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INITIAL CONSULTATION

There is a difference between having a sense of where the project is headed and truly understanding the objectives.  This is where many DIYers go astray.  They ignore the pre-design work and instead set off in a vague direction fueled by vague objectives, resulting in wasted time, energy, and money trying to gain clarity later in the project, which is often too late and more costly.  Hannam Design's process will ensure you avoid these mistakes and the painful experience that goes with them.  The initial consultation is the first step of Hannam Design's pre-design phase.  The work, time, and discovery found during this consultation will support forward steps, your project's solution and its success!  

What to expect. The initial consultation is valuable for discovering and providing both project and relational insight. Design and construction require a great deal of trust and this meeting is your chance to determine whether the relationship feels right to you, It is also a great opportunity to gain insight into your vision and discover how Hannam Design may add value and help move you forward. A one-hour initial consultation costs $105.00 (travel rates will apply outside of Black Hawk County).  The initial consultation will also include a small portion of design education, project logistics, and feasibility as it relates to your project, which is why homework may be assigned in advance or in follow-up.  All projects are unique, as is the pre-design and design work necessary for them. The initial consultation will not include all stages of pre-design needs, but it will get the groundwork started, benefiting you if you decide to take the helm OR if you engage Hannam Design.  Below are a few goals for the initial consultation, Additional design support or steps outside of this appointment will be discussed upon completion of the initial consultation and outlined in the submitted proposal.

Understanding you!  Your family, your style preferences, your likes and dislikes. Determining these preferences insure support and assistance in your project.  If you aren’t certain of these preferences, the pre-appointment homework and planning survey will help you better understand them.  

 

Discovering your "WHY". Understanding how you currently live and desire to live is essential for re-design and alignment.  This leads us to discovering the "why" behind your needs of updating or building and ensures your complete project is a solution and not just a new space. This step often seems reduce stress and overuse of Pinterest or Houzz since it will begin to narrow and focus your needs.

Understanding how you make decisions. To form a successful team, it is important to know how you like to work and communicate. Some clients prefer minimal options while others like many.  Some clients make decisions fast and others prefer more time.  Some clients make joint decision and others do not. Understanding your process helps tailor the process to you.

 

Understanding your budget.  Upon knowing your desired budget, the goal is to create a design that you CAN implement (aka fits within your budget!).   That doesn’t mean the exact plan always gets implemented and sometimes there may not be funds to accomplish everything you hope for, but proper planning and understanding upfront will provide the best chance to optimize the use of your funds.

 

Understanding your timeline and goals. Knowing your schedule is an important component during any project. If you leave for a vacation every spring and are gone for an extended length of time, that might be the perfect time to remodel the kitchen, which means the time to start preparing is in the fall so we have everything ready and can begin when you are gone.

The Proposal.  After the initial consult is completed and the data and information has been analyzed, a customized proposal will be e-mailed.  It will contain a defined scope, objectives, and define next steps that will be involved in achieving the discovered goal(s). The proposal will contain an estimate of the hours and a set of deliverables that will be completed. Some projects require consultation time only and others require a mix of consultation, product, labor and full implementation costs.  The initial consultation ensures the proposal will be a customized plan, aligned to you and your needs. The proposal will NOT contain any design work, its purpose is to summarize and organize the work completed in the initial consultation and propose design and/or work necessary to complete that.

An investment in the pre-design work will provide a tool to evaluate all future choices and decisions, which will ensure you are calm, cool, and at peace throughout the process. Consultation time is one of the least expensive parts of a project, yet, it has one the largest impacts!  Less expensive materials, when properly utilized because of good design, will look better than more expensive materials in a poor design. This is one of the many reasons you may wish to invest in this process and/or be looking to hire a professional, right?! The cost of design work has proven to provide clients less stress, happiness, and project success.  Click here to see a range of hours for common projects.  Be sure to visit the portfolio page to see how design work has impacted these final projects or contact Hannam Design for referrals and examples of work relevant to your project.

The proposal will be summited within 2-4 days of the initial consultation.  Once summited you may add, eliminate, or adjust the proposal however you wish. Adapting the proposal to fit your needs and project demands will ensure a successful next step. Click here to see the ways I work and what may be applicable to your project.

To schedule your consultation, click here

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