Blueprints, Blunders & Breakthroughs: The Remodel Rollercoaster

Casey: 00:00:32

Hi, I'm Casey.

Rainey: 00:00:33

And I'm Rainey. Welcome to the Reframing Design podcast. If you're a new designer, a seasoned designer, a homeowner, or a home enthusiast, you are in the right place.

Casey: 00:00:44

We are going to talk about all things design. Our stories, our opinions, our experiences, and we're probably going to chase a few rabbits down a few rabbit holes.

But one thing we can guarantee, we will not talk about politics.

Rainey: 00:00:58

Welcome back to Reframing, where we open the. Kim let you see behind the scenes to the real, real, real of interior design.

Not the button up perfection that's shown on TV or that we show in our beautiful Instagram photos, but what it's really like in our lives as interior designers. I'm Rainie.

Casey: 00:01:21

I'm Casey. And this is the Art of Reframing. We are so excited. Hello. I can't believe it. Here we go. If our 12 listeners are still listening.

Thank you, guys, all of you.

Rainey: 00:01:31

I think it's a lot more than 12 now, but we'll just. Our goal is so it was.

Casey: 00:01:37

We're gonna give ourselves a trip to Italy. Italy, right? Yes. Oh, my gosh. Let's go.

Rainey: 00:01:43

So my win for today is. And I think I've said this in a previous podcast, but it's happening again.

And it's my whole heart is that my one daughter that lives in LA is coming home to visit and I could not be more excited. So we're gonna eat crawfish, we're gonna go shopping, we're gonna do all the things. And I'm so excited. Is a big win for me always.

Casey: 00:02:08

Both. All three girls together.

Rainey: 00:02:11

Yeah. Probably do some together. Yeah. I'm going to be like you are with your boys.

Casey: 00:02:17

I know. I feel like I'm always like, can I just touch your. Can I just stroke your hair or. Yeah, yeah. It's so yummy.

Rainey: 00:02:24

Sit very close to you. Yeah, yeah. That's the plan.

Casey: 00:02:26

Sit and stare. That's awesome.

Rainey: 00:02:28

Yeah. What about you? What's your win?

Casey: 00:02:32

I've got a really cool trip coming up in next, actually next week for Matt's work and we get to go to Japan and we get this incredibly curated trip that they have are providing us. It sounds so unbelievable. And I don't know about you, but in our family, I am the planner.

So I am the, all of you know, the logistics person and I plan the trip and someone else is doing it and somebody else is doing everything. Like, they just. We have an itinerary and, like, what we're going to be doing and there's only a few other people on this trip, so really get to see.

And we possibly will get to see the end of the cherry blossoms. It's the very end of the season, but. And your dress makes me so happy because I feel like those are the colors I'm gonna be like in.

Rainey: 00:03:15

So thank you.

Casey: 00:03:16

I know. I cannot wait to God that dress. I just wanna wrap myself in that dress, though. It's gorgeous.

Rainey: 00:03:20

So now if you're only listening to the podcast, you need to jump on.

Casey: 00:03:23

YouTube, come to the dress, take a gander at the dress.

Rainey: 00:03:27

And the art.

Casey: 00:03:28

And the art.

Rainey: 00:03:29

All right. Our artwork is exquisite. It is by Chad Kilgore. And we actually commissioned this piece for a client. It's going to go in.

It is going to go in their dining room. And so it is made of paper, actually. And what Chad really wants the client to do is to contemplate the complexities of the human experience.

And that is sort of a goal in his artwork. And we have seen this application in different shapes and different forms. And we asked him to do a perfect square.

And so we are super excited to hang this on the wall. The house is still under construction, but it's almost completed. And this is gonna have pride of place. So just wanted to share this artist. Yeah.

Chad Kilgore.

Casey: 00:04:19

From this angle, I feel like it's labyrinth style, which I'm a big fan of. Huge fan. But when I was looking at it on the wall, it gives you either a pull in or P moment. Right.

So it's like, am I walking down a long hallway or is this thing coming like a pyramid from the top? It is so exquisite. And you must go on YouTube or Instagram to see what we talking about.

Rainey: 00:04:40

And her just get. And. And your outfits always.

Casey: 00:04:45

So there's. I don't even know what's happening. Think this is target.

Rainey: 00:04:47

There's that.

Casey: 00:04:47

This is definitely a target belt. So, yeah. So here we are again.

Rainey: 00:04:52

Here we are. We get to talk about podcast.

Casey: 00:04:55

The less so.

Rainey: 00:04:57

One of the things that we do as interior designers is we don't just do the fluffy stu on top. We actually are involved in the construction and a lot of times the remodel process and remodeling is daunting.

Casey: 00:05:13

It's a lot.

Rainey: 00:05:14

It's big. However big you think it's going to be, it's going to be bigger, it's going to be better. And so. But we've learned a lot of lessons along the way.

Casey: 00:05:22

Lot of lessons along the way.

And it's so Interesting, because I do think, again, you know, perception, we only show pretty things in our industry, and so people think it's just a really light, fluffy kind of experience and everything so sort of magically appears. And the behind the scenes is always just so much more.

