How To Get Good at Being A Client

There are clients I like and there are clients I love, and then there are clients that I’m choosing not to label here.

Personalities vary greatly from client to client, designer to designer, but a few traits stand out as core requirements for a successful design solution. Public presence, bank balance, and the scale of previous projects don’t weigh in.

This isn’t a lecture on how to behave. Instead, I want to highlight traits I’ve seen that lead to great projects.

Being a Willing Participant

Successful design requires free-flowing communication between client and design team. Designer and client are on the same team. They should challenge each other—respectfully—but always work toward the same goal: a successful project.

It Starts with a Good Design Brief

It’s the designer’s responsibility to extract information from the client, and the client’s responsibility to provide it freely and in as much detail as possible.

I’ve delivered great projects with minimal input, but the best results happen when clients actively participate.

If you have ideas, spit them out—don’t be afraid of rejection. It happens to us daily, and by jingoes, it thickens one’s skin quickly.

Review the Design Concepts in Detail

Where possible, I deliver conceptual drawings, renderings, and preliminary selections in person with all stakeholders present.

Getting owners, head chefs, head bartenders, and floor managers in a room together isn’t always easy, but it’s far more efficient than multiple review cycles. It takes time to review drawings—especially for larger projects—but it will save time in the long run.

You don’t want to be in a position where your project has been delivered, as per design, only to realise a critical feature was omitted or something you hate was included.

It’s all there in the documents.

That you signed off on.

At three stages of design.

Understanding Constraints

Constraints aren’t just problems—they can fuel creative solutions. A good designer works with lead times, budget, awkward spaces, and functionality to craft a successful outcome. The sooner everyone understands these constraints, the sooner your designer can start juggling the Tetris blocks while standing on a skateboard, tearing down a hill toward the project deadline.

A balance must be struck, and your designer should illustrate this once a design brief is compiled.

For example: a tight budget for a large project can be managed with a longer lead time, allowing for selective sourcing or a competitive tender process. A small space with specific functional needs is achievable, but will require more design work and possibly custom-made products—driving up cost.

Where you don’t want to be: small budget, tight lead time, atypical functional requirements in a small, oddly shaped tenancy. The chances of a great design solution? Slim at best.

Every design decision will impact budget, space, time, or functionality. Clients who acknowledge project constraints will better understand the designer’s decisions.

Designing for the Market

Here’s a line I often hit my commercial clients with during the design brief stage:

“I’m not designing to my taste, and I’m not designing to my client’s taste. I’m designing to my client’s clients’ taste.”

It might sound a little arrogant, but if you’re in business, your client is king. If your clients love booth seats, give them booth seats. If you don’t like booth seats, don’t put them in your house.

This doesn’t mean following trends blindly—but it does mean assessing the tastes and needs of the people who will be paying the bills once the project is complete.

Being Open to New Ideas

You’re engaging a professional to pour hours of thought into your project—this doesn’t come cheap. Let the designer design.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have input. Communicate your requirements and let the designer work. There’ll be time for amendments, but rushing a designer to issue half-finished concepts and then wondering why the design isn’t hitting the brief? That’s a waste of time.

Designers who are given the freedom to design, design best.

Letting the Process Evolve

Product supply issues, overlooked details, mistakes on site, weird surprises in existing buildings… All these things are annoying, but all these things can happen.

When they do, accept them and give the designer space to come up with a solution. Some of my best ideas—ones that have added real value—have come from unforeseen issues or supply constraints.

When lead times are tight, deadlines are looming, and trades are working over the top of each other, problems arise. Deep breaths. Call your designer. Work through the problem. I’ve never seen an issue that couldn’t be solved with some clever, clear thinking.

Clients who don’t stress over hiccups? Lower blood pressure. Allegedly.

Allowing the Designer to Be the Conduit

All information between the client and the builder flows through the designer.

This is important. If something looks off on site, don’t ask the builder to change it. There could be fifty reasons for that decision. But don’t keep it to yourself, either—call your designer. They’ll either explain the reasoning or adjust it if needed.

If your builder wants to make changes, hear them out—then check with your designer. Builders and trades often have great ideas that can simplify construction or improve performance. But sometimes, a builder might push for a cheaper product or process to boost their margin. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Get a second opinion.

We follow countless construction codes, standards, local regulations, and manufacturer specifications. We spend a considerable portion of your design budget making sure these constraints are observed. Moving a door 50mm could have a knock-on effect that means the building code isn’t met, or the custom-fabricated cocktail station no longer fits. Bummer.

Designers don’t know everything—we can’t possibly hold all the knowledge of every trade and consultant. But we are in the business of information transfer—collating client requirements, regulatory constraints, and a little shake of style into construction plans and, ultimately, a high-performing design solution.

Be a Part of the Journey

If you have the time, meet your designer on site