3 Takeaways from Charles Warren's visit at the 2021 Reno + Design Show
Charles was recently a part of the Brisbane Reno + Design Show sharing some advice on how to successfully navigate through renovating in the current market. It’s a market with a few challenges and pitfalls, changed forever by a world pandemic of which the effects are now hitting the building industry and being felt by renovators.
The 2021 Reno + Design Show, recently held last March 13-14 in Brisbane, is a home renovation and design showcase celebrating the best the industry has to offer. Communities of home renovators, designers, product suppliers, and tradespeople participated in the two day event, sharing their experiences and knowledge.
Post pandemic world or not, it seems everyone is still optimistic and the desire to create timeless homes and beautiful spaces remains as strong as ever.
Here are some of the highlights from Charles Warren’s talk over that weekend.
Experience and Client-Relations are Keys to Success
“Communicating well with the client and bringing good energy to the length and lifetime of the build is what we try and do.”
From the opening moments, Charles emphasized the need for clear communication with everyone, particularly with the client. Typical builds last 14 to 18 months, and having a clear vision of the end goal while managing expectations and keeping the energy up throughout the timeline can be a daunting task. This is where keeping the client, architect, and your team in the loop and abreast of all situations, changes and revisions can keep the project rolling along and the client happy.
What’s Trending Today and a Glimpse of the Future
“What we’re seeing is a big move away from general air conditioning. What this does mean is shutting the house off and installing air conditioning in every room now. Making good use of free-flowing airspace, and getting air and light in spaces.”
Big, light, open spaces. Moving away from air-conditioning throughout the whole house, and letting it breathe and use natural light. Allow space for family and memories, and a story to be told. These were all so points that Charles brought up during his interview. But more importantly, he stressed the many ways of achieving a goal for the build. More often than not, it is easy to be blinded into one particular way of getting the results you want out of a build. An experienced builder, however, knows that’s not the case. Thinking outside the box can lead to creative ways to solve a problem. From changing the type of material, altering how construction is done, or fabricating onsite instead of delaying the build can keep the project on target and firing on all cylinders.
How to Navigate the Present’s Pitfalls
“Engage in the builder/client/architect relationship as soon as you can. Seeing as it is a triangle of teamwork, you need the architect, the client, and the builder”
Living in a world still reeling from the effects of COVID has presented a number of challenges to renovation projects. Even if we’re not feeling much of the brunt of it in our corner of the world, this can still cause problems with the supply of certain materials and services. Still, a builder with the experience, creativity, and a client’s best interest in mind have ways to keep their client’s next build a pleasurable and fulfilling experience.
Currently, building materials cost sometimes as much as 2 to 3 times normal. Even if prices aren’t the issue, supply shortage and delayed logistics may cause havoc with a build’s schedule. Charles offered some creative workarounds, but may even be a better solution than the original plan.