Not too long ago, we did a recap of where we broke down things your designer wants you to know. We covered a little of everything, from getting started to horror stories, communication issues, and more. We aim to provide an educational perspective for those about to embark on a major renovation, offering insights from both professional and personal standpoints. The series received a lot of great feedback, and we were thrilled to offer a little perspective on the topic, since more often than not, renovations can be really overwhelming. {Shameless plug: At The Handmade Home, we streamline the process so that it’s a more enjoyable experience for everyone.}
Angela is a designer who read our posts and wrote in with this: …I loved your series on “things your designer wants you to know”. You’ve really covered a lot of topics that people are hesitant to discuss, or are at least gatekeeping, as everyone in our field seems too busy projecting– which is why I’ve always appreciated your authenticity. From a designer, and someone newer to the game (I am about a year in and I’ve had a string of bad luck with getting my foot in the door), could you elaborate a little more on what you’d perceive as client red flags? I know that communication and organization are key. But what would you have to say if you could about client red flags to look out for?…
While this series is primarily for clients from an educational perspective, Angela asked an interesting question from a designer’s perspective. Over time, having run our business for years, we have noticed a few red flags. While not always the case, it’s a high percentage that they usually give us pause, as we’ve seen them play out universally in the past. {We’d be lying if we said we didn’t.} It feels taboo to discuss, but there’s a reason our contracts are written the way they are, and here’s a little hint: It’s because someone made us realize, unfortunately, after the fact, that it was necessary. While we love our jobs, it hasn’t always been a bed of roses. People can be unpredictable and sometimes challenging to read, there are a few things that are universally considered ‘client red flags’.
Disclaimers:
1. If you are currently reading this at the time of publication and you are a current client, this does NOT pertain to any of you, or I wouldn’t be writing this today. I’m not THAT passive-aggressive, and I’m not throwing shade. This is an honest look at a few past experiences that haven’t been so pleasant. So I felt the need to say this first. We have some amazing current clients {and we’ve had amazing past clients, too!}. I’m being completely candid in the hope of helping a fellow designer, or perhaps in the hope of encouraging others to take a step back and reflect on being self aware.
2. I feel like we should first define red flags. These things don’t make a job non-negotiable. It simply means that it may be a yellow flag, and you should proceed with caution. It may mean you should charge a little more. Perhaps one at a time is a yellow flag, and more than 2.5 of these is a no-go, as the client is likely not in the right mental state to undertake a renovation or design project at the moment. Trust me, I do this for a living, and sometimes I’m not in the right mental space for my own house, either. Ask anyone in your network, but as less-seasoned designers, we’ve all been there, just trying to get that job. These are universal signs that it may not be a good fit, or this particular person may not be serious about the renovation. So it’s good to proceed with caution. You’ve probably dodged a bullet if it doesn’t work out anyway.
3. You don’t have to be a people pleaser to get that job. If I could go back and tell myself one thing, this is something I struggled with. If you’re not careful, people can take advantage. You can work hard and also have healthy boundaries. You’re not a glorified personal assistant. People sometimes get that confused. And there’s a fine line between the Miranda and Andrea dynamic. {Hello, The Devil Wears Prada}. This alone could be a whole series for newer designers, but I’ll stick to my point. Hang in there. You’re doing amazing, sweetie.
See this one coming up here
When we first meet our prospective clients, it’s relatively easy to get a clear read in the first five minutes to determine if this will be a good fit or not. It’s like dating. We’ve already gone back and forth a few times, whether by phone or email, and they’ve reviewed our process. This isn’t our first rodeo, over a decade in. For starters, if she’s wearing a Magnolia hat, {she’s a big Joanna fan, thinks everything should happen in five minutes on a commercial break and thinks a 4400 sq ft renovation should cost 20k} and he’s throwing out random numbers and demanding us to bark like we’re sea lions a-la the circus side show, so that we can qualify ourselves {read: she’s pressuring him to do it and he doesn’t really have the funds so he’s peacocking– I should have been a psychologist} you should probably politely decline. Yes, this really happened to us. Here are a few things to look out for:
1. Client Red Flags: They Won’t Pay
I’m going to break this down into two parts.
A. The deposit: If you’re new to this game in the design world, you should always require a deposit, based on your experience level and time to be spent with the client. This is a show of good faith. Your time is valuable, and you shouldn’t be taken advantage of when you share your ideas for free. We’ve been there with both random people and acquaintances. If they gripe about a deposit up front or make it weird, don’t even take a meeting. If you have to remind to pay before the meeting, {after is too late – it’s even weirder when they won’t pay after unless discussed beforehand}, that’s another red flag. No seriously. Payment is going to be a problem. For the next six months. You will regret your life. Period.
B. Future payments are slow with ZERO communication: We get it. Things can get clogged in that financial pipeline. We intentionally slow down projects upon request to give clients time to catch up. We’ve been there with our own renovations. Bleeding money is not fun. However, if you’re invested in the project and the client is slow on payments with little to no communication, this will also become a problem that will only grow bigger with time. Usually, point A is a clear indication of the future point B. Across the board, it’s not so much about funds as it’s about communication. Ensure that you and your client can discuss the matter effectively.
This space here!
