Practice Management Member Conversations

Hello I'm looking for some anecdotal wisdom from residential architects who have worked with difficult homeowners / clients. If you cared to share a story of how you handled the project and relationship that would be helpful. For example, in your situation(s), did you find a positive outcome in continuing to the end of the project and doing your best by them? Did you confront them about project issues or try to avoid disputes and keep things mellow? Did you make the decision to terminate the contract? How did your approach work out in the end?

Thanks,

Hello I'm looking for some anecdotal wisdom from residential architects who have worked with difficult homeowners / clients. If you cared to share a story of how you handled the project and relationship that would be helpful. For example, in your situation(s), did you find a positive outcome in continuing to the end of the project and doing your best by them? Did you confront them about project issues or try to avoid disputes and keep things mellow? Did you make the decision to terminate the contract? How did your approach work out in the end?

Thanks,

Some clients won't be profitable for you to work with. It's difficult to determine who they are before you have signed a contract with them. Generally, their inability to make decisions OR their backtracking on decisions already made will be your first red flag. Scope creep will also happen. You should lay out your process clearly at the beginning and work hard to identify when they are trying to move you away from the expected scope and process - look for add services ASAP and point back at your contract and process when they balk at this. Don't be afraid to part ways with clients who are taking too much time - unfortunately usually by the time you realize that you are over budget on time, you probably won't be able to save profitability on the project. It might be best to part ways. Some clients do this maliciously but most are just indecisive. As an alternative - if you are frequently working with indecisive home owners - do the initial designs  (PD, SD and maybe DD) as hourly work, then CD can be fixed fee once scope is set. You can even take a retainer, work to the retainer and ask for another payment before you resume work. This allows them to be indecisive on their own dime.

Hello I'm looking for some anecdotal wisdom from residential architects who have worked with difficult homeowners / clients. If you cared to share a story of how you handled the project and relationship that would be helpful. For example, in your situation(s), did you find a positive outcome in continuing to the end of the project and doing your best by them? Did you confront them about project issues or try to avoid disputes and keep things mellow? Did you make the decision to terminate the contract? How did your approach work out in the end?

Thanks,

Some clients won't be profitable for you to work with. It's difficult to determine who they are before you have signed a contract with them. Generally, their inability to make decisions OR their backtracking on decisions already made will be your first red flag. Scope creep will also happen. You should lay out your process clearly at the beginning and work hard to identify when they are trying to move you away from the expected scope and process - look for add services ASAP and point back at your contract and process when they balk at this. Don't be afraid to part ways with clients who are taking too much time - unfortunately usually by the time you realize that you are over budget on time, you probably won't be able to save profitability on the project. It might be best to part ways. Some clients do this maliciously but most are just indecisive. As an alternative - if you are frequently working with indecisive home owners - do the initial designs  (PD, SD and maybe DD) as hourly work, then CD can be fixed fee once scope is set. You can even take a retainer, work to the retainer and ask for another payment before you resume work. This allows them to be indecisive on their own dime.

Hello I'm looking for some anecdotal wisdom from residential architects who have worked with difficult homeowners / clients. If you cared to share a story of how you handled the project and relationship that would be helpful. For example, in your situation(s), did you find a positive outcome in continuing to the end of the project and doing your best by them? Did you confront them about project issues or try to avoid disputes and keep things mellow? Did you make the decision to terminate the contract? How did your approach work out in the end?

Thanks,

Hello I'm looking for some anecdotal wisdom from residential architects who have worked with difficult homeowners / clients. If you cared to share a story of how you handled the project and relationship that would be helpful. For example, in your situation(s), did you find a positive outcome in continuing to the end of the project and doing your best by them? Did you confront them about project issues or try to avoid disputes and keep things mellow? Did you make the decision to terminate the contract? How did your approach work out in the end?

Thanks,