How to Get WHAT You Want During Your Next Design Project
My first bit of advice, and harsh bit of truth, no one cares as much about your project as you! It’s true, but the goal is to find someone (or a team of people) that respects your budget, timeline, and end goals. The biggest mistake I see is assuming your contractor will design for you. Do not expect that, it is a perk if it happens. They will not design, get creative or over explain reasons why — its’ time consuming for them and you may be interviewing many contractors and then they are out of time and money to not win the bid. THIS IS NOT HGTV, and if you are an HGTV buff, you see Joanna doing that, not Chip.
So if you have no idea where to start to source these people let me help you and break it down a bit:
PAID ADVERTISEMENTS
In my opinion, this is a the last place to start your search. Notice what I said, last place to start your search. Typically the larger companies are able to pay for the larger advertisements. There is nothing wrong with reaching out to the big companies and larger teams of contractors to get a budget estimate. However, a red flag to watch out for: you want to be speaking with and building a relationship with the project manager not the person who sells you the job (or the owner) if they aren’t committing to being on your job site each day.
Examples of these include: Houzz, Angie’s List, Home Advisor and Thumbtack.
Google is both good and bad for contractor research. The behind-the-scenes technical data can keep good contractors off the front page of search results. It also allows, not so great companies to buy top slots. Be sure that when you are reviewing any company on Google that you look for ratings and reviews. They can be directly on Google, Facebook, BBB or any other website that allows reviews. My biggest red flag when searching on Google is a “jack of all trades” company, they do it all. Just as the saying goes, “A jack of all trades is a master of none,” and when you don’t master a trade you have to subcontract it out which means more money because they tack on additional cost or assume a “finders fee” when referring them to you.
It is rare to find a company that doesn’t have at a minimum a one page website these days. It shows credibility and commitment to their company. However, some companies choose to focus on their Yelp or Pinterest pages inplace of Google.
SOCIAL MEDIA
A distant cousin to paid advertisements and Google, but with a personalized touch. Searching for companies on social media is a great way to find companies that might just be getting started, as well as, learn about who they are and if any of your friends “like” or “follow” them. Another great feature of social media is that you can follow people based on hashtags and location tags. If you are in the beginning stages of a project you can get to know the company and engage with them online before even committing to a project with them.
Examples of social media outlets include: Facebook, Instagram, and NextDoor.
NETWORKING GROUP
Asking for a referrals these days are a lot easier, it’s almost as if you can throw a rock and someone knows someone who provides what you need. Back when I started as an interior designer in the early 2000’s I had to look businesses up in the phone-book and hope that they would call me back! Things were rough. I’m happy to report that there have been many advancements thanks to the world wide web.
The most common and readily available networking groups are on Facebook. They have all kinds of groups based on age, location, occupation, hobbies, you name it. These are groups of like-minded people so I would ask them if they’ve worked with a trade or type of contractor you are looking for.
The next one would be face-to-face networking groups. If you are in business I’m sure you belong to a group of peers in business. Use your personal groups here as well, they might not be your closest friends, but can be trusted resources: your spiritual groups, your educational groups, your hobby enthusiasts, anything where you have some connection to the people being recommended.
Although, my biggest red flag is to be weary of people referring friends, family and neighbors without truly having used their services.
WORD OF MOUTH
The second best way to get a referral is word of mouth. While it may seem exactly like a personal referral, these include companies that your family/ friend/ neighbor/ colleague may not have directly worked with but have heard good things about. It is a great way to start a conversation with the potential contractor, that you’ve heard good things about them or seen them recommended many times and you are now reaching out for your own project. It lets the contractor/ company know that you are paying attention and not just beating the bush for another referral, at least in my opinion.
The same red flag applied to word of mouth referrals as noted above. If the person has never really used their services, it can be hard to determine if they talk a good game or actually deliver on what they promise.
PERSONAL REFERRALS
The best and typically most reliable way to get a good referral for a contractor is from a person you know, like and trust that has used the referred contractor before. I don’t think this needs much explanation, but I will say that this is not a fool-proof method. You still need to be diligent in your research, questions, and communication of expectations.
I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a red flag, but my biggest caveat to this referral source is that you and the person who referred you are not the same person. That means there is a chance you will not have the same experience as that person did with the contractor. Personalities can clash, opinions may differ and lines of communication can get blurred. Just because they are referred to you, does not mean that is the person you have to or should automatically hire. Feel that person out.
TIPS FOR REACHING OUT WHEN THEY WON’T CALL BACK
The classic contractor. The most persistent complaint. How do you get a contractor to call you back? While it may seem like a personal slight when a contractor doesn’t call you back, you can’t take it personal. I am not giving them an out, but maybe you’re the problem. *GASPS in shock and horror* Yes, it true, and I know it because I field these calls all day for my own business. There are many reasons why a contractor might not call you back and here are a few solutions to help you get that call back:
- You weren’t a personal referral. Contractors have to sort through tons of calls, text and emails with “tire-kickers” every single day. People just searching for the cheapest price. They aren’t worried about wasting other people’s time and sucking up all their energy. Be CLEAR AND CONCISE in your message. Why you are reaching out to this company specifically? It might just help them call you back faster if you’re not a personal referral.
- You leave a rambling message because you are not sure what you want. If you go back to the beginning of my guide then you will see I said contractors aren’t designers. If you expect or want them to design and it’s not a service they provide or have access to then they will not call you back. You’re not a right fit for them. If you come with a design, or at a minimum a structured idea, they will be more likely to call you back.
- Your project isn’t big enough. Now, that is not necessarily your fault, unless you didn’t do enough research to determine if the company you are reaching out to doesn’t do small projects. Not every contractor is the same, not every company focuses on the same types of projects (kitchens, basements, exterior decks, full renovations, etc.) Be sure what you’re asking for is a project they’d like to complete. How? Visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram account, anything where you can see their work.
We get it. We’ve been there. Our business is now built with a solid foundation and resourceful contacts that we trust. Believe me, we had a helluva time figuring out all the same things you did when we first started over 15 years ago… So much so that if you’re local to the Wilmington, Delaware area we have created a Resources page on our website just for you to help find great resources for your next project: http://www.prbdesigns.com/resources.html
