Recently, we have been describing in greater detail our P.L.A.N. acronym and how it guides us in our client remodeling process. Each letter has a specific meaning, and you can find recent blog posts and podcasts explaining in greater depth the “P,” which stands for “Prepare” as well as the “L” for “Lead.”
Today, we dedicate our time to “A,” which represents our ability to “Adapt” during a renovation project.
We often tell clients their lives will be turned upside down during a remodeling project…
Belongings need to must be moved out of the renovation space.
Dust goes everywhere.
And overall, it is inconvenient.
Now, add to that a challenge that is unforeseen and it can become unbearable. For those reasons, the need to adapt is incredibly important. How we, as remodelers, adapt to finding surprises and dealing with existing conditions during your project is one of the key elements to the success of your project. And we don’t define a successful project by looking at pretty pictures when the renovation is complete, but we define it by how you feel about us when we are done.
Let’s stop for a moment and think about that last sentence because it speaks to how we are different from other companies. Many believe the kitchen or the bathroom is the product we provide. This is not true. We believe the process we follow to deliver your project and the experience we provide you throughout your remodel is our product — the beautiful outcome of the kitchen or bathroom remodel or even the whole house renovation is the pleasant byproduct of our efforts. Because of this, our ability to adapt during a project to continue progress affects your experience as a client and is imperative to our success.
In our industry today, there is an entirely new area of adaptation on our end that we never had to deal with at this level during our first 20 years in business. First, it feels like the world is on fire with supply chains being broken and incredibly long lead times to receive certain products. Add to that the challenges in the labor market as we come to a time in our country where older craftsmen are retiring while fewer young people are entering the trades, and this is a dangerous intersection on how you as a client can be affected if you choose the wrong partner. The third leg of challenges we face is rapidly increasing pricing for the same products we can’t seem to get in a timely manner.
“Ugh” is the operative term that sums up those challenges! We have a responsibility to educate you as a client on the problem areas we see and help navigate you through the existence of those 3 challenges to give you the best experience we can. That very activity requires us to adapt daily to changing conditions because it can affect decisions you make related to product selections. For example, if one countertop product has a 4-week lead time and another has a 7-week lead time, this could play a role in your decision of which product is right for you. Or, stated differently, if you like 2 countertop options and one gets you back into your kitchen a month earlier, this could affect your decision, right?
The need to adapt is not isolated to us as your remodeling partner. You need the adaptation gene working at full capacity when you don’t have a kitchen for 10 weeks or when you are sharing a bathroom with your children while we renovate your master bathroom space.
The need for a client to go into this process with a willingness and understanding that being flexible is not a luxury but a requirement in today’s world is a must.
This leads to two final thoughts. Engaging in a remodeling project is a partnership between the homeowner and the remodeling partner. At The Lifestyle Group, there are NOT two different agendas. We are 100% on the same team with shared goals. We want to get in and out because we know there is a direct correlation between the amount of time we are in your home and your happiness. No matter how much you like us, you want us to get in and out too! We want you to be thrilled and sing our praises to your friends, family and coworkers who will listen. You want to be thrilled and proud of the space you just invested in to renovate. We must be willing to adapt together, just like in any good relationship or marriage.
I can honestly tell you that we might pick clients more than you pick us as contractors today. That is not meant to be an arrogant statement, but it is truthful.
Life is too short and there is no reason to engage in a relationship that we would be miserable in for several months trying to complete a project, fearful of picking up the phone when a client called or sharing the bad news that your tub is backordered and delayed again for the 6 th time. I describe our client selection criteria as follows:
We want to do nice projects for nice people and the size of the project is secondary if the first two criteria are met.
Adapting is a key component of every remodeling project. We must do it to be the great partner we strive to be. You as a client must be willing and able to adapt to maintain your sanity during a renovation and, quite honestly, to be a client that a company would want to work with.
We hope this blog didn’t totally scare you away and that you would be comfortable asking for our help to get more information about your home’s remodeling project.
The Lifestyle Group would be glad to answer your questions in order to determine what makes the most sense for you and your home.
Reach out today and let’s get started transforming your space.