By Elizabeth Lord-Levitt
Beautiful spaces are a collaborative effort. It starts with an idea and transforms into reality, through the collaboration and cooperation of many moving parts and people. So why, in an industry that relies on various elements to work in conjunction with each other to facilitate a successful project, do we not educate on the full life cycle of the built environment? As a designer with 20 years in the design and construction industry, I am amazed at how siloed the design and construction fields can be. Individuals take ownership of their own responsibilities on a project, without seeing the underlying importance of understanding how all those responsibilities are intertwined.
On a typical project, a designer designs the space, and the contractor builds the space. The trade contractors work in their own specialty of expertise, and the interactions amongst everyone are usually based in a reactive state, addressing an issue or answering questions. Each professional is focused on their own responsibilities in order to complete the job successfully. Often this siloed ideology can lead to miscommunications, misunderstandings and frustrated finger pointing. For example, a beautiful space will be designed by the designer, meeting the client’s wants and needs, methodically selecting materials to create the client’s dream aesthetic. Those designs are then provided to a contractor, who bids the project based on those intentional details, only to provide an estimate that far exceeds the client’s budget. Who is at fault? Who is to blame? The client clearly stated their budget from the beginning, so why design a space that will never come to fruition? This dilemma could potentially be resolved if designers gained a basic understanding of construction. A good grasp of basic construction standards can enable a designer to transform their creative visions into tangible, functional spaces, ensuring that their designs are not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and attainable. Ultimately, understanding the correlation of how their choices in the design phase can impact the project becoming a reality, is not only beneficial for the client, but for anyone involved in the project.
Why Construction Knowledge Matters for Designers
As designers, we design with intention. We design with imagination and creativity, through exposure to beautiful spaces that already exist and extensive product knowledge. We tend to hyper-focus on the end result, and how the space will look, feel and function. But we fail to envision how the project will be achieved. We fail to see how those intentional choices can impact a client’s budget or a contractor’s ability to execute. That is why it’s so important for a designer to acquire construction knowledge, in order to be an asset to their contractors and advocates for their clients. Here are some key reasons why a designer should garner this basic knowledge and how it can impact their projects.
Designing to Budget:
With basic construction knowledge, a designer has the ability to design to a client’s budget. Understanding how a structure is built, allows a designer to make objective decisions for the space, with little to no impact to surrounding areas. For example, if a client has a smaller budget, a designer may choose to leave the location of the toilet as-is, in order to alleviate the expensive labor costs to move it. Understanding floor joist direction and drain slope needs can ultimately save a client thousands of dollars in labor cost for potentially unnecessary work. Understanding the costs and implications of various construction methods and materials allows designers to create realistic budgets and timelines, ensuring projects stay on track financially.
Articulating Your Vision to Contractors:
A solid grasp of construction principles can facilitate better communication and collaboration, leading to smoother project execution. If a designer can speak to their contractors with basic construction terminology, their vision can be clearly articulated without misunderstanding. For example, when discussing stair details, instead of saying “the vertical and horizontal surfaces”, designers should specify the “tread and riser”. This clearly states exactly what a designer wants aesthetically and conveys an understanding of these imperative details.
Structure and Function Knowledge:
Knowledge of construction helps interior designers integrate their designs with the structural elements of a space. With a basic understanding of how the structure is built, or being built, will ensure that their plans are feasible and do not compromise the integrity of the structure. For example, determining the structural foundation type of a space will help prioritize the needs for the space. If designing in an unfinished basement and wanting to add a bathroom, the existing floor construction will first need to be taken into consideration. If it’s a slab floor, extensive trenching will need to be run in order to accommodate drainage. And perhaps an ejector pump. So, prioritizing the bathroom location to be in close proximity to a utility room which contains a water source and perhaps an existing floor drain, can save thousands in labor costs. But if the existing floor is a framed structured floor, then a bathroom may have the ability to live anywhere in the space, as the water source and drainage can utilize the crawl space.
Material Compatibility:
Understanding construction materials and methods allows designers to choose appropriate finishes, fixtures, and furnishings that complement the building’s construction and meet safety and durability standards. It also allows a designer to design to a budget, as we all know materials can significantly drive a budget. With extensive product and material pricing knowledge, a designer can steer a client to materials that are aesthetically pleasing, while also budget appropriate. For example, glass tile material is not only expensive, but the labor costs to install glass tile is usually on the higher end. For a client with a smaller budget, understanding the installation and material costs, can help dictate your material choices. In another example, the labor costs to hang a walnut cabinet are the same as hanging a birch cabinet with a walnut stain. The difference is the material costs between a walnut cabinet and a birch cabinet, with the walnut cabinet pricing out at almost three times more expensive. Understanding how your material choices can impact a client’s budget, will help facilitate a better design experience and a happier client.
