5 Things To Look Out For When Hiring a Home Professional

With so many interior designers and contractors out there throwing prices and ideas at you, it is easy to feel completely overwhelmed when deciding whom you should engage. One thing you need to know is that everyone’s experience is different so really, go with your gut feel on who feels right. But there are still some basic guidelines to help you make an informed decision when hiring a home professional. Here, we narrowed it down to five criteria that you should be looking out for before signing the deal.

1. Reputation and Experience

Naturally, this should be the first thing you look out for as it will make all the difference to the process! A more experienced interior designer will know what to do for your home and mistakes to avoid, ensuring a more smooth renovation process minus the unexpected chaos. At the same time, they are miles ahead in terms of managing the project and working according to schedule as everything works like clockwork for them. One problem though – an experienced professional may have the “I know everything” attitude that is not only complacent but can also cause riffs between home owners who feel they have to fight for what they want.

To find out whether the company or person you are thinking of engaging has the experience, ask to view the firm’s portfolio and its accreditations to see if the firm is trustworthy. Or speak to friends or family who may have engaged the professional for some feedback.

2. Attitude

You’re going to be liaising a lot with this person throughout your renovation process so it is important that he or she, or the people involved in the project are professional, treats your project with equal importance as the other projects they may be handling at the same time, and most importantly, able to discuss ideas without having that chip on the shoulder. At the end of the day, you’re the customer and should be getting good service throughout the project.

3. Creativity

A renovation project is not just about hacking walls, putting up tiles and designing concepts. At times, it is also about being creative in solving space issues and awkward corners as well as making your space feel more personal and unique. You don’t want a designer to copy and paste the same design from another of their portfolio to yours – you want your space to stand out and be an extension of who you are, which is exactly what a creative professional should be able to do for you.

4. Budget

The number one question on every homeowner’s mind! Before starting on your renovation project, make sure to get an itemised budget from your designer or contractor so you know exactly what you’re paying for. While budget is important you shouldn’t let it be the only factor in deciding whom to hire – a cheaper budget might mean cheaper materials.

Understand what the cost entails and highlight to the home professional the comfortable range you’re looking at. Trim what you need or what you can give up from the quotation before signing on the dotted line.

5. ‘Chemistry’

Imagine this – you’ll be working side by side with the designer or contractor for at least 6 to 12 weeks during your renovation project! Wouldn’t you want to do this with someone you can get along with as well as feel comfortable enough to flag out issues that concern you?

While referrals are great, you should also remember that what worked for a friend my not be the same for you – it all boils down to the ‘chemistry’ you have with the home professional! As you are entrusting someone to create a home of your dreams, it is absolutely essential to suss out each other before agreeing on the project. You don’t want your renovation project to go down south midway arising from clashing personalities.

If you are looking to renovate your home, look no further than Qanvast to get started on your renovation journey! Get inspired with hundreds of interior portfolios along with the cost breakdown on the free Qanvast app on App Store and Google Play. Save ideas onto your Qanvast boards and show them to your designers.

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