they are; or how many awards have been won – will most likely never live in that project.  I agree that good design is great.  I can see that it might be important.  But it might not be as important to our client(s); who, by the way, is paying for our service, not our ego.  In reality, they are paying us for their ego!  And, that’s not bad.

I have presented many times, in many ways, that the Design/Build model should be a 3-way relationship:  Client/Design team/Production.  Having two of those parties (Design team and Contractors) argue over who should be in the lead – most often it happens because neither wants to play “second fiddle” – puts the most important player (client) out of the ring, and builds animosity between two important disciplines.

So, all of this aside, who should the homeowner call first – a design team, or a contractor?  Call someone whom you trust.  Call someone who has a reasonable system to handle your needs, dreams, and desires.  Potential clients, pay attention to how much the salesman talks.  He or she should listen 70-80% of the time, to you!  A professional salesperson will have insightful questions about you and your goals, not just your project.  Ask your salesperson about their team – do they work well with the other discipline?

Any project is a delicate dance of leading, following, speaking, and doing.  Which of those one is to do, depends upon many things.  Ultimately, final decisions are in the lap of the client.

Design Build Solutions works with homeowners and contractors; willing to lead, and willing to pass the baton when necessary.  Our team will make reasonable suggestions and passionate statements when necessary.

What do you think?  Do you have a different perspective?  I lean toward the builder taking the lead.  When we do start a project, and take the lead, we work quickly to getting the contractor involved, and allow the right person to “take the lead.”

This is the latest as a part of their marketing movie.  (Other parts of the movie to be added by others, including photos of existing conditions, and music – for continuity)

Contractors, are you using 3D to communicate with potential clients?

However, they liked what they saw.  So, we’re back to the boards, to bring the project within the financial investment that they wish.  They did state that they might be willing to push the envelope a little to get just a little more.  We may build the garage, and just shell it out so that they can finish the upstairs master suite at a later time.

The question regarding design and financial investment often appears when discussing the design-build process with someone new to the concept.  Most people recognize that most people want more than they can afford in a remodeling project.  Then, we have to ask, does the design come first, or the financial investment?  Or, can we have both?

This series is to contend that with design/build, the homeowner can have both design and investment protected.  As this specific project shows, the design is maleable – a piece of clay – to mold and manipulate into the financial range that the client is willing to invest.  By having a good 3d design before them, together with the financial range, the homeowner has complete control of the project.  This does not have any coercion or strong-arming by the designer or contractor.

A designer’s heart is going to push the envelope – it’s part of design – but with the team of contractor giving real dollar values, and homeowner making real decisions with real data, the project will be a success!

While reading this ongoing story, I hope that it sheds new light on the video: The Beauty of Design/Build.

What’s the problem?

I find this to be similar to the mode of operation for most businesses – we like to talk about ourselves!  However, as a client, I know that I don’t like to be pushed or “sold” into anything, even when I really want the service or product.  As a designer, when I talk about myself, my designs, my business – which I do like very much – I don’t get a chance to hear my client, what they like, and their needs.

What should be changed?

A contractor or designer that listens all the time doesn’t quite fit the bill either.  Before continuing, clarification is appropriate.  A service provider should listen 80% of the time during the first meeting, but un-guided listening doesn’t help either.  Simply asking a client, or prospective client, what they want doesn’t always yield the answer.  Some times that only creates a box about which everyone on the team thinks of, and nobody can come up with any alternative solutions.

A perspective that the first meeting needs to be about how much we are different from our competitors should be ruled out.  I say, as Nike does, “Just do it!”  Don’t talk so much about being different, just go about being different!  Be better!  Start that difference from the first phone call.

How should the meeting start?

A professional salesperson or designer will know how to draw out the information needed from a client regarding their current situation and what needs to change.  We remind ourselves to two important rules: 1) LISTEN 80% of the time, and 2) We don’t live there, nor will we afterwards.  The project is for our clients, why should it be about us?  Having so many different styles and types of remodeling projects in our archives – everything from kitchen remodeling, bath remodeling, additions, and whole house remodeling projects – we are confident that we can find a solution to our clients’ needs within the canvas of their current home.

