Why Starting with Design Saves Time and Money

What if involving an interior designer right from the start could actually save time and money on your construction or renovation project? Robin joins us to debunk the myth that design input slows down progress and hikes up costs. By sharing her unique experiences, she sheds light on how early collaboration with architects can streamline operations and prevent costly changes. Discover how interior designers can be the crucial connectors, aligning vision and functionality to ensure a smooth transition from concept to completion.

Robin emphasizes the power of a collaborative approach, bringing together architects, designers, commercial real estate agents, and contractors from the get-go. With a fresh perspective that complements architectural plans, Robin explains how designers can identify overlooked details that impact both aesthetics and functionality. Listen in to learn how this early involvement can prevent bottlenecks and align all stakeholders, resulting in a more efficient and cohesive project outcome.

Randi Lynn Johnson is your host for the Pasley Commercial Interiors podcast conversation on everything that connects business growth and interior design. Each episode features powerful insights from Robin Pasley, NCIDQ, Founder & Design Principal.

We welcome your questions! If you would like to learn more about us or connect for a conversation, please visit www.pasleycommercialinteriors.com.

Transcript

Randi Lynn: 0:15

o, robin, I've heard from some people they don't like the idea of bringing in an interior designer because they're afraid that it's going to slow the process down. Have you heard this?

Randi Lynn: 0:27

I've heard this and the cost and the timing of things right, um, from a couple of different people in the past.

Randi Lynn: 0:34

Which is not good, because a business owner wants to save time and money, so it almost feels like two strikes against you from the get-go..

Robin: 0:43

It does, but if I know you and I do a little bit, those are things that you can actually help save time and save money, yes, and this is where it's difficult, because I think some people because they think of interior design as the icing on the cake instead of part of the cake, maybe like the cream filling that's in the middle of it.

Randi Lynn: 1:08

Oh yeah, Maybe a little like curd in the middle something tasty.

Robin: 1:14

They think of it as something that we can just add at the end. So, even if we're working with architects, we often get the call to work on the project when the plans are finished and they're ready to go to permitting, but they just want to help selecting the materials. One of the reasons we found this to be problematic or just challenging to the timing or the point person that is our client. We learn so much about the function of the space, the workforce that's in it, the clients that they're going to serve and the history of that company that almost always affects the layout, and not because we want to change things but, because it inevitably does, and I think it's just a difference in perspective.

Robin: 2:26

I have so much respect for architects, but we just see things differently, yeah, so you're not an architect. No, I'm not. You don't want to be an architect and I don't want to be one.

Randi Lynn: 2:44

But I think what you offer you really compliment architectures because you, you do think a little different. Like there are some overlap. For sure, if we have the Venn diagram, we can see architects, interior designers there's overlap. But you also see things differently that they're not thinking. Maybe they're looking at it okay, structurally, this wall, this window, blah, blah, blah but you are looking at it functionality and aesthetics and all of that, all of those things that can affect the overall design.

Robin: 3:13

And so we found that if we can come into the project early and actually partner with the architect to not step on toes or take any of what they want to bring to the project away from them, but to inform what we've learned.

Robin: 3:28

So if we can come in early, we get connected to business owners.

Robin: 3:40

A lot of times is through either the commercial real estate agent who is helping them find their space, the architect, who somehow has been connected to the owner already, and then sometimes it's the general contractor. In all of those situations, if we can get brought into the process early on I mean when they're just starting to talk about the space and just learn about the business then then we can often partner with the architect and streamline the process with the architect and the GC um to just bring the right information in early. Yeah, to make it not have those bottlenecks and the slowdown that we have experienced. I mean, I'm not lying, I get why they can say that sometimes is because when we were brought in the project, by the time we brought the changes that the client ultimately wanted, we had to go back through and splice the plans into permitting to get those changes applied and because we realized that they wanted some things that they hadn't been heard on previously. Right, and so the architect didn't work that into the original plan Into it.

Randi Lynn: 4:55

So now we added costs.

Robin: 4:58

So now we're okay, think about that. They've gotten funding for one thing, sure, but they really wanted something else that they just didn't have to take to the bank the first time. So now we're going back around with some of that stuff and I'm not exactly sure why this feels a little early for people. I think the thought is because we're icing.

Robin: 5:24

We don't need the icing yet we're still whipping up the cake batter, but I think if those three entities the architect, the commercial real estate agent and the contractor can imagine that we could partner with them and bring some perspective early. And mostly it's about us getting introduced to the business owner and being allowed to have that interview with them where we learn about them. Then it helps us shape what is necessary and it is true we might add some costs, but it's not just wasted money, it's the thing that the client really wanted.

Robin: 6:05

You know, it's the look they were trying to get, or that feeling, or that function or that layout, or you know the thing, they hadn't thought of that when we kind of dig deep with them, we find out, oh, this really is a part of your values, right, and it's important for them to have that element, whether it's functional or visual On our next podcast.

Randi Lynn: 6:27

I want to unpack a little bit more about working with business owners. Okay, so we'll visit that a little bit more and in the meantime, all you GCs, architects and CRE guys call Robin early. Right, yeah, we want to get you in early and then you're going to ultimately help the whole process Like it's going to be a dream, absolutely. Everybody wins. Everybody wins Awesome. Well, thank you, yeah.