2. Client Red Flags: They Just Moved In
Yesterday. There are boxes everywhere. They haven’t slept in 48 hours. Relatives are still there, helping with their screaming kids. Lives are in complete chaos, and they’re still wearing their pajamas because they can’t find their clothes. But they just got here, and they ABSOLUTELY must start this renovation immediately. Do not pass go. Do not collect 200 dollars unless it’s your deposit. These people need a nap. Stepping into this situation is usually like stepping into gasoline with a lit cigarette. Anyone in this situation is exhausted and doesn’t even know what they really want. It’s always a red flag across the board with people who have just moved in. You want the level-headed, grounded, rested client who has lived with this space for a while. Or if they haven’t, they’ve at least done a little research, and don’t think that you can complete an entire house overhaul with a 1500 sq ft addition in two months with a budget of 10K just like they saw on the fancy HGTV. Cue the sparkles and commercial breaks because this is happening whilst away for a week in Cabo, jokers. {Yes, ‘Murica’s brainwashed-by-design-TV-epidemic is the repeat offender.} Oh, and all of this is after you’ve completely redesigned the space six times “just so they have options”. {Read: They have no idea what they really want. Trust us. Across the board, it’s red {Yellow? No. Red. } flag. Proceed with caution, but consider allowing them a little recovery time first. At least wait for the MIL to leave so she’s not arguing with you over the marble in the kitchen. She doesn’t even go here. Yes. This one also happened. It got weird.
3. Client Red Flags: Verbally Disagreeing
If two clients in a partnership are verbally disagreeing over everything, this is a red flag. I’m not talking about the color of the wallpaper or the tile choice for the kitchen. This is regarding what they actually want to accomplish with the changes in their home from the first step forward. It’s a clear sign that this will be a struggle all the way through. Every relationship has its hangups. However, the basics of relationships and renovations alike all come down to teamwork, compromise, and effective communication. Maybe he lets her have the lighter hardwoods {even though he was opposed} because she’s going to let him have the porch design she wasn’t crazy about. It’s a warning from the beginning if they can’t agree or at least come to a rational compromise. If they constantly argue in your initial meetings, it’s likely to be a challenge, and not in a warm, fuzzy, move-that-bus kind of way. There’s a difference between banter and arguing. Jamin and I are really good at banter. Arguing is a different story.
Another version of this scenario is the client who meets with you and then is easily swayed by the opinions of friends and family after the fact. Multiple times. I mentioned this briefly in the series, but if your client’s dad has to have a say in everything, but hasn’t touched his own home since the 1960s, or the friend is a designer in New Orleans and disagrees with the cabinet choices… maybe the client’s dad and friend should design it instead. I think you’re getting the point: It can definitely become problematic later. Proceed with caution.
4. They Go Totally Incommunicado
This isn’t a red flag until it’s usually too late, so if they do it in the beginning, consider it a bullet dodged. Sometimes, people lack the necessary skills to communicate effectively. Sometimes, it happens halfway through the job. Sometimes, people ghost people. It’s happened to us. If people are slow to respond and hesitant to converse, this will usually be a problem later. Always strive to ensure that you’ve done your part as a professional. Cover yourself with a contract. But beyond that, you can’t control people. It’s just part of the process sometimes, and the learning curve that comes with it.
5. They’re Quick to Anger.
Remember what I said above about not all of these being deal breakers? The ghosting one is out of your control entirely, but the rest are all yellow-ish flags to proceed with caution. This one is the only true red flag in the list. Things go wrong in renovations. Houses can be full of unexpected surprises. Sometimes subs do things that are unpredictable. This is part of the joys of home ownership and taking on a project. Beware of those who love to blame. We’ve worked diligently to streamline our process over the years, making it as straightforward as possible for all parties involved. Unfortunately, some people can become easily frustrated. There’s always a fire. If you’ve done everything in your power and worked really hard to be helpful, but have a client who relishes blaming people over the most minor things, which are, unfortunately, sometimes just part of the construction world… That can be absolutely exhausting for the workers and designers involved. Sometimes you get a client who will never be happy. No matter what. Do not walk. Run. I believe it goes back to that TV brainwashed thing, and maybe an over-the-top perfectionism of sorts with a rather large dash of entitlement. Someone has to say it. We understand that the process is a significant undertaking, regardless of the scope. Renovations are a big deal. We strive to prepare people for what is to come… and we work hard to handle with care, empathy, patience, and respect. It would be nice if some of that respect were reciprocated. People can become abusive. Projects where you’re constantly putting out fires because someone just isn’t happy no matter what you do… isn’t worth the stress level. If you’re seeing this in your client, run. Life is too short. There’s a definite psychology behind this process, and some personality types are not suited for the task.
We truly hope this helps any new designers out there looking for a few tips. Of course, this was not an all-encompassing list, but we have seen these little red flags as problematic down the road. I second-guessed myself a lot in the beginning, and always paid for it in the long term. I would also say that 2020 had a significant impact on people, and this should be studied on multiple levels. I’ve learned the hard way to trust my gut in many situations and haven’t regretted it. In short, getting your name out there can be challenging, and we’re rooting for you. It’s not a perfect world, but we do love our work and the privilege of meeting with all the wonderful clients we have been so lucky to work with. There are many complex nuances when working with people, and we hope this serves as an encouraging and realistic look for new designers. The good always outweighs the bad, and we adore the end product once we get there with our clients. Sometimes, it just takes a little more effort and communication.
What are some of your red flags? We’d love to hear. Have an inspired day!
Pssst: Check out the entire original series here.
