Getting started
Where I would start with preparing for a first consultation
Bring the questions, not a finished solution.
What I would bring to a first design consultation, from site details to the everyday frustrations that a floor plan needs to solve.
You do not need to design your own house before meeting a designer. In fact, arriving with an open question can be more useful than arriving with a fixed plan. I would use the first conversation to explain what you are trying to change, what you already know and where you need help.
Key points
- Explain the problem before proposing the solution.
- Bring existing information and a short question list.
- Ask what the next stage will answer.
Start with the reason for the project
Try completing this sentence: our home would work better if we could do this. You might want to cook while staying connected to the garden, host family without giving up your own space, or stop using the dining table as an office.
Those observations give a designer something real to work with. A collection of images can help, but it is much more useful when you can explain what you like about each one.
- Write down three things that work well now.
- Write down three things that regularly frustrate you.
- Identify the change that would make the greatest difference.
Use the project collection to identify the qualities you would like to discuss, rather than arriving with a finished solution.
Explore Modal Architecture’s projectsGather what you already have
Bring the property address, any existing plans you hold and a few photographs. Do not commission a pile of new reports just to prepare for an initial conversation. Ask the team what information will actually help at this stage.
- Existing drawings, if available.
- Your rough timeframe and any fixed dates.
- A budget range you are comfortable discussing.
- Questions about the site, scope or design process.
Be honest about uncertainty
It is fine to be deciding whether a renovation makes sense or whether a site suits your plans. Explain the decision you need help making. That allows the discussion to focus on a sensible next step rather than pretending the whole project is already settled.
Leave with a next step you understand
Before finishing, ask what happens next, what that work is intended to answer and how it will be charged. The first conversation should help you understand the direction of the project and the working relationship. A considered design takes further investigation and time.
You can arrange that conversation with me through Modal Architecture.
Bring your questions and the information you already have to an initial conversation.
Book a conversation with Modal ArchitectureBring the question to your own project.
If this has helped you identify something you would like to explore, let’s talk about it.
Start a consultation