How can the industry move forward?

I do understand that clients like to see design ideas-and that isn’t all bad.  I also understand that, generally, people like to talk about themselves.  I envision an industry where professional salespeople and designers expertly maneuver the terrain of clients, contracting, remodeling, and yes, personalities, to bring about quality projects that fit the homeowners’ functional and financial needs and goals.  That starts with the homeowner.  (Ultimate grasp of the obvious, you say?  And, redundant, too!)  If we can professionally hold our clients’ hands, and carefully draw out the important information needed for a project, we can raise the bar, and the industry’s reputation.

Where do homeowners turn?

As mentioned before, homeowners can select a professional contractor based upon something other than price.  I am not saying that they shouldn’t worry about price, but that comes at a different stage.  Begin by looking for a contractor that is different.  How does that contractor hold their clients?  Is your first phone call to one contractor similar to all the rest?  Does that contractor propose a practice unique from the competitors?  Is communication quick and accurate?  Is the communication recorded for all to see, in one common location, or on sticky notes all over the desk, folder, or computer monitor?

This new offering is the American Fantasy Makeover.  Ok, it really isn’t new, we’ve been doing these for about a year, but now that it is out in the printed media, we’d like to repeat the opportunity for homeowners can see what their room can look like.

Because of technology, it is possible to remotely model and design your home, and show a client what could be.  The rules to the Makeover are simple:

• There is nothing to buy
• The goal is to have fun

It is important to remember that this is a Fantasy Makeover for a two reasons.  First, we do not qualify the dollar figures attached to the project, and, second, it is not structurally qualified.  Because we are limited to one room, we haven’t had the chance to ascertain the existing structure of the house.

Here is one testimonial.

I was also doing some searching to see what products and guides are available to help reduce home energy usage.  There are, in fact, instructions on how you can CREATE your own energy!  Or, use this blueprint to increase home energy efficiency.

The question that arose yesterday was, “Since we’ve already added insulation 2 years ago, what project is next that we can do that is most efficient – HVAC replacement, or window/door replacement?”

This is a hard question to answer over the dinner table.  Why?  We don’t know what the efficiency of the current systems are.   For starters, the government has given this home energy assessment tool on their website.  You will need your energy bills from the past year or so.  After entering your energy usage (electric, oil, fuel, natural gas, propane, etc.) this tool will give you a yardstick rating to see where you are on energy usage, and then some suggestions on how to reduce your usage.

To get a very accurate reading of your home’s energy usage, I would suggest finding a qualified home energy auditor.  I know of at least one in the Indianapolis area, and there are many across the country.  This auditor will perform a “blower-door” test and take readings of the energy escaping from your home.  Couple this information with your current systems, you will know what is the biggest energy waste in your home.

If you are going to improve your home soon, check out the Federal tax credits for home energy improvements you are doing.

Don’t forget, you can get instructions on how you can CREATE your own energy!  Or, increase home energy efficiency.

If you have home energy questions that were not addressed here, you can contact us in the comment box below, or Design Build Solutions on Twitter, or Design Build Solutions on Facebook.

The FamilyEducation.com website, gives an excerpt on How to Spot an “Underground” Contractor, from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Common Household Disasters © 2005 by Paul Hayman and Sonia Weiss.   Their article gives us the first point in how to reduce headaches.

1) Use a professional contractor

As mentioned in the article, an “Underground” contractor may be performing “underground” for many reasons, but they do prey on vulnerable homeowners.  I contend that homeowners in any remodeling project are vulnerable.

Consider how many stories are present of water leaking, stop-work orders from building departments, missing contractors, firing contractors, etc.   Selecting a remodeling professional is the topic of discussion in another article.

2) Ensure your project adds value to your home

I understand that home value doesn’t feel like two words that should be put together these days.  Everyone feels that lately.  However, even in difficult and wavering real estate markets, we’ve all seen projects that don’t make sense to the home, and actually reduce value to the home.

