My Mom often jokes that as a child I never wanted anything, I always needed it. As I’ve gotten older that has almost changed to the point that I realize I need very little and want not much more. One of the best things a homeowner can do while working through the design process with us is to put some thoughtful consideration between what they truly need and what they just want. The ‘fun’ part with a spouse is that each partner’s version of wants and needs is most likely going to be different. There is going to have to be some compromise and while we are willing to help in making these decisions, we can’t make them for you. It is best if clients have these discussions and decisions made amongst themselves, before too much time is invested in design work. We want to design what works best for your family, but we don’t want to spend a lot of time redesigning on the fly as clients work out what they truly want or need.
One suggestion on how to start working out what is truly important is for you and your partner to separately take the time to write down all your wants and needs. Don’t worry about prioritizing the list and don’t make the list together. Once you have your list, then go back and rank the list in order of priority. Exact order isn’t overly important as some things may have equal importance. The goal is to make sure that lower priorities are lower down the list. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to compare and discuss the lists. Then use the two separate lists to create one common list.
This common list should help save time, effort, and money as you discuss the design and specifications of your project with your designer and builder. The budget will need to line up with your wants, but the list will help determine what can be sacrificed or compromises made, if needed.
Obviously, it can be fun to work with clients who seemingly have no budget and can afford everything they want. However, it can be equally fun and even more rewarding, though it is more work, to work with clients to design and build something that meets their budget while delivering as many wants as possible. To accomplish this though, it’s important to have an honest discussion about what the budget is and what those wants and needs are.
If you are ready to discuss how your wants and needs align with your budget, give us a call or fill out the contact us page www.customdwellings.com/contact-us and we’d be happy to get the conversation started!