The Discovery Call
So you've been researching endlessly in preparation for planning your renovation, and you've decided you might like to bring on the services of an interior designer. Great idea! A designer can help you in so many aspects of improving your home, and forms a valuable part of your team.
You've been looking online to get a sense of who might be a good fit for you, and it's time to reach out to a couple to understand how they might be able to help.
When a new enquiry comes along, most interior designers will do some preliminary work to establish if the project is a good fit for both parties, and often this includes an initial phone chat (which might be referenced as a "discovery call"). If you've not worked with a designer before, you might be wondering what you should expect to discuss during the call?
During this call, the designer aims to understand the client's design preferences, needs, and budget.
Typically, the following topics are covered during a discovery call:
Introduction and overview: The designer introduces themselves and gives an overview of the design process.
Client's design vision: The designer asks questions to understand the client's design vision, style, and preferences.
Space assessment: The designer learns about the space, its layout, and any specific requirements or limitations.
Budget: The designer discusses the budget with the client to understand their financial constraints and make sure they can provide the services the client needs.
Timeline: The designer discusses the timeline for the project, including the start and completion dates.
Next steps: The designer explains the next steps in the design process, including the schedule for the next meeting and what the client needs to do to prepare for it which would normally be an initial site inspection to meet in person and view the property
The goal of the discovery call is for the designer to gather enough information to understand how they might help the client, and to start developing a proposal for the design project. The information gathered during the discovery call helps the designer create a bespoke design plan that meets your needs and preferences.
From the client's side, it's a great opportunity to ask questions and start to determine if you feel that the designer is a good fit for you - remember, you may be working together for many months, even a year!
How else can you be prepared?
In our next post, we will look at the type of questions you might like to ask the designer to gauge if they are the right fit for you!