Design Process

How to Structure and Run a Profitable Design Department with Chris Landis – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

Jobs are won or lost during the design process. With so much on the line, it’s clear that your design department should be running at peak performance. But there are so many ways the process can get derailed.

It all depends on how you structure your design department, and what metrics you use to hold them accountable.

In this episode, Chris Landis discusses about how to build and run an efficient design department with Victoria and Mark.

Chris is a partner (with his brother Ethan) in Landis Architects/Builders in Washington, DC, and is a longtime Roundtables member. He’s a registered architect in four states (MD, DC, VA, NY). Chris graduated from Vassar College, and earned his M.A. in architecture from Columbia Architecture School. Chris is a member of the American Institute of Architects, and has 28 years of experience in residential architecture. He is a current member of the DC Historic Preservation Review Board and past president of the DC Metro area chapter of NARI.

Chris has a design department of nine people after 30 years in the business. When the company got to the point of having three designers, Chris hired a manager for that department to ensure that the work was standardized and high quality. He talks about how to set up your own design department for success and create a quicker process, including:

  • The metrics to gauge success
  • The designer’s role in his company
  • Recruiting and hiring for the department
  • Working back from net profit
  • When to hire a design manager
  • His three-phase process
  • How he charges for them
  • Figuring out a healthy close ratio
  • Taking on a design-only project
  • Why to conduct a feasibility study — sometimes
  • Working with design sub-contractors
  • And more …

Design can be a profit center, not a loss-leader, and you have to know how much you should be charging for it — even if you don’t.

Ep.153: How SCRUM Can Strengthen Your Design Process with Dean Tompkins

Have you ever heard of SCRUM?

SCRUM is a workflow management technique that accelerates projects, and while it is mostly used by software development teams, its principles and lessons can be applied to all kinds of industries. 

Guest Dean Tompkins is here to explain how SCRUM is useful in his remodeling business, and how it can benefit you as well.

Dean Tompkins is the owner and Vice President of Payne and Payne Renovations and Design, a firm that specializes in renovation and design projects in the Greater Cleveland area.  Dean was also named president of The Greater Cleveland Home Builders Association in 2019 and is dedicated to providing a full scope of services to his clients.

Victoria, Mark and Dean talk more about:

  • SCRUM
  • How SCRUM can be applied to remodeling
  • The benefits of working with SCRUM
  • And more…

Masterclass: Building an Effective Design Process

Jobs are won or lost during the design process.

Created exclusively for design managers and senior-level designers in remodeling and custom building companies, this Masterclass brings together presentations from award-winning industry experts, best practice sharing, and more.
[Learn More + Register]

Ep.137: Selling to Design, Not Designing to Sell with Jan Neiges

In this episode, we take a closer look at the sales process. We are always looking for fresh ideas and concepts that apply specifically to remodelers and those in the building community.

Our guest Jen Neige is adamant that you should be selling to design, NOT designing to sell, and she shares how you can improve your closing ratio, gain more control of the sales cycle and earn a design fee within two hours.

Jan Neiges is a National Kitchen and Bath certified Kitchen Designer and on the nine-member board for NKBA. Jan brings her 20 years of experience as a kitchen and bath designer and her 40 years of sales experience to share the selling process that she has developed.

Victoria, Mark and Jan talk more about:

  • Background on how Jan began working on this process.
  • Why this process is so important for remodelers to consider.
  • What some of the issues are within the industry faces that drives the need for using this process.
  • And more…

Ep.133: Harnessing the Power of 3D Visualization with Dave Pollard

Dave Pollard, Co-Founder & Design Director of Liv Companies outside of Chicago, joins the show to talk more about how his firm utilizes 3D renderings in almost every aspect of their business.

Leading LivCo’s design team, Dave’s process quickly takes hand sketches to full-blown renderings and walk-throughs, and they are even leveraging the power of quick video editing to help clients and prospects truly feel what their home can be, and leave every meeting feeling inspired.

LivCo has been leveraging the power of 3D design since they began design/build back in 2012.  Initially used simply as a creative tool for developing ideas, they quickly learned that the 3D output could take them to a higher level in sales, efficiency of communication, and marketing.

Victoria, Mark and Dave talk more about:

  • The software LivCo uses and why they use it.
  • An overview of LivCo’s general design workflow.
  • Using 3D visualization for more than just client presentations.
  • The time it takes to make deliverables to the client.
  • The fees to the client for 3D renderings.
  • And more…

LivCo’s Drawing Board Playlist on YouTube

VR Codes mentioned in this episode:

VR codes

Jobs are Won or Lost During the Design Process - MasterClass coming up in January!

BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE DESIGN PROCESS

Created exclusively for design managers and senior-level designers in remodeling and custom building companies, this MasterClass brings together presentations from award-winning industry experts, best practice sharing, and more.  [ More Information + Registration ]

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