Hiring specialists for interior designing and decoration

A compromise could be to do most of the groundwork yourself and hire in specialists, such as plasterers, plumbers or electricians, where necessary. Working much faster than an amateur is able to, skilled professionals can save a lot of time and worry. If you decide that hiring a professional is the answer, whether an architect, general builder or specialist, going about it in a businesslike manner will help ensure you get what you want and avoid potential pitfalls. Left Plans for a kitcben project, shoicing early stages of thinking. Ideas are sketched ill roughly to show suggestions for use of space, [ixtures and [ittings.
Choosing the right professional for the job For large-scale projects, such as major structural alteration or building an extension, it is wise to consult an architect. An architect will discuss your plans with you, be able to make constructive suggestions you had not considered and produce structurally sound designs that also look good. In addition, he or she can submit the necessary planning applications and, if desired, hire the building contractor and supervise the work to ensure it meets the specifications. When hiring a builder yourself it is essential to choose a reliable and reputable person who understands your requirements and can do the job competently within a specified time and according to a budget.
Finding such a builder can be a daunting prospect but thankfully, and in spite of the many horror stories of shoddy work and unexplained absences, there are many reliable ones about. Personal recommendation is a good place to start. If you know someone who has recently engaged a builder, ask to see their work and enquire about how they conducted the job. Failing that, the names of builders can be found in telephone directories and local newspapers. Not all builders do all kinds of work, however, so be prepared for some refusals. Look for contractors who are members of a trade association. Although membership does not necessarily guarantee the work, it usually is dependent on a having a sound reputation as well as bank and insurance references.
A good tradesman is proud of his work and will be pleased to supply you with references for you to follow up where you can inspect examples of his workmanship. Ask more than one contractor for an estimate so that you can compare costs. Estimates will be based on current prices, and may have to change if you do not decide to go ahead with the work straightwaway.
Cost will not be the only criterion in deciding which builder to use. Their attitude and your confidence in their ability to do the job are equally important. Establishing the brief Disagreements between builder and client often arise from a misundertanding as the result of inadequate briefing. The builder may be working to the best of his understanding which, unfortunately, is not what the client had intended. The best way to avoid this problem is to provide the bui Ider with a written specification – a list of the work to be done, the materials to be used and an indication of the required completion date. Many details will need to be revised, but this will give the builder a good idea of your requirements and can form the basis of his estimate for the cost. Before writing a specification, read the relevant chapter in this book to get an idea of the amount and type of work involved.