3 Homeowners’ Behaviours That Almost Made Interior Designers Quit On The Spot

Dealing with difficult clients is expected in any field of work. Interior design is no exception too. Most interior designers have a list of clients they’ve absolutely hated working with.

More often than not, there are homeowners who tend to make every collaboration with them a terrible experience, and this usually turns out to be far more effort than it is worth.

In this blog, we share 3 homeowners’ behaviours that almost made interior designers quit on the spot and some preemptive measures to take when confronting them.

1. Asking for endless revision

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“Can I have this part done better?” “Can you revise here, and also there a little bit?” “Can I…?” Cut it out! We’ve heard it enough. It’s just all too common to find homeowners asking for endless revision. But are they inconsiderate or unreasonable? The answer is both yes and no. No because it’s simply human nature for homeowners to set upon a flawless design they so desired. Yes because literally no amount of revision is enough to finally settle up with a perfect design.

So what you should do in these instances? You need to limit rework. Agree a contractual number of rework opportunities at each stage. If the homeowners still wants more changes make sure the contract specifies the cost for those additional changes where they will have to pay for it.

Make it very clear to the homeowners that every new demand that can be categorized as “unreasonable” will add to the project cost. Also, explain the reasons for the same. You may even ask for an upfront payment before going ahead and satisfying their demand.

Whatever you do – don’t get stuck in an “infinite revisions” loop. Even the best homeowners can become monsters if you don’t get this bit clear. Following the processes detailed above significantly increases the chances that you’ll complete the job on time and get paid. Of course, you do need to show some flexibility at times in order to smooth out the rest of the process.

2. Making demands without willing to pay more

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Another type of homeowners from hell is those who make unreasonable demands but not willing to compensate you for such demands. They want something extra at each stage of the design process and generally expect you to give them way more than what you have promised to offer them as per the design specification document.

To refrain yourself from being exploited, you should first identify such homeowners. Most begin making demands right from the beginning. Give them a quote and if they start asking whether something can be added without jacking up the price or actually negotiate for a bargain, you should get cautious immediately. Think very carefully if you want to work with such homeowners, there might still be time for you to say no.

But if you still prefer to proceed with this project, make sure the homeowner understands the terms of engagement. You need to be very clear about the kind of work you will be doing in the price you’ve quoted. There should be no doubts in the mind of homeowner with respect to the project deliverables.

3. Asking to make a poor design choice

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Let’s face it. There will always be homeowners who assume they know more than you do and insist you to make an obviously poor design choice you cannot reason with. Indeed, many interior designers have received unreasonable demands like this and they can’t help but proceed with it even they can envision the final result will be a complete interior design disaster.

Honestly speaking, some homeowners have a hard time articulating their vision. They simply have no idea on the interior design style they should go with and end up selecting an unsuitable design or purchasing irrelevant décors that do nothing other than taking up spaces.

The key of dealing with difficult homeowners is to learn how to reason with them politely and offer a better design. When you are asked to make an absurd design choice, diplomatically educate them to respect your profession and ask them to put trust in you. If they are unwilling to give their best cooperation, thank them for considering your services and then walk away.

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Creative professionals are bound to encounter ridiculous client requests on occasion. When dealing with unreasonable demands, always respond with tact. Try to convince and explain why the request is impossible or out of scope, offer an alternative that both of you can agree to, and be prepared to quit the job if necessary.

What would you do if you are to work with such homeowners? Will you keep complying with their demand however unreasonable it might be? Or will you put your foot down and say enough is enough – we do it either my way or not at all? Let us know in the comment section below!