Remodelers and Designers Describe Their Dream Clients
Pros reveal the qualities they love to see in clients and how they contribute to a better project
When you run a remodeling or outdoor business, you’re bound to encounter clients across the personality spectrum — some are a pleasure to work with, while others can be a challenge. We wanted to know which attributes (besides an unlimited budget) make for a dream client. We talked with established professionals about the qualities they appreciate most in clients and how they contribute to a better project. Read their thoughts below, then please share your own in the Comments.
2. Realistic Expectations
A dream client is someone who understands the process and doesn’t have unrealistic expectations, says Stephanie Frees of Plain and Posh in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. She believes the abundance of home design TV shows might be one reason for some unrealistic expectations. “People don’t see the hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes work that make these 30-minute shows happen,” she says. “There are so many details and decisions that go into a remodeling project.”
But it’s also the responsibility of a home design professional to set realistic expectations. “A great designer or builder is capable of explaining what will happen along every step of the way,” Frees says. “A great client listens and understands. It’s teamwork at its best.”
Charli Junker of Your Space Our Design in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, agrees that having a client with realistic expectations and an ability to roll with the punches is often key to a successful project.
“While some projects go smoother than others, all projects have issues that need to be addressed and rectified,” Junker says. “Often the first choice for, say, a tile, countertop or a sofa is no longer available, and clients can get stuck on that. It’s really important to move on to another selection and love that selection.”
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A dream client is someone who understands the process and doesn’t have unrealistic expectations, says Stephanie Frees of Plain and Posh in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. She believes the abundance of home design TV shows might be one reason for some unrealistic expectations. “People don’t see the hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes work that make these 30-minute shows happen,” she says. “There are so many details and decisions that go into a remodeling project.”
But it’s also the responsibility of a home design professional to set realistic expectations. “A great designer or builder is capable of explaining what will happen along every step of the way,” Frees says. “A great client listens and understands. It’s teamwork at its best.”
Charli Junker of Your Space Our Design in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, agrees that having a client with realistic expectations and an ability to roll with the punches is often key to a successful project.
“While some projects go smoother than others, all projects have issues that need to be addressed and rectified,” Junker says. “Often the first choice for, say, a tile, countertop or a sofa is no longer available, and clients can get stuck on that. It’s really important to move on to another selection and love that selection.”
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3. Avoids Micromanaging
If there’s one thing that can turn a potential dream client into a nightmare, it’s micromanaging, says Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans. “Letting a professional contractor be in charge of job sequencing and production is so important,” he says. “The moment a client brings every single little detail to our attention, the process starts to go downhill.”
An actively engaged client is a good thing, but when a client second-guesses your every move, the project is likely to suffer. “Micromanaging can break budgets, cause time delays and cause quality issues too,” Medrzycki says. “If you feel like someone is constantly watching every move you make, more mistakes are likely to happen. A good client can make you and a bad client can break you.”
How to Manage Critical Conversations With Your Clients
If there’s one thing that can turn a potential dream client into a nightmare, it’s micromanaging, says Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans. “Letting a professional contractor be in charge of job sequencing and production is so important,” he says. “The moment a client brings every single little detail to our attention, the process starts to go downhill.”
An actively engaged client is a good thing, but when a client second-guesses your every move, the project is likely to suffer. “Micromanaging can break budgets, cause time delays and cause quality issues too,” Medrzycki says. “If you feel like someone is constantly watching every move you make, more mistakes are likely to happen. A good client can make you and a bad client can break you.”
How to Manage Critical Conversations With Your Clients
4. Mutual Trust
Kitchen and bathroom designer Jena Bula of Delphinium Design in Charlotte, North Carolina, says that when it comes to defining a dream client, it’s really all about trust. “It makes for an enjoyable and rewarding experience when a client trusts their designer and knows they have their best interests in mind.”
It’s up to the designer or builder to develop that trust. “I work really hard to earn their trust before they even sign the contract,” Bula says. “I need to feel like they are a match for us just as much as we are a match for them to have a successful relationship.”
Bula asks a lot of questions upfront and gauges the client’s responses. “It’s totally normal for a client to feel skeptical during an initial consult — I recognize that a project is an emotional and financial investment,” she says. “We take the time to walk them through our design process and answer all of their questions.”
If the trust isn’t there, sometimes it’s best for both sides to move on. “Typically after a thorough consult, most potential clients let their guard down and are excited about the opportunity to work together,” Bula says. “But if we feel a client is overly skeptical, untrusting or indecisive, then they may not be the best fit.”
Join the conversation: What qualities does your dream client have? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Kitchen and bathroom designer Jena Bula of Delphinium Design in Charlotte, North Carolina, says that when it comes to defining a dream client, it’s really all about trust. “It makes for an enjoyable and rewarding experience when a client trusts their designer and knows they have their best interests in mind.”
It’s up to the designer or builder to develop that trust. “I work really hard to earn their trust before they even sign the contract,” Bula says. “I need to feel like they are a match for us just as much as we are a match for them to have a successful relationship.”
Bula asks a lot of questions upfront and gauges the client’s responses. “It’s totally normal for a client to feel skeptical during an initial consult — I recognize that a project is an emotional and financial investment,” she says. “We take the time to walk them through our design process and answer all of their questions.”
If the trust isn’t there, sometimes it’s best for both sides to move on. “Typically after a thorough consult, most potential clients let their guard down and are excited about the opportunity to work together,” Bula says. “But if we feel a client is overly skeptical, untrusting or indecisive, then they may not be the best fit.”
Join the conversation: What qualities does your dream client have? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
A dream client can be many things, says Kristine Barnes of Gonterman Construction in Newport Beach, California, but from a creative perspective, having a client who’s willing to take a risk is when the fun really happens.
“I love it when a client takes some design risks, because as a builder, it allows me to expand my expertise in areas I maybe haven’t ventured into yet,” Barnes says. “Building is a creative process as much as it is a business for me. When I get to engage in a new design, it’s both a challenge and a fun experience for me as a home builder.”
One great way for building and design pros to help their clients share their vision for a project is through Houzz Pro business and project management software’s Mood Boards tool and the 3D Floor Planner. These tools enable pros to create visualizations of their projects that give clients a realistic, easy-to-understand view of the designs.