When someone is considering undertaking a project, be it a residential renovation or a new space for their business, we sometimes hear them say “we can’t afford a *design,* we just need things drawn up.” Or, “architects just make things more expensive.” Well, sure. Architects don’t work for free, so their fee does add to the cost of the project. But, you GET a lot more, like creative solutions no one would’ve imagined.
We often tell clients who have this mindset that design isn’t the icing on the cake, it IS the cake…and the recipe…and the experimentation the baker did before you showed up so they know how to make tasty, creative cakes…and skills to bake well…and the knowledge of what ingredients are available and taste good together…and the icing too!
We bring exponential value to our clients and projects, just like a good contractor, good engineers, and good subs. You get what you pay for, and these days, with construction costs going higher and higher, the temptation is to cut out planning or design or “expensive” professionals.
Your best hope for getting a project done well, done efficiently, and done beautifully is to have a stellar team, a team with deep experience, a team that loves this work. Turns out, our clients have busy lives and businesses to run, and are delighted to rely on us to bring our technical and aesthetic expertise, efficiency, and eye to their projects!
And we value *them* too – the best clients are engaged and active in their projects, and the best collaborations are with teams that value each others’ contributions and expertise. We can’t – and don’t want to – do it alone, and neither do our clients!
Illustration by Christian Borger, with art direction by Marilyn Moedinger