Author’s supervision of an interior designer

All project documentation was perfect. The visualization just moved the client. It came to construction. In order for the implemented project to comply with the drawings, the designer carries out architectural supervision. What is its essence?

Architectural supervision is control by the authors of the project, the design organization over the compliance of the created, under construction facility with the design decisions adopted during the design and recorded in the documentation.

Trust but verify

It would seem that the drawing takes into account all the details, on separate plans and explications the connection and laying of communications and electrical equipment are detailed, the specification lists all the necessary goods with an indication of the articles and prices … But, as experience shows, this is far from always enough for correct implementation project. Often, it is the little things that “kill” the project, which accumulate in the process of repairs so much that it turns into quality – distorts the message of the design.

Another option – one little thing becomes the reason for a larger-scale rework. The bathtub was slightly moved in the combined bathroom and the originally designed built-in wardrobe no longer fit, as a result it was ordered in a different configuration, the interior has changed significantly. The necessary wallpaper was not on sale, and an inept replacement ruined the whole look. We beat several ceramic tiles specially brought from Italy for the project and, in order not to get involved with additional orders, without informing the designer, we bought in addition similar ones in the store from those that were available … There are a lot of examples.

To avoid such situations, some project authors simply spend the day and night at the construction site, practically assuming the duties of a foreman. Others, on the contrary, not wanting to get upset because of the “killed” project, visit the site only occasionally. These are two extremes that are best avoided in work. The first version of designer supervision will take a lot of time and effort and will not allow working on parallel projects, and this will invariably affect the financial side of the issue. The second can hurt your reputation, since no one will look into the original project, and your work and capabilities will be judged by its implementation.

What is included in the field supervision

1. Visits to the object to clarify the dimensions after the demolition of old and construction of new partitions, after leveling the walls, etc.

2. Visits to the site for adjusting the project and making changes to the drawings, promptly resolving issues on clarifications, changes and additions to the project.

3. Supervision over the compliance of construction and finishing works with the project or its individual parts.

4. Supervision over the correct use of finishing materials.

5. Prompt solution of controversial issues (when laying tiles, parquet, joining a pattern when applying wallpaper, etc.)

6. Supervision of the compliance of the color gamut with the approved color scheme.

7. Supervision of the arrangement of furniture, equipment, plumbing, etc.

Designer supervision options

In the course of work, everyone chooses the most acceptable option for himself, so that the progress of work is under control, but at the same time does not knock out of the usual working rhythm.

• Option 1. In the contract with the customer, the number of visits by the designer of the object on his own initiative or upon the call of the foreman or customer is initially prescribed. Each unscheduled departure is a separate expense item. In this case, the designer chooses the time and day of the visit on his own, as a rule, after completing some important stage of work, for example, leveling the walls and going directly to finishing work: painting, wallpapering, etc. After such a visit, he gives recommendations to the builders orally or by making an entry in the designer’s supervision journal (if relations with the builders did not work out, then it is better to endorse the entry with the signature of the foreman), after which he gives a report to the client on the progress of the work.
• Option 2… At the beginning of construction work, the deadlines for completing each separate stage are approved and weekly, for example, on Mondays, the designer conducts a kind of debriefing meeting at the construction site. Perhaps in the presence of the customer. This very disciplines the process. The builders try to do all the work by the “reporting” period. The designer, knowing that this day is allotted to him under the supervision of a separate object, no longer assigns any business for this time, is not distracted by anything and prepares for a conversation with the builders, defining the scope of further work.
• Option 3. The designer keeps his finger on the pulse at all times. To do this, not only the foreman has his personal phone number, but also all members of the construction team. His phone number is even written on the wall of the facility being repaired. As a result, he is on the subject of days and nights. He comes to the site every time there are problems and is always aware of what is happening there at the moment.
• Option 4… Departure to the site is an additional fee for the customer, therefore, it is carried out only in case of emergency. Author’s supervision consists in the final acceptance of the finished object in its entirety and unconditionally, or with comments that are proposed to be corrected. This is possible only in the case of complete trust in the builders and perfect mutual understanding with them, so that you do not have to blush for the object or completely remodel.

Issue price

Novice designers who set the issue of their own portfolio above payment and who are not yet loaded with orders, take architectural supervision for granted and do not single out this work in a separate line of the project budget. But after several completed projects, one comes to understand that this is a rather serious work, which sometimes takes the lion’s share of time, especially if the item “designer’s supervision” also includes the selection of finishing materials, equipment and furniture in accordance with the project. This includes going around shops alone or with a customer, purchasing materials, controlling delivery. Only an altruist who is in love with his work is capable of doing this without additional payment.

Author’s supervision is evaluated differently by different designers. Someone determines the hourly pay for being at the facility, but for this, the degree of customer confidence must be truly high, so that when you are presented with payment for their work, you do not hear offensive phrases: “How do I know what you were doing there for so long?” or “Obviously, the project was drawn up in such a way that the builders could not understand anything and you had to visit them every day.” To avoid such a misunderstanding, a price is set for each separate visit to the facility when such a need arises (a call from a client or a foreman), depending on its area and distance of movement. Everything is clear here. On a long journey, more valuable time for the designer will be spent and, accordingly, money for transport, which means that the larger the area of ​​the object, there it requires more attention.

You can create a designer’s supervision log, where each visit will be recorded, indicating what was checked, what comments were made, what recommendations were issued with fixing the date, time and certified by the construction superintendent. A very convenient thing, which, however, can quarrel you with the performers to death and turn into enemy number one for the foreman. But if there are any insoluble problems with the builders, or if they decide to blame their mistakes on your incompetence, the magazine will be an excellent proof of your innocence, and the customer will help, in which case, impose a penalty on the would-be builders.

And nevertheless, all this is quite time-consuming and nerve-racking. It is much easier to set a percentage of the contract for the execution of architectural supervision, that is, you yourself determine how much time you spend at the construction site, the main thing is that the result is appropriate. For the client, this is the most reasonable option. He wants to get a result and does not want to know how many hours you spent on it, how you built your relationship with the construction team, what conflicts were and how much effort you had to manage them. For such a lack of involvement in construction problems, the client will only be grateful to you. Alternatively, you can prescribe a monthly amount for the implementation of architectural supervision, so as not to depend on the timing of the repair work and the slowness of the construction team hired to implement the project.

Shop and showroom trips are generally priced separately. And here the hourly wage is most appropriate. It will urge the customer to make a choice faster so as not to rush between the samples of materials they like for weeks.

Not to be confused with technical supervision!

Design supervision is often confused with technical supervision. This can arise both when concluding an agreement with the customer, who, seeing the clause on architectural supervision, may ask to delete it, assuming that the foreman will carry out all supervision, since he hired a wonderful team of professional craftsmen, and at the time of repair, when with the designer will also begin to demand the quality of finishing work. Experienced professionals who have already faced a similar problem. they try to make sure to include in the contract a clause stating that the foreman controls the technological processes, which means that the fact that the plaster was put on a damp wall, and then it fell off along with the freshly pasted wallpaper, the designer is not guilty.

What does technical supervision include

• full control over everything that happens at the construction site: from the quality of the work performed and the materials used to financial reports, including, if necessary, conducting various construction examinations, for example, examining the quality of the materials used;

• control over the observance of construction deadlines;

• control of compliance with the requirements of regulatory documents (quality control of construction);

• verification of the compliance of construction costs with real average market prices as a means to avoid cost overruns during the construction phase;

• control over the elimination of detected defects and deficiencies.

The designer should not solve all these problems.