I actually love those moments of just like, holy cow, what just happened when you pulled that wall down and there's, you know, only one two by four holding that entire structure up. What happened here 60 years ago where, you know, so you're like, moments of creativity is what I like to call it. Oh, shit. This is going to change.

But it changes the. Everything from the structure to the budget. And so hopefully we can talk about some of that with you guys today.

Rainey: 00:06:03

100%.

So, again, if you're a baby designer, if you're a seasoned designer, if you are a homeowner, we have learned so much from every single remodel we've done.

But we're going to go over a few of those, maybe some mistakes along the way so that you don't feel alone and that you, too, understand the three model process is a thing.

Casey: 00:06:24

It's a thing. And if we can save you from some of the things, maybe you'll hear something today and you'll go, oh, shit, I didn't think about that.

Hopefully that works because there's plenty that we're going through.

Rainey: 00:06:35

There's lots of meat. We could talk about this for the next three and a half years.

Casey: 00:06:39

We talk. Yeah. We say we've got 50 years combined experience and stuff still happens. So it's not. You're not alone. You are not alone.

Rainey: 00:06:45

100%. So join us for this podcast.

Casey: 00:06:48

All right, lady, right now, in your wheelhouse, in your, you know, are you doing more remodels or more new construction?

Rainey: 00:06:55

I was going to say more remodels. Just because they're so much more consuming. Because we don't do the builds, we just do the specification. We're not builders of new homes.

So I would say always remodeling is the biggest thing for us since we do our own remodels. But they're probably tied the number of projects.

Casey: 00:07:16

Okay.

Rainey: 00:07:16

I would think. What about for you?

Casey: 00:07:18

I've got more remodels. Yeah. More remodels than new construction. Yeah, just a couple of new construction.

Rainey: 00:07:24

And you're gcing a big one yourself.

Casey: 00:07:26

Yeah. And that's one that's been interesting, and I can't. We will. So we're starting to hopefully add some photos to our B roll for some of these.

So if you do watch, you can see. But some stuff that has even just come up during this project has been eye opening. And they, you know, we get.

It's so fun because you drive through neighborhoods and you think, one day. One day I'll either, you know, as a little girl, it's like, one day I'll live in a house like this. And now I don't really maybe think that.

I think one day I want to build a house like this or work in a house like this. Right. And then you get inside and it's either like. Like this was underwhelming, like.

Rainey: 00:07:59

Right.

Casey: 00:07:59

What happened? Or. Yeah. So bringing that outside. Wow. Back into. Into this house.

Rainey: 00:08:06

Yeah.

Casey: 00:08:08

But a lot of corners are. Were cut in this particular. And it's shocking. Yeah. And I. I.

Rainey: 00:08:13

High price point house. Right.

Casey: 00:08:15

Very high price point house. And you wonder if the. Even the homeowner knew, like, little things. But we've got. I'm. I wish my eye wasn't so critical all the time.

Rainey: 00:08:23

Yeah. But you can have a break from it.

Casey: 00:08:25

Yeah. Then I could look at something.

Rainey: 00:08:26

What makes you so good at what you do?

Casey: 00:08:28

Yeah. But I'm like, what is that thing on the ceiling?

Rainey: 00:08:31

And the, you know, nobody can see it with you.

Casey: 00:08:33

Yeah. But it's a nail that's coming through the Sheetrock. And you're like, really?

Rainey: 00:08:37

I can't be having that.

Casey: 00:08:38

Can't be having that.

Rainey: 00:08:39

Yeah.

Casey: 00:08:39

So anyways. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:08:41

So what is something recently that you've learned on a remodel?

Casey: 00:08:46

Well, the one just because this is so front of a lobe right now is this one we're doing. And it's this. It looks as if they maybe had a sale on this particular counter because it's.

Rainey: 00:08:59

They bought all of it.

Casey: 00:09:01

They bought the factory. They bought a container, and Crema Marfill was on sale that day, so it's everywhere.

So we decided to gut the bathroom sooner than the homeowner had thought. And so. No. Shouldn't it be a big deal? We're not really even moving plumbing because it's a beautifully designed bathroom or designed.

But we're just gonna give it a facelift. And so pulled that massive tub out. And there is a hole, a swimming pool, like a. Like a mini swimming pool in there.

And so it was the first time I've ever seen that. I've probably pulled. I don't know.

Rainey: 00:09:36

So it's dirt or it's tiled.

Casey: 00:09:38

It's not even tiled. It's just cement. It's the subfloor. But it's perfectly done. And the drains down on that.

So apparently when the tile guy pulled everything out for a demo and there was a bench and some wood planks to hold like the rest of the sub. Like not even a full subfloor. You know, it's just things that people did to make it work. So that's been interesting.

Rainey: 00:09:59

It's like you're an archaeologist now. You can add that to your resume.

Casey: 00:10:03

What I found in this tomb. Yeah, it's wild. And none of us had seen anything like it. So that was fun.

Rainey: 00:10:09

And so had to deal with something like, was that a budget bus stop or is it just a budget buster?