This article gives great ideas on increasing the value of your home.  Remember value can be measured with more than finances.  If you can use it better and feel cleaner, lighter, or easier, the project added value.  Tight spaces, dark areas, relaxing views add to the betterment of your life, and that is valueable.

3) Ask many questions!

Communication is important in these relationships.  If a contractor or designer shows frustration with your questions, go somewhere else!  Ask the hard questions, the questions that no one else wants to ask, the easy questions, even the ridiculous.  The most important thing is to feel comfortable with your professional, and confident that he or she will serve you well.

I am seeing more and more that too many professionals assume that they can do business because they know something about building or designing.  Unfortunately, too many complaints of remodeling headaches are business related, not just craft related, and both business and craft are integral to any service profession.

Being detailed in your questions – especially in the beginning – can help you in many ways!

4) Allow for the professional to ask you questions

Our goal at Design Build Solutions is to make your project fit your needs.  Do we have ideas?  Yes.  Do we have likes?  Yes.  Do we have samples and portfolios?  Yes.  Are these your ideas?  Probably not.  Will we live in your home?  No.

All this means that we have to ask questions of you.  Many of our questions, like those you have for us, will not be about the craft of our business, but the business of our business.  How do you like to communicate?  What do you want to see?

5) Have fun in your project

Laughter is the best medicine, as they say.  I’m not asking you to laugh at your project, but it may help the headache!  One of our goals for every meeting is to have fun.  This always makes the time go fast, and makes the project easier for everyone involved!

These tips work in any size project.  No matter what home improvement project you are doing, kitchen remodel, bath remodel, front porch, attic remodel, or the whole house remodel (even new home construction), these tips have proven themselves with all of our clients, and can reduce your headaches, save you money, and give you a much better project!

We are curious about your perspective on remodeling.  Would you take this 5-question poll to see how you view remodeling and professionals?  Thank you!

Those that are calling are looking for remodeling ideas, but they don’t want to get taken; and they definitely want to save money.  Where does one turn when looking for ideas on your home?

May I suggest that if this is you, you can turn to the American Fantasy Makeover - designed for small projects (one room at a time), and see what your kitchen remodel, living room update, or bathroom could look like!

Here’s what you can expect from the American Fantasy Makeover:

• The remodeling ideas will be in relation to your project
• This can be done remotely – we do this almost every day
• You will need to sketch and measure the layout of your room
• Send some digital pictures from all angles of the room
• We will model the layout in 3D and draw a new design that could work
• We will make a one hour presentation to you online (you’ll need access to high-speed internet and a phone)
• This presentation will not qualify the financial investment range of the project
• We will work to bring a quality local contractor to the conversation who is qualified to talk about the financial investment
• We can make changes during that meeting – on the fly
  
• Have fun!

When you need ideas, give us a call, or use the handy Remodeling Help form online.  Click on the pictures in the gray bar below to see other American Fantasy Makeover renderings.

Our clients wanted to expand their attic space to include a home office, guest bedroom, a bedroom for their daughter, and a larger bathroom.  Considering that the finish level in the attic wasn’t up to the rest of the home, they wanted to also match the details in the rest of the house.

Before & After floor plans

By expanding the front bedroom, side dormer, and moving the bathroom to the opposite side, we were able to present a more open floor plan that gives the spacious feeling that the homeowner’s desired.

Of course, by having the contractor in close communication with the design team, we were able to ensure that the price did not go above that which the homeowners wanted.  As the design expanded, we set the expectations that our design was flexible – like clay in a potter’s hand – and gave them permission to alter it as needed for both their taste and their financial investment.

Expanding floor area had to be limited since it would require roof changes.  With a tile roof, any alterations would start adding cost quickly.

Guestroom

Considering the sloping roof, the floor program told us that we needed some walls in the middle of the room on which we could rest the beds.  Considering the request for light to pass thru, a open wall was designed to allow the view from one end to the other.

