Hand-holding goes both ways

Koontz - One of the jobs a contractor has to deal with, and I expect designers and architects do the same, is to act as a cheerleader and hand-holder for the client. We try to encourage the client's participation and choices and we often have to soothe their anxieties regarding their project. Did they, (the client), make the right choice in materials? Do we, (the contractors), really think such and such will work? Why do things look so bad at this stage? Why aren't things moving along quicker? Why does the carpenter act like he hates me everytime I ask him/her a question? When, for God's sake, will this be over?

All of these questions rightly filter back to the general contractor and much of his or her time is spent soothing the fears and concerns of the clients' who are dealing with a group of people they don't know, who've invade their home for an extended period of time.

From the contractor's point-of-view, hand-holding is an inevitable part of every project. And we complain about having to do it. What we want to say to the client is, "Hey, you hired me because I know what I'm doing and you don't, so let go of my ears and let me spend my time on the job rather than pacifing you." That line would come across as badly spoken out loud though as it does in print, so instead, we grit our teeth and take the time to explain things we'd rather not have to.

The truth is that the better informed the client, the happier everyone ultimately is, but the time it takes to explain often feels like wasted time from the contractor's end of things.

So what a surprise I had on this new job when the client didn't call after the first big day of demolition to say that she was either thrilled or freaked out. I waited and waited for the phone call-I was sure it would come! And at 8:30pm, I finally called her, (and I never call clients at that hour!). I just couldn't stop myself. Do you know what she said to me? "So who's holding whose hand now?". I believe that's called getting my comeuppence...Turned out she was thrilled, but didn't think she needed to gush about it, or ask any questions, (it was after all what we had discussed wasn't it?). She knew it wasn't the end result, but the beginning, so no worries about the rough look. She drove me crazy with her logical attitude and the implicit trust that I claim to yearn for, but to my mind, always have to remind clients about.

It was a good lesson for me, and perhaps the next client who does need the reassurance will tax my patience far less-because for once I seemed to have been on the other side.

Shoot-Shoot-Shoot

Koontz - I was reminded recently of the importance and the value of photograpy when it comes to a home project.Detailing a project with pictures can be of benefit in several ways. The first might just be hubris-I like to see what was and what we've created. But photos can also be valuable to show the progress of the work and therefore the quality. Yes, we did install a beam over that opening...Mr. Inspector, Ms. Insurance, Mr. and Mrs. new buyers.

Just as we catalog the various valuables around our house for insurance reasons, photos of what your house looks like can help in proving that this abode was worth "X" amount of money. (Though appraisals are actually a mathmatical calculation, hedging your valuation with photography can only help, there is also something to be said for the subjectiveness of an appraisal).

I expect Jodi's friend just revels in the change from her Tuscan villa, to something that actually works in her area! And it's amazing what you forget if you don't catalog it! Without pictures, you might actually think that remodel of the kitchen was an easy project---but look at the pictures and you'll begin to remember what a drag it was to have the refrigerator in the garage and the kitchen sink outside the back door!

Small project or large, if you can get the perspective to take photographs-do it. You'll enjoy them years down the road, and maybe finally laugh about having to use the camp stove for two months!

Tuscan and Trends

Fitzpatrick-A friend of mine recently moved into a new house and is busy removing all vestiges of the previous owners' penchant for Tuscan. I don’t know about where you all live, but this trend shows no signs of dying out here in the provinces. In major metropolitan areas, it’s been on the wane since the late '90s with advent of the mid-century modern revival.

Here’s the problem with all these looks. They’re trends. While I believe the modern aesthetic more accurately reflects the way most people live today, the retro-imitation furnishings and pink plastic is nearly as derivative as the faux-iron light sconces my friend pulled off her walls recently. E-bay will be full of listings of Eame’s knock-offs in ten years, when the next big thing comes along. How do I know? Here’s the clue; MID-CENTURY modern. Check the newspaper; it’s 2005.

It seems to be part of the human condition to avoid the life and materials that we’ve been given in the here and now. If we have straight hair, we perm, if it’s curly, we straighten. We want fantasy. People in California’s Central Valley want to believe they live in Italy, but without losing their beloved 24-hour shopping privileges or having to walk anywhere. While the landscape and climate are similar, the lifestyle here, thoroughly suburban-American and built around the automobile, is not. Pretending you live in Italy when you live in California is a bit like Mr. Jackson believing he’s in Neverland. Check your reality folks.

My friend with the new house, a devoted contemporary, asked, “So what is it about Tuscan?”

