Whether you are working as a stylist for your own project or for a clients project, it is essential to have a good relationship with the builder involved in the project. Over the past couple of years I have been lucky enough to work with some forward thinking and delightful builders and property developers in my role at Silk.
On every project there is generally always some healthy discussion with the project builder about what I want and why from a practical perceptive I might not get what I want. These are always great professional development conversations. But on the whole I have great relationships with the site builders and wanted to get their perspective on what makes a great stylist / builder relationship. Here are their top tips.
1. Be confident in what your suggesting to your builder, being confident will convince him your ideas are great ones, any ideas you put forward that are not so convincing may have him doubt you.
2. Do some research to see if your ideas are logical and can be done or better still ask the experts themselves.
3. Be involved in the project from the start if possible as sometimes lights, power points and plumbing can be impossible to put where you would like them. Things like vanities, basins, taps and even tiles should be selected before bathroom construction is started.
4. Set up regular onsite meetings with your builder to make sure you are on the same page, get a schedule off your builder so you know when you need to make final decisions on each rooms finishing’s.
5. Keep an eye on the budget with so many fantastic products out there it is very easy to get carried away. Shop around, a lot of the time you can get a product that may be a replica or a product with the same look but at a fraction of the initial cost. If the builder knows you are trying to save him money you will earn a browny point or ten.
6. Involve your builder in your selections, get him as interested as you, inside every decent builder there is a designer wanting to unleash.