Considering the exterior, both front and side elevations would allow for a heavier dormer on 3rd floor.  A small dormer in front, and two small dormers on the side were nice, but this project allowed for more interest and appeal to be added.  Keeping in line with the existing architecture, we expanded the front dormer, and combined the two dormers on the side.

Using small changes in shape and material selection makes a large difference in the feeling of care for the home.

Exterior view of dormers

Now, the plans are done, signed, and submitted.  Keep watching and we’ll share more progress photos as construction begins.

However, this article wasn’t talking about 3D modeling.  The author was referring to the social connections that many companies have made recently thru Facebook, blogs, twitter, LinkedIn, etc.  This company is no exception.  Now the question arises, “what do we do with those virtual connections?”  I’ll let you read the answer on their blog, but will expand upon this thought.

As I read this article, I saw a correlation between social media and 3D design.  “How can Twitter and 3D design be related?” you ask.  As I reach out to more companies – both architectural firms and construction firms – I hear that many are still working in 2 dimensions.  In other words, they are presenting designs with flat lines – plans and elevations.

Now compare this method of working with the needs of the project owners.  Recently, a public works project was being designed by an architect who had created a pencil rendering of their project.  However, he couldn’t show the accurate grading and any changes would take many more hours of sketching.  This architect saw the benefit of employing our services to provide 3D modeling to show texture, grading, and elevation on the project.  The board is very happy, and will be using this 3D model for fundraising and marketing purposes in the near future.  This story also applies to the many residential projects we’ve performed – from front porches to whole houses – the owners have been very grateful for the visual communication we afforded them.

Providing 3D design helps everyone on the project with

• Understanding colors and textures
• Visualizing the actual needs of a project
• Accurate construction plans
• Coordination for all trades
• Fast revisions

…and much more!

The article mentioned above closed with this question, “What’s the best way for me to blend my real world and my virtual world?”  Since design is a virtual world, I would suggest using 3D is the best way to connect the real and virtual.

If you want to learn how to implement 3D in your process, or see how outsourcing can improve your 3D process, give me a call.  Use the new Google voice feature to the right of your screen to call me direct.

It does seem to be an oxymoron to say that one can save money by spending it.  Old adages about saving & earning pennies, getting what you pay for, etc., often lead one to sidestep what could be the most important part of any project: planning.  In order to save money on your next remodeling project, I believe we must discuss Proper Planning, Effective Presentation, and Critical Collaboration.

Proper planning

First, using the proper techniques of research and planning will fulfill a homeowner’s needs much better than what is often portrayed in popular TV home improvement shows.  Those shows only have 30-60 minutes of airtime, and interviewing a homeowner isn’t the glitzy, glamorous TV stuff that producers want to air.  Also, designers need to listen to their clients more.  There is nothing more frustrating to me than to hear a designer going on and on about what he or she sees in this project.  Let’s get this straight, the homeowner is living there, not the designer!  Ok, I digress, back to planning.

When a designer asks questions such as, “How many people do you entertain at one time?” or “What would you feel about something different, say moving the laundry somewhere else in the home?” he is looking for your taste and thoughts of how to provide an equitable solution to your needs.  There have been many occasions where a homeowner has one idea of how to provide a solution, where there may be another, even less expensive way to solve the problem.

The example that comes to mind is when I was first starting this business.  A local doctor was needing some more space, along with other needs to accomodate the handicapped.  Their thought was that they needed another 20 feet added onto the office.  After studying the floor plan, and the typical traffic patterns of the staff, I found that an 8 foot addition would provide the space they needed.  Planning saved them about 300 square feet of addition materials and taxes.  There are many other similar stories where we found the ability to make the project work using creative methods to not cause the typical “scope creep” or “Remodeler’s 15″ which both create a greater cost.

Effective Presentation

I find it amazing with the technology capabilities and availability we have, some are still working with tools from decades ago.  Many of our clients appreciate the ability to see their project in 3D before they settle on the design.  The accuracy and quality we maintain to build that model also helps the contractor make educated decisions about building the project.

