“let’s add solar later” turned into a nightmare because the roof pitch was all wrong.
That hits home. We once tried to retrofit a rainwater system after the fact and it was a mess—pipes everywhere, and it just looked... off. If you care about those features, you really do have to push for them early. I’ve learned that even “little” things like window placement for passive heating can make a huge difference, but only if you bring it up before the plans are finalized. It’s worth being a bit picky upfront, trust me.
Totally get where you’re coming from. We tried to add a mudroom after framing started and it was a headache—nothing lined up, and it ended up way smaller than we wanted. I’d say don’t feel bad about being “picky” early on. It’s way easier to hash out those details before anyone’s swinging a hammer. Even if you feel like you’re overthinking it, you’ll thank yourself later.
WHERE DO YOU EVEN START WITH HIRING SOMEONE TO DESIGN YOUR HOUSE?
I hear you on the “picky” thing—my partner and I went back and forth on window placement for weeks, and I still think we missed stuff. But here’s what I keep wondering: how do you even know if a designer or architect is actually listening to you, or just nodding along? We met with one who seemed great, but then the first draft was nothing like what we’d talked about. Is that just part of the process, or did we pick the wrong person?
how do you even know if a designer or architect is actually listening to you, or just nodding along? We met with one who seemed great, but then the first draft was nothing like what we’d talked about. Is that just part of the process, or did we pick the wrong person?
Honestly, I wouldn’t jump straight to blaming the architect for a weird first draft. In my experience, the first round is almost never “the one.” Here’s how I look at it:
- First drafts are often more about the designer showing you what *they* think is possible, based on your wishlist and the site constraints. It’s not always a literal translation.
- If they’re truly listening, they’ll take your feedback seriously *after* that first draft. The real test is how much the second version reflects your comments.
- I always ask for a summary email after meetings. If they can’t summarize what you want in writing, that’s a red flag.
- Sometimes, you realize you weren’t as clear as you thought. I’ve had to clarify things I assumed were obvious.
- Don’t expect them to nail every detail right away—especially with stuff like window placement. Sometimes you need to see it on paper to realize what you actually want.
One time, I thought my designer was totally off-base, but after a few rounds, the design ended up better than what I originally pictured. Just don’t be afraid to push back or ask for more iterations. That’s literally their job.
I totally get what you mean about the first draft feeling off. I’ve had that happen, and it’s kind of jarring when you see something so different from what you pictured. But honestly, I think it’s almost like a “getting to know you” phase for both sides. I’m curious—did you feel like your architect explained *why* they made certain choices in the design? Sometimes hearing their reasoning helps me figure out if they’re actually listening or just doing their own thing.