Casey: 00:10:14

And was not planning on that. And you know, similarly, like another bathroom, you pull stuff out and you've got all these weird things that they had to rig in there.

And there was a bathtub. Now we're putting a shower. And that changes everything. Right. So then everything changes cost wise.

And we even on that wall had to move plumbing to the other side to sort of be able to notch things out. So the shower floor ducked on shower floor could sit nicely in. Because the first plumber said, nope, not gonna work. He actually walked off the job.

I was like, I've never been ghosted before by a contractor.

Rainey: 00:10:45

You get a whole ghost.

Casey: 00:10:47

But he didn't.

Rainey: 00:10:48

I'm not doing the swimming pool.

Casey: 00:10:49

I'm not doing it. I'm definitely not doing that. I'm like. And I'm. I've got that. Like, we will find a way.

Rainey: 00:10:56

There is not.

Casey: 00:10:57

There's. We're not pulling. We're doing it.

Rainey: 00:10:59

Yeah.

Casey: 00:11:00

Just might.

Rainey: 00:11:00

There's no try. There's do.

Casey: 00:11:01

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:11:02

Yeah. I understand completely. We have learned so many lessons through remodels and the remodel process. I think one of the biggest ones.

And it's one that we hammer into our clients. Like I don't even know how many times I say it.

We will not demo a remodel until we have 100% of the selections not just signed off on, but we actually own them. They are physically in our little hands. That's right. Now it could be that hardware is on its way. Right. And it's going to be here in two weeks.

Hardware is the very last thing. So we feel very comfortable that we're going to get that. But I'm talking about. Certainly tile countertops are chosen. They're tagged.

They're picked up by our fabricator. If we're doing a special pre.

Casey: 00:11:59

Even demo.

Rainey: 00:12:00

Yep. If we have a special wood species that we're using for something that's been purchased by our millwork contractor. Like every single thing.

All the lighting is in. Lighting is such a big one because they will lie to you. They will tell you something has shipped and they don't even own it yet.

So the lighting vendor. And so I'm huge about that because that just is a domino effect and it impacts everything. And so we just won't.

Because I think a lot of remodels run over time and go longer than they should because demos happen. You're in it. Right?

Casey: 00:12:40

That's just.

Rainey: 00:12:41

And you're waiting for something.

Casey: 00:12:42

Oh, God. That drives me head in.

Rainey: 00:12:44

I will not do that. So that is something that we learned years ago. We're not demoing. And I don't care. Somebody could be like, but I want you to start.

I want you to start. I promise you we're going to start.

And this will save you so much angst and upset because your project will be so much shorter in time and they'll get. You're excited.

Casey: 00:13:03

I think that is huge. I'm excited. Yes. And I want to get started. But let's just like slow the roll because also the momentum does. We need momentum for the brain model.

Like, it's a. That's an ultra marathon, you know, like you're in. That's not a 5K. We're not just so you want. We need your stamina. So once.

Because they get so excited at that. At the demo. Because it does go fast and then it just slows the F down.

Rainey: 00:13:27

Yep.

Casey: 00:13:28

Because it has to. Everybody's doing their stuff, but behind the scenes, these stuff. But knowing that waiting on things, though.

Rainey: 00:13:35

It'S not fun for anyone.

Casey: 00:13:36

Like, nobody's having that phone call from the wrap which I just had on this project. Two. Two things that. Because sometimes though, you pull the thread and then the thread keeps pulling and then it's like, oh, this is fun.

Let's do it over here. Can we. Oh, can we also add here, you know, Scope creep, we love. And so scope crept. So as we're going. But you know, our vendors are amazing.

And they're always like, okay, there's three in stock or whatever. The thing that we're before we even show clients. Right. And so wallpaper. There was 100 yards. Great. Awesome. Two days later, great. Client wants it.

Let's go.

Rainey: 00:14:14

It's gone.

Casey: 00:14:14

All gone. And that same thing happened with lighting. We bought it discontinued. Somebody came in and bought 8,800 of those whatever sconces.

And now we don't get our two, which was really frustrating. And I'm not really pleased with that vendor. The clock or the showroom is fine. It was the vendor that pulled it anyway.

But those moments, and then you're like.

Rainey: 00:14:32

Oh, I can't now. You have to go back to the.

Casey: 00:14:35

Everything was based on this. Like, everything's tied together in a pretty bow.

Rainey: 00:14:39

So tight. So. Yeah, but I was. You just talked about scope creep. So that's something that we really try to keep our eye on too.

Sort of that snowball effect that can lead to the budget bust. And then there's no money to finish the project, like, with the furnishings and stuff.

So we really, if we start seeing that go crazy, we might say, okay, we're going to mash the pause button and we're going to go back to the planning stage and make sure that we get everything that it is that you want and get a number on that so that you understand where we're heading. Because that's been a problem a couple of times. Because everybody gets excited. I get it, too. I get excited, too.

But how that impacts that bottom line is bananas, bananas.

