Totally agree about the budget talk—waiting just makes things awkward later. I’ll add, don’t assume every designer “gets” your style from a mood board, though. I’ve had one who just didn’t vibe with what I liked, even with all the Pinterest links and magazine clippings. It’s worth meeting a couple before you commit. Chemistry matters more than people admit. And yeah, those online planners are a joke... I once ended up with two ovens and nowhere to put a coffee maker.
Honestly, I think people underestimate how much legwork goes into finding the right designer. Mood boards are great, but I’ve learned you can’t just hand over a stack of images and expect magic. I once had a guy who thought “modern farmhouse” meant putting shiplap on every surface—wasn’t what I had in mind at all. I’d say, don’t rush those first meetings. Ask about their process, see if they listen, and definitely walk through previous projects in detail. The online planners? Yeah, they’re more like rough sketches than real plans... never seen one actually work out for a real build.