Compliance with Codes and Regulations:
Designers must ensure their designs adhere to building codes, safety regulations, and accessibility standards. A construction understanding helps a designer navigate these requirements effectively. Otherwise, a necessary revision will be needed to the design, usually at the designer’s expense. This revision could ultimately change the flow and function of a space, jeopardizing the design and your integrity as a designer. For example, when reconfiguring a floorplan that includes bedrooms and a utility room, code dictates that a utility room access cannot be located in a bedroom space. Furthermore, that access opening to a furnace and filter needs to be at least 36-inchs wide. Accommodating this code would require the utility room to be off a hallway or open central space, with a door opening wide enough for replacement and repair.
Problem-Solving:
As designers, it’s often that we are designing in a space that is considered a retrofit. It’s an existing structure that we use as a platform and modify using some or all of the existing building components. In this scenario, a designer cannot see through walls, and can only make assumptions as to how the structure was constructed, and if existing MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) will influence how the space can be modified. This, in turn, can create issues once the demolition has started and the true nature of the structure is exposed. With basic construction knowledge, a designer is equipped with the ability to address unforeseen challenges during the build-out phase, such as structural limitations or unexpected site conditions, and to propose practical solutions.
Teamwork: The Blueprint for Success
To truly create an impactful space, a designer must put the right people in place to generate a successful project. A designer’s ability to identify a contractor’s strengths and weaknesses will ultimately determine the outcome of a project. For example, a contractor that specializes in decks shouldn’t be considered for a potential kitchen remodel project. A designer may have the opportunity to direct the client and guide them to choose the right contractor for the job, which includes all of their trade contractors as well. Making this choice solidifies your team, with the shared goal of a successful project with the potential for referrals. But a designer needs to know enough about construction, to hold a contractor accountable for their responsibilities and scope of work.
Owner of Grove Remodeling INC, Javier Zayas, a general contractor based in Denver, Colorado is a strong proponent of the teamwork mentality. His high-end residential remodel projects have won many industry awards, but he couldn’t have achieved his success without his valued trades, and the designers he works with. “The key metrics are communication, information and document sharing, and most importantly consulting with each other before discussing issues with clients,” Zayas shared. He also stated that being easily available to each other is very important. Zayas prefers to work with designers that have a basic construction knowledge, as it can alleviate many issues that arise throughout a remodel project. “A designer should have a basic understanding in recognizing potential bearing walls, understanding the underlying plumbing and mechanical systems that would need to be relocated, and in general the relative cost and complexity of moving walls, windows and fixtures around,” Zayas said. With his extensive background in construction, Zayas shared what he considers the key to success for any project. “Designers and contractors need to understand and appreciate each other’s roles and utilize that information to maximize the style and functionality of each and every project.”
Joe Calise of Sights-N-Sounds, a system integrator based on Long Island, echoes these sentiments. With over 33 years in the audio and visual industry, Joe is the past President of the Interior Design Society (IDS) Long Island Chapter and the current Secretary-Treasurer for the national board of IDS. His experience with designers is vast and shared that a designer just needs to know the basics of residential technology in order to gauge a client’s desire for it. He is a big proponent of working as a team and shared that the sooner they can be involved in the project, the easier the install will be. “Our ultimate goal is to create the ultimate comfort for the end-user, which is everyone’s goal in the end,” Joe said. He shared that once a designer sees the value in what a systems integrator can do, it’s just another service offering that can elevate a design to the next level. “Seeing wall acne (a bank of toggle light switches) can really affect the aesthetic of the space. But if we are brought onsite after the electrician has done their rough-in, it can often be too late for us to help with integration”, Joe states. Which is why it’s so important for a designer to understand the sequence of events of a construction project, in order to evaluate the priorities of the client and the needs of the space, to avoid duplicate work.
In closing, a designer’s profession is based on being given an opportunity to take a vision for a space and turn it into reality. Acquiring the client and determining a scope of work that works within their budget is the first step to bringing that vision to life. Understanding how the scope and the financial investment correlate is key to designing a space that is not only visually appealing, but attainable. The importance of construction education, especially in the early years as a designer, can shorten the learning curve of designing an efficient space, as well as addressing the inevitable issues along the way. In conjunction with the right team, a designer can build their reputation in the industry as a thorough and thought-provoking designer, which can be incredibly rewarding when impacting our client’s lives.
Elizabeth Lord-Levitt is the Principal Designer at Elizabeth P. Lord Residential Design and Founder of Built4Design Residential Academy is a CMKBD and CLIPP certified designer with a graduate degree in real estate and construction management.