Casey: 00:15:25

And then I think the thread gets lost in the sense of, like, right now we're so Carrie keeps saying to me, casey, we gotta. We gotta write all this down. Like, we have gone so far over. Because, you know, we've got it all in the contract. This is what we're doing.

We're very detailed and, you know, outside of those lines, it's gonna cost this. And we've gone so far outside of the lines, we're like in another hemisphere. And I'm not keeping track of it.

You know, just because, again, people plead like, you want it and you have the crews all there, so you manageable. Keep going, going. So the mash buttons are great. Op option or idea. I need to probably hit that.

Rainey: 00:16:03

Unless the client is like, I don't even, you know, let's ride this ride. But sometimes those are the exact clients that then come back and say, I thought we would be in the X number dollar range.

I didn't realize we were going to be here. And so, yeah, when you match it, it's out of respect. And it makes me sleep better, too, because I don't want to get so far away that.

But it's come from things not not working out well. Not working out well. And I don't like to surprise anybody. But sometimes you have that client that's not surprised at all.

Casey: 00:16:35

Yeah. And that's okay. But sometimes. Yeah.

Because when you're in the midst of the project, they do things do come up or there might have been a bonus that they weren't expecting that came earlier. And that's happens a lot, especially where we are in Houston.

Rainey: 00:16:47

Like you don't know, like the February bonuses.

Casey: 00:16:50

I love that oil companies sometimes give in a big old bonus that they weren't expecting expecting. And so.

Yeah, but have there been any moments where you were like, you know, we've talked about it before, but the out of pocket that you weren't expecting that on your end, like you thought it was going to be this. Do you have it written in your contract as far as like how is yours done? Do you.

Rainey: 00:17:14

Well, anything unexpected.

So our remodel contract is actually pages and pages and pages long because we include a spreadsheet that by room it tells every single thing we're going to do. Like demo current can lights replace with X. So if it's a guest bedroom demo, the four can lights line.

Number two, replace with six can lights and a decorative fixture. Number three, move the switch three inches over. It is so incredibly detailed.

And we spend a long time with our clients going through that for two reasons. Number one, we want to make sure that we have everything in the bid.

But number two, we want to make sure that there's no disappointment during the project where I thought that X was included. And so if that's the case, then we need to have the conversation at that meeting.

And we always send those spreadsheets home with our clients so that they can go through them thoroughly because we don't want to miss anything.

Casey: 00:18:16

Right.

Rainey: 00:18:17

The other part of that is we don't nickel and dime our clients. And I'm sure you're the same. So if we're going to, if there is. We thought it was going to be a two gang, but we've decided to separate some things.

We're going to have a four gang switch. It went from $30 to $60. We're not charging that client $30 on a change order.

But that's built in to our financial side of some of those over just right. Some of those overages are covered so that we don't nickel and dime them. But they're very clear when we have a change order. And it is.

This is what we're doing very well spelled out, but that is how we make sure that those things are covered and that everybody understands is that spreadsheet. I think the one that we presented yesterday had 230 line items, I think.

Casey: 00:19:09

Which not hard, not, I mean could get to that real fast. And people are like, wait, what you bet. Yeah. Even just like you said, move that switch over 2 inches or 3 inches or something, it makes me.

Rainey: 00:19:20

Don't miss it.

Casey: 00:19:20

Huge plus you don't miss it. And because this is what I think is so fascinating. And because you're big construction, I am too. And we love.

I think we love it maybe more than a lot. A lot of designers, they don't touch it, but they don't want a deal. I love it. Like I. The GC side makes me so happy.

And if I only did that, that would be amazing. But Steph gets caught. But you realize how many people that switch moving over electrician, the painter. Like Sheetrock.

I mean, every single thing to just move this thing over. So when somebody sees it, they're like, really? But it's. It's a big.

Rainey: 00:19:55

Could even be framing.

Casey: 00:19:56

If we have to not just stutter something. If all of those things. Everybody that's a. That gets affected by that one thing.

Rainey: 00:20:05

Yep.

Casey: 00:20:06

Every such. All those people that touch it. I think it's fascinating and fun. But it's like, who. Because every. All of the trades have their specialties.

But then it's. You know, I've got one guy, Jose. He's amazing. And he is sort of my.

Rainey: 00:20:23

See the jack of all trades.

Casey: 00:20:24

Yes.

Rainey: 00:20:25

I love that.

Casey: 00:20:25

So he's the come in and hang all the accessories, move that light. Like all these things that touch ups. And he just did framing for a pony. For the pony wall, for this crazy shower. And you know, all these things.

Like, he can do all of it because we need that one who has. Because otherwise you're just. This guy's like, I'm an electrician.

Rainey: 00:20:43

I'm a.

Casey: 00:20:44

You know, and. Which is awesome.

Rainey: 00:20:45

I'm only doing this.

Casey: 00:20:46

Yeah. That one pinch hitter. Yeah. Is.

Rainey: 00:20:49

Is just so incredibly. Is so incredibly important.

And I think one of the things that people don't understand about remodels and it's so important to understand is that when the walls are open, Sheetrock is out. The walls are open. And we're doing things like plumbing rough in. We're doing the electrical wiring. We're moving some of that H Vac. It's not fun.

