THE BUSINESS OF DESIGN: SCREWING UP

We're almost home on this article 10 Things Interior Designers Won't Tell You.  You'll want to read why I've chosen to deconstruct this article and tell the truth in Part 1.

YOU HAVE LITTLE OR NO RECOURSE IF I SCREW UP

Think the worst thing a designer could do is lose your custom-made lamp or crack your favorite ashtray? Those are certainly possibilities. But a designer can do much greater damage than that. "A designer may suggest knocking out a wall that can cause the whole side of a building to collapse," warns Bo Henderson, an interior designer in North Carolina. (He knows first-hand, since he was once called in to resolve just such as problem.)

Unlike home-remodeling contractors, who can be bonded -- that is, they hold insurance policies that guarantee that the work will be finished or damages paid if the job isn't completed -- most designers aren't insured for that sort of problem. Some have what's known as errors-and-omissions insurance to cover problems such as giving bad advice or failing to comply with building codes. But it's a hard sell, because most don't think it's as important as they should, says Marisa McCarthy, manager of ASID Service Corp., a for-profit group that offers insurance to designers.

When problems crop up, clients and designers usually have to work them out themselves. To safeguard against an ugly scene, particularly on larger jobs, you can include a clause in your contract that unresolvable disagreements should go to arbitration. If worst comes to worst, the American Arbitration Association (212-484-4000) can provide arbitrators who specialize in the construction industry.

I don't believe that if a designer screws up that the clients have little or no recourse, but the advice in this quote above is sound.  One, make sure your designer is insured.  Two, sign an agreement and read it, this protects you and your designer.

There are a million things that can go wrong on a job, designers with more experience (usually) will make fewer mistakes, but that experience may come with higher fees.  Most designers I know will attempt to resolve the situation to your satisfaction.  Check reviews and perhaps even call past clients to see if issues arose and how the designer handled them.

read the entire series:

1. SHOP IN THE RIGHT STORE AND YOU MAY NOT EVEN NEED ME 2. MY TITLE DOESN’T MEAN VERY MUCH 3. YOU MIGHT AS WELL USE MY ESTIMATE AS WALLPAPER 4. YOU’D SAVE A BUNDLE IF YOU KNEW HOW I SET MY FEES 5. MY BILLS ARE LADEN WITH HIDDEN COSTS 6. IT’S NOT IN MY INTEREST TO HUNT FOR BARGAINS 7. YOU DON’T NEED ME TO GET BIG DISCOUNTS FROM SHOWROOMS 8. I PREFER BIG PROJECTS, BUT I’LL TAKE WHATEVER I CAN GET 9. YOU HAVE LITTLE OR NO RECOURSE IF I SCREW UP 10. MY WORK IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST IS A MIRAGE

Be flexible, there are thousands of tiny details when building or remodeling a home.  If you are not satisfied talk to your designer (or contractor, architect, etc) about options.  Rarely the problem is as large as the side of a building collapsing.