The impulse to Tuscan is great, like the impulse to Craftsman. People seek warm, hand-made spaces that have a sense of stability and history. Try asking yourself, what creates that kind of feeling, but belongs to the present moment? I’m reminded how many people love Impressionist art; Monet, Van Gogh, Degas. Yet those painters in their time were thrown out of the mainstream academies. They were so radical, they had to form their own movement. What is their equivalent today and why are we so afraid of it?

The Old World look comes out of centuries of traditional vernacular building and generations of craftsmen who spent their lives learning and perfecting one trade. That can’t be duplicated by production homebuilders using drywall, foam, stucco and non-union labor that crossed the border, unskilled, six months ago. You can’t create an Italian villa from those materials, or an English cottage or a French chateau. On an interesting note, no one does much Spanish around here; the one historical style that would actually be appropriate for California. Just goes to show the racism, ambivalence and discomfort California still exhibits in it’s relationship with Mexico.

Even if you are one of the many new millionaires born in the W. Bush era and can afford the best of materials and trades, why go backwards? What you make is a movie set that looks about as authentic as Dolly Parton. We all know Dolly’s a great lady, but do you want to live there? Fine. But if you do, I say you are one more reason why we believe we can go on consuming, polluting and desecrating as we are; because we’re not really living here.

As a designer, I honor the human instinct towards what is best in these styles, but I also honor the need for truth about what we are and how we live. Right here, where ever you are, and right now.

Permits Are Your Friends

Fitzpatrick - Peg, I don’t think clients and the public at large appreciate the permitting process. Folks tend to think it’s the government butting into what they do on their private property. These types tend to be the same spoiled whiners who complain about taxes and regulation while enjoying the benefits of (relatively) clean air, clean water, safe roads, timely mail delivery and healthy beef on their dinner plates. Try getting all of those in Mexico City, Bolivia or even Italy.

But if my neighbor gets a wild hair and removes a wall, like your client did, he may have no idea if that wall is load-bearing, i.e. holding up the roof. Let’s say it is, he removes it, and the roof begins to collapse. Let’s say his gas line runs though the attic. Let’s say it’s broken when the roof finally fails, sending his house into flames and then engulfing mine next door. Yes, it’s a long shot, but not as long as most people think.

Building codes are in place to protect the safety and welfare of human life, yours and your family’s, as well as those of neighboring families whose private property may be affected by what you choose to do on yours. Contrary to what neoconservatives tend to spout, private property doesn’t exist as a discrete entity inside a vacuum. We all share the earth, water and air, and to a considerable extent, what happens within a few hundred feet of our homes.

Permits are required to insure that repairs and improvements you make to your property follow these codes. Believe me, it’s in your best interest and worth the time and money to get a permit for work you do on your own house, or to make sure that your contractor does. (One problem with hiring a Home Center to do your job is that often, even if they do pull a permit, you may not know enough to ask for a copy.)

A permit and an inspection insure that whoever is doing the work, does it right; or redoes it. This is increasingly important in our litigious society. If I was considering purchasing a house that had extensive remodeling done, I would demand to see the permits (that should be part of the disclosure on the part of the seller). If there were none, I would demand an inspection and/or a reduction in the price, because you can’t be sure a mistake wasn’t made that may burn down, or flood, your new home and your neighbor's. Doing it Yourself without a permit? Will your homeowner’s insurance pay off if you did something improperly and disaster happens?

Permits are your friends; tough-love friends, but they’re watching out for you.

Product Evaluation

Koontz - I had a nice visit this weekend with an old friend who lives in Northern California now. A place I'm told that actually gets snow! She mentioned that the exterior of her house is stained cedar and it requires re-staining every five years. In an effort to minimize maintenance, she'd like to paint the exterior, because as she remembers, a good paint job can last as long as twenty years.

Welcome to the Twenty-first century in California. A good paint job on the exterior of a house, especially one exposed to serious elements; be they wet or dry, no longer has the life-span our parent's homes' enjoyed. Paint formulas have changed due to research and environmental concerns and the longevity, so far, is not what it use to be. The same is true for wood stains and interior paints.

I'm all for "green" building and I don't have a problem with the changes to effect less toxic materials. One hopes it's better for the land, the builder and the inhabitants. But clients need to be aware that the changes have occurred and that means there's a little more work involved in maintaining your home. There's also a bit more responbibility laid on the client to make informed choices regarding materials.

In my trade publications there's always a product that is new to me, and they often make great claims as to their durability. To my mind, many of these products haven't been around long enough to back up their claims and I am frankly leary of experimenting with them on my clients. On the other hand, I'm dying to use some of these materials, and if the client really has done their homework and believes this is the product for them-I'm happy to try them out!

The bottom line of all of this is to remind clients that good research and a bit of knowledge on their part will go along way towards acheiving the results they desire.