Like, you're spending lots of money. You're not seeing anything pretty or fun. It feels like the project's gonna take forever. But those are the most important things.

Those are the things that determine how your house is going to look at the end.

Casey: 00:21:28

At the end.

Rainey: 00:21:28

Right. I can change out a rug in two minutes. I cannot change out your lighting grid. I mean, it is so important.

And so one of the things we also talk to our clients about and that we've learned to talk about more is the things that are the times that it looks like the least amount is happening and it's the least fun, it's the most important and the most payoff.

Casey: 00:21:49

So smart.

Rainey: 00:21:49

Have you learned that?

Casey: 00:21:50

Yes. And I probably need to communicate it better because I think it's because I'm excited about the other stuff, too.

Rainey: 00:21:56

I love it.

Casey: 00:21:57

So it's just like, I get why they're like, yeah, I go to, you know, we go to the house in the. Every afternoon after school or whatever. And like, it doesn't look like anything's happening.

You're like, so many things happened, but you aren't going to see it yet. But I feel the same way.

And I don't know about you, but, like, you go to the job site and again, because everybody's doing their one thing, you know, there might be something left on the middle of the floor for five weeks, and nobody's touching it. And I just want to see it moved. And I'm like, whose is it and why are we not moving? You know, whatever. I want to see a difference.

So God knows the client does, too. Yeah. Do you bring in, like, a pre. Cleaning Cleaning in the midst of the deal?

Rainey: 00:22:40

We do. We do. But we've been lucky. We've worked with our same trades, all of them, for over 10 years. So.

But still, you know, my husband runs a remodeling cruise, but when I go on site, I want it to literally look like somebody's living there. And my husband's like, that's unrealistic. It's construction. There's going to be dust. There's going to be stuff. But I.

We are really big, and my husband's gotten really good at this and having our trades take the materials that they're not using, because I think that how the home is treated, even if the client's not living there and it's torn up, that is still their home. That is. I don't care that it's a construction site. I just don't care that it's a construction site. It is still their home.

They're still paying a mortgage, or they're still paying taxes, or they're still paying for the electricity. They're still paying. And so I don't care.

Casey: 00:23:33

I am with you. And their neighbors deserve to not live next to a house that if you're not able to get your trash into the dumpster, you know, you want to say shit.

Rainey: 00:23:42

Just say shit.

Casey: 00:23:43

Shit. Like pick up your shit. And if you're burning heaters out in front of this house, this gorgeous house, get that.

Get those damn cigarettes off of this front porch. This hat does. This is a non smoking house.

Rainey: 00:23:53

We're not going to have jack in the box trash and those little oh, I can't Big gulps. Like we're not doing that. Somebody lives here. And so we talk about that.

And so if you guys leave at 4:00 because you got here at 7, totally fine with that. At 3:30 we're going to start sweeping and getting our materials out of there.

Casey: 00:24:13

Is that even on a job site that somebody's not living in? That's period. Okay.

Rainey: 00:24:17

100%.

I think that is psychologically impactful to the client and I think it also reminds our trades that for them it's a job, but for that client it's their home and their dream. And I think it reinforces that every day. And it's a time to reset and think about that. I think that's super important.

Casey: 00:24:34

It is. I love that. And we have definitely. Because I think everybody just starts to get into their mode and whatever and so it helps to have that.

And like the dumpster was picked up and not they.

Rainey: 00:24:46

They didn't drop off a new one.

Casey: 00:24:47

They didn't drop off a new one. And so we have a ton of boxes and it has just d my head in and those.

Rainey: 00:24:52

And those things happen.

Casey: 00:24:54

I know. But I can't wait to get out of here today and go over and start throwing boxes myself because I find that incredibly satisfying. I love that.

But again there I feel like they need to probably up it on this. But anyways, because every job site's so different. But if the cli. Okay. Do you let people not let.

But if somebody lives in their house during your remodel, is that something you're okay with? How do you handle that?

Rainey: 00:25:17

So we have a long talk about that in the beginning processes because it might be that we don't see eye to eye on that for that particular project.

If the kitchen is coming out, typically we super encourage people to move out because you're looking at five to six months without a kitchen and while you think that might be fun by about month two, it sucks so bad and there's nothing you can do about it. So most clients, it's a non negotiable. You absolutely have to move out unless there is a client that can handle it.

I'll give you a couple of examples. We had A client that a special needs son. And they just said for him to be moved out of the home would be just way, way, way too much.

We absolutely cannot move him out of the home. We'll live upstairs. We understand exactly what we're signing up for, but because of his emotional needs, we need to stay here.

Casey: 00:26:20

Right?

Rainey: 00:26:20

We did it and it worked out great. Then we have a client right now. She is a big executive in oil company. He's a stay at home dad. They have twins in high school.

They just moved here from another state and massive remodel going on. And they just finished a remodel in the place where they came from that didn't go well. So I'm telling you, we look like rock stars.

They just keep saying, we cannot believe how awesome this is. But they just went through it. They're like, we can do it. This is what we're gonna do.