Effective presentation also means that we are not stuck on the design we present.  This means that we don’t argue with the homeowner if they want it changed.  The good news is, many changes are easy.  Granted, it is rewarding when the client says that they love the design.

Critical Collaboration

The last key to saving money by design is the collaboration piece.  I say it is critical because ultimately, every project owner wants to control what the project looks like, and how much it will cost.  Consider the roles: the designer works on the looks, and the contractor works on the cost.  There must be collaboration – which requires communication.

If a homeowner does not include both contractor and designer from the beginning, control of both looks and cost will be lost.  A professional design/build team actually ensures control in such a manner that homeowners cannot get elsewhere.  If this collaboration and communication drops, then money is being spent to spin wheels.

Also critical is that collaboration provides a team effort on your project.  I recently heard of one woman who opted to hire another company to draft her project.  She chose not to have our team design it.  Some ceiling leaks, 18-24 months and several thousand dollars after the project was completed, her dormers had to be moved.  Yes, she would have paid us more than the other company, but had much less stress of another minor remodeling project down the road, and most likely, less output in the long run.

One such party that could take responsibility is the university.  For the sake of this article, the university could be likened to a service company – they provide the students with the service of education.  Consider the position of “Aid Administrator” paid by the college.  Since the college doesn’t print money, the Aid Administrator’s salary is really paid by the students who attend that particular institution, not necessarily those who use the administrator’s service.  Now, consider that the Aid Administrator wants to keep his or her job – not highly unusual, right?  Therefore, this person giving advice and assistance to the person consuming the service (the student) will find it hard to give advice that the consumer may want to choose a less-expensive service option.

Let’s assume that someone chose to change the system, and become an independent counselor.  The Aid Counselor would be paid directly by the consumer and could give advice that best meets the consumer’s needs.  Now, the school could effectively do the same thing by charging you for the advisor’s time.

The same thing happens with the revered “free estimate” that many consumers request.

Any “estimate” takes time, and that time must be compensated in some way.  The contractor that gives free estimates just wraps that time into the cost of overhead.  Meaning, that if you sign a contract with ABC company (which gave you the free estimate), you’re paying – in overhead cost – for your estimate, and the 3 estimates before you that did not sign contracts with ABC.

There is another argument against free estimates that is, in this this author’s opinion, of greater weight than the first.  By pushing the cost of time for the “free“ estimate into overhead, the salesman will, by default, cut corners on the time spent researching the projectand preparing the estimate.  Now, some projects do not require a great amount of planning.  A sink drain replacement, for instance, will take 3 or 4 pieces of plumbing, possibly some glue and putty, and 30 minutes for a professional plumber.  For the sake of this article, projects of such straightforward nature will be excluded.

This brings the subject around to a “simple” porch addition with exterior living space and a ramp recently completed by this firm.  Please recognize that the scope of the project did affect the cost of planning.  The cost of planning and designing this project was less than, say, that of a whole house renovation.

However, the client paid for the direct cost to their project of planning and designing their project, and they received the adequate service and ideas needed for their project.  Solutions were found that had not been seen previously, and both contractor and homeowner were able to see exactly what was discussed and planned.  What began as this “simple” project had some not-so-simple issues which required attention that no “free estimate” could have addressed.

So many times, a homeowner says, “my project is just a simple addition.”  Typically this means, “I want a free estimate” or “I won’t be paying for designing or planning services.”  As respectfully as possible, experience has shown that there no simple projects, and no project is small enough that it doesn’t need planning.  No, this is not arrogance speaking, but experience.  To say that this level of planning is not needed because “the project is too small”, ignores every homeowner’s basic need to manage both look and cost of the project – at the same time.

Yes!  This article again, unashamedly, is promoting Design/Build.  In the spirit of the upcoming US Open, Advantage Homeowner.

• See what the homeowner in this article thought about this Design/Build process.
• Learn how the Design/Build process helps homeowners control their project.