How to brief your builder(s)
So many people provide their builders with little or no ‘brief’ at the start of the job, something which could end up costing more and taking longer than you originally bargained for. But with a little forethought you can help keep your project on track.
An open brief can be a nightmare – for both sides, so, what you need to do is to give yourself some time to decide what it is that you really want to achieve. That doesn’t mean that you need to be a designer or swat up on building terms, it just means that you should do a little research – are there any styles have you seen that you like, which colours do you prefer – is there a theme you want to incorporate, and so on.
If you are working with a designer then they will, hopefully, make suggestions and advise on what is possible within the space, but a little direction from you will help move things along swiftly and smoothly.
If you have a budget, let them know, if you have a time-frame, let them know and if you have that one thing, that one special item, old or new, that needs to be incorporated into the project – let them know before you start.
Ask yourself:
- What do I/we want to achieve – what is the end goal?
- What are the parameters/constraints of the project?
- What sort of look do I want to end up with?
Things to do that might help:
- Look online and in magazines for inspiration – make a reference of what you do and also, don’t, like.
- Create a mood board with colours, styles and textures you like.
- Go out and about, take photographs on your mobile of anything that inspires you, from building materials to houses – after all this is your project – get involved in it.
Once you have done your research, you and your building team can start to formulate a plan of action.
It may be stating the obvious, but make sure you communicate with the team you engage, after all, they aim to understand your needs, but that won’t happen if you don’t talk to them.