Casey: 00:26:52

Right?

Rainey: 00:26:53

But when we get to the painting stage, because it's gonna take six weeks to paint this house, they are going to leave.

Casey: 00:26:58

And this smells an awesome.

Rainey: 00:26:59

They have to. You can't, for health reasons, stay there. So in those two instances, we current, recent ones, of course we've had a lot more.

But we really talk to the client because however bad, you know, we have that graph that shows the em process of going through a remodel. We need to totally share that in our show notes.

But it just shows how the roller coaster goes from being so excited to being so down in the dumps to being so excited. And it keeps going on through the process. And not everyone is cut out for that. No, not everyone is cut out for that.

Casey: 00:27:31

I'd be curious the data on how that works for people who do move out versus the people who stay in and which side is hard because I try and you know, maybe let's not go every day. You know, you're like, just give it a week, be excited. You know. But if you go every day, it can feel like a beat down.

Rainey: 00:27:50

That is such a good point.

Casey: 00:27:51

So it's just like, let's give it a minute and you know, maybe this week take a break or something because it's, it's a beat. Yeah. You're like, ugh.

And you, the kids are walking through and they're not, you know, they're like, oh my God, do we really have to come see it again?

But I like that, I love that you said like with the one client who's had a child who had, you know, some special needs that happened on a project and it was a Pretty big remodel. And that was very, very big deal for them, though. They could not move out of the house.

Rainey: 00:28:19

And so sometimes that's what it is. It is.

Casey: 00:28:22

And that was totally okay. And. But it also determined what contractor got that project. Because that contractor had to be okay with if this.

If the child maybe has a day that's not great. You have to turn that crew around and get out pronto. Like so that. Because it's.

Rainey: 00:28:38

It's very disruptive to the house.

Casey: 00:28:41

Right. It's hard. Anyway.

Rainey: 00:28:44

I love that you did that.

Casey: 00:28:46

Yeah. So that was big. But. And actually the funnest part of the backside of that was when we finally finished it and everything and went through a walk.

The child, who's a very tall young man. Six, eight or nine. Yeah. And he was 15 at the time. That tall. He pulled me into his bathtub. Not with water, but like, so I could see the shower.

Rainey: 00:29:07

He was so proud.

Casey: 00:29:08

So proud. And then we were watching videos on his phone inside of it. And it was just. It makes me tear up just thinking about it.

Because, like, he was such a special. I got real close to him. I would start cutting his hair during that time too. Because of what the family.

Having to even go through the process of getting haircuts is so hard. So I was like, well, I could try. So then it became. Because he wanted to be home. Right. So then you're. Because it.

Rainey: 00:29:32

We just.

Casey: 00:29:32

Anyway, that's a whole nother roller coaster. But that's a whole funny. Yeah, you have. We have to. God, we're so lucky.

Rainey: 00:29:40

We have to.

Casey: 00:29:41

The blessing to kind of be involved in so many people's. In their lives in that way.

Rainey: 00:29:45

But if through the process, you're interviewing this client, you're meeting with them, and you can tell that they are in no way cut out for the remodel process. Like, I'm in no way cut out for the remodel process. I would have to be told I have to move out because I would not be well. And so.

And that doesn't make it wrong. It's just you're caring for that person in their particular set of needs and protecting them.

And if it's me and I refuse to move out, I wouldn't remodel my house. I would be like, I just don't think that this is gonna work just because we wanna honor who you are and what's comfortable for you.

Casey: 00:30:21

Yes. Yeah. Some people are totally okay. Blow up mattress. Just finish like, yeah, we're good. We can totally grill. We're Fine. We got an air fryer, whatever.

Rainey: 00:30:28

Yep.

Casey: 00:30:29

Technology has changed a lot in the.

Rainey: 00:30:30

Last 10 years, which has been helpful.

Casey: 00:30:32

It does help people like that. You can actually eat right. But it is so nice when they can get a rental or stay with.

You know, a lot of people have family who's have a second home, whatever.

Rainey: 00:30:41

Right.

Casey: 00:30:41

And then it's just easier everywhere. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:30:44

Everyone, like we say, they're not watching the sausage be made so it tastes better.

Casey: 00:30:47

It does. So when you do come in, you get those wow moments. You haven't been there all day. But some pitfalls, though.

I know we talk about it all the time and we were talking about one the other day. But simple, small things with remodels but that are so big, right?

Like when you take light, lighting tends to be one of those where you maybe you didn't account for something. Like I had one where it was. The lights were on the mirror and that one and they were round. And I got it.

Rainey: 00:31:14

You have to tell that whole story.

Casey: 00:31:15

The sconces. Yeah, sconces. Fell in love. Back plate. Didn't even know. Made sure everything else was the right size. We measure and we. And damned if we didn't have.

Rainey: 00:31:24

And they're on top of a mirror. So you're not slickity split, you know.

Casey: 00:31:28

You'Re not just sheetrocking around a painting or whatever.

Rainey: 00:31:30

That J box is round. Your plate is square. You have a problemo.

Casey: 00:31:35

It's a problemo. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:31:37

On every job.

Casey: 00:31:38

Yes. But that was one of those. God dang it, Casey, how long?

Rainey: 00:31:41

Like you've done it before.

Casey: 00:31:43

How many. Like how long have you been doing this? I've never done that. I won't do it again.

Rainey: 00:31:47

You want. That's the whole thing.

Casey: 00:31:48

But I've never done. Yeah, I must have used it.

Rainey: 00:31:51

And you're making it right. Because it's the cost of doing business. Right. But you learn. And we learn stuff every single day.

One of the other things that we've learned during remodels is those Friday emails are gold.

Clients have time and they'll take their neighbor, their parent, Aunt Jane, everybody to go see the remodel and they get wound up about something, right? Somebody says, why did they. Blah, blah, blah. And that client sits on that and stews on that whatever. And on Monday you either get a call or an email.

So we send emails. I know you do too. That says, this is what happened this week and this is what you can expect next week.

And there's always a note that says, we understand that some things Might not look quite right because they're in process and we have whatever this is on our radar so that they can breathe and they can enjoy showing their friends and neighbors and family the remodel and understand that we are actually really on top of it.

Casey: 00:32:55

Yes.

Rainey: 00:32:56

And if not, we will be on Monday.

Casey: 00:33:00

That happened yesterday. I walked in. I had to step away from the project for the weekend. I have been just spinning over multiple jobs at a.

It's like they're a lot all coming to that pivotal crescendo at the same time. And it's just a lot. So this crazy brain is going into the logistics of everything. So I just needed this whole weekend. I did not touch.

I didn't look at an email. I sent that Friday stuff and then it was done.

But I walked in yesterday and first thing, and I was on the phone with Carrie because we do it on our Monday call. And I shouted the F word and was like, fuck.

Rainey: 00:33:33

What?

Casey: 00:33:34

Let me call you back. A mirror was hung. Wrong mirror was hung. Simple, simple thing. But it was just after, you know, a series of things, a little irritated.

And so sure enough, get an email, and they're like. And it looks like they're the wrong mirror. And I'm like, oh. You know. Because I didn't get to them before they had seen it.

And it just was one of those things. I never want the client to have to find something that I have not already let them know about, you know? Cause it is a shitty feeling.

Rainey: 00:34:00

Because then you wonder what else is made. They're like, wait, what happens? It's human nature.

Casey: 00:34:03

It is. Yeah. So I was like, oh, no, it's handled. It's already fixed. But, gosh, I do not love that feeling. So. But we can't catch it all and bless our trades.

Like, they. You know, there's two mirrors sitting there. Which one fit?

Rainey: 00:34:14

Doing our best. Something that just happened on a remodel that we have going on in Spring Branch. The client was gonna leave the master bathroom.

She's like, I don't wanna. She's moving in. Recently divorced and moving into a house by herself. And she was like, I don't wanna gut this entire house.

The things that I am okay with. I want to leave. Totally understand that.

So during one of our walkthroughs, our planning walkthroughs, we walked back to the bathroom because we're going to do some things in her closet. And she started talking about all the things in the primary bath again that she just didn't love.

And it was like, well, if we're going to do this, like, now, it'll never be less expensive. It'll never be easier. It'll never be like, this is it. And she stood there and she's like, like, let's just do it.

So demo day comes, and we're demoing the primary bath. And I have never seen this before, Casey, Ever. They opened up the pony wall in the shower, and there was so much live termite activity.

It was like you had an infested apartment, and you turn the light and the cockroaches scattered. I had. We have video of it, which I am not going to share. Have never. But here's the thing. Brand new house. Not a brand new house. A brand new house.

To her, it's an older home. And it had passed all. She had just purchased. It passed all the inspections. Da, da, da, da, da, da.

If we had not demoed that bathroom, which was infested in termites, and they've. We've had the professionals out, and they're like, no, it is just contained to this bathroom.

Casey: 00:35:50

Oh, thank God.

Rainey: 00:35:51

She would have just been living there. It would have been disintegrating until one day, something. A tile would have fallen out, and there would have been. You know what I mean?

Casey: 00:35:57

She goes to put her shampoo and the whole thing just.

Rainey: 00:35:59

No. She was like, I swear, the universe is looking out for me, because, number one, it would have grossed me out.

And number two, I just want to get this done the way I want to.

Casey: 00:36:06

No, I really want it.

Rainey: 00:36:06

And now she's super invested in the design, and it's like, thank God we're doing this. But we had to mash the pause button because three weeks, they have to treat them. And you are off of that project for three weeks.

Casey: 00:36:16

Serious. Which nobody's planning on.

Rainey: 00:36:17

And no. 1.

Casey: 00:36:18

You guys have your own trades, but a lot of people are. They subcontract, right? And so you're. These guys are, like, ready to ship. I'm going to do another project.

I've got somebody who's waiting on me to start their tile. I'm going to start there. So now you guys might be put on the back burner, which is so frustrating. And tricky, too, right?

It's so tricky that it is such a dance of when, timing for all of them. Everybody working 100%, lot of logistics.

Rainey: 00:36:45

And you want respectful subcontractors, because sometimes they have to be on top of each other a little like. Or back to back with each other, or they have to be able to say, I can't do this until this is done.

And then like you said, you don't want them coming back a month later. So sometimes there are huge surprises that are going to cost a client a lot. And you just don't. You don't want that. Nobody wants that.

So I think another thing is preparing your client to not spend their maximum dollar because we don't know what we're going to find and we don't want to cause upset, chaos, or disappointments.

Casey: 00:37:20

That's a really good point because sometimes we do. People will take it to that, like, this is it moment. And then. Yeah.

You do not want to muddy that water with like, we're so sorry and have that change. But, you know, we don't want them.

Rainey: 00:37:35

To start pawning stuff to pay for remodels. Life is too short.

Casey: 00:37:39

So it's always like, I'm sure you guys do too.

We always pad and I have before written a contract if I've gc'd something, and I will add in like a $5,000, like, line item that we'll say this is so we don't come back and nickel and dime you for the $30 here.

Rainey: 00:37:53

There.

Casey: 00:37:53

Because those do add up. We can eat a few. And I do. But, like, I'm not eating a ton.

Rainey: 00:37:58

No.

Casey: 00:37:58

And. But that this will absorb. And if we didn't spend it, you get it back to your final bill. But you're. But just know because I can't. I.

Rainey: 00:38:07

You have to put in your brain that this is the possibility you might.

Casey: 00:38:10

Be spending this extra. But if not, great.

But I don't want to come back to you at the end of this because the last thing you're going to want to do is write one more check to me for this nonsense.

Rainey: 00:38:17

The check writing exhaustion, it is.

Casey: 00:38:20

Yeah. It's hemorrhaging, right?

Rainey: 00:38:21

Yeah.

Casey: 00:38:22

So in the, like, grandest scheme of the remodel, what is your. Do you have like, your biggest takeaway of. To share? Yeah.

Just like with that designer who might be listing or the homeowner who's like, I hadn't thought of that and I wasn't warned about that. What that might be for somebody to really think about before undertaking something.

Rainey: 00:38:45

I think as the homeowner speaking to the homeowner now, I think the most important questions to ask yourself is, do you love where you live? Do you love your neighbors? Do you love the footprint of your house? Knowing that you can also add a second story. Is the backyard to your liking?

If the answer to those questions are all yes, then it's probable that a remodel is for you.

If the answer to any of those questions are no, then I would recommend not investing the money in a remodel and maybe looking at a new build, looking for a new place to live and doing something new. That is kind of our guideline to our clients when they're on the fence and we want them to make the right decision for them and their family.

And if you're a designer, whether you're a baby designer or a seasoned designer, and you're helping somebody make that decision decision, we found that those questions are helpful in guiding them, and we hope that those questions work for you as well too.

Casey: 00:39:48

No, that's good. I like that because I think sometimes people don't. They don't realize that those they do love their neighbors.

They do want to drive down that street every day to that same house. So what the impact on the inside. And I do think it's also, it's planning for a remodel. It's not ever really a great time.

So if you are rip the band aid embarrassed to bring people to your home, but you love to entertain, if your kids don't want to be at home as much because their friends houses have these, like, if there's elements of it that you just wish and you can't afford it, you know, do it. It's never the right time, but you will never regret doing it, ever.

Rainey: 00:40:32

100%.

Casey: 00:40:33

I don't know a single person who's ever said, I wish I hadn't done this.

Rainey: 00:40:36

We've never had a remodel client that said, I'm sorry that I did this. Not ever.

Casey: 00:40:40

Never. They're always like, why didn't I do this 10 years ago? I shouldn't have.

Rainey: 00:40:43

Or they might say, I wish I'd gone ahead and done the kitchen. Or I wish I had gone ahead and. But we have those really hard discussions. But we always tell people it's not our job to spend your money.

Casey: 00:40:52

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:40:52

It's our job to do the be good stewards and to use it the best way if it's what you want to spend.

Casey: 00:40:58

I love that. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:40:59

So thank you so much for joining us. If you want to talk to Casey and I, please DM us at reframing on Instagram.

Or you can send an email to hello, reframingdesign.com you can follow me at Randy Richardson Interiors on Instagram.

Casey: 00:41:16

You can follow me, Cassandra brandinteriors. And if you want your beautiful piece of art back here. So we'll display it and try and match our flowers and dresses to it.

Please send us a DM on Instagram or again@helloeframingdesign.com because we'd love to have you.

Rainey: 00:41:36

So thank you so much. Until next time. I love you.

Casey: 00:41:40

I love you.

Outro: 00:41:45

That's a wrap for this episode of Reframing the Art of Interior Design. We hope you had a blast and found some inspiration to bring your dream space to life. Feeling inspired to start your own home transformation?

Contact us@hello, reframingdesign.com we want to help you make it happen. Don't forget to subscribe, share and leave a review this show was edited and produced by Truth Work Media.

Until next time, remember, your space is your story. Make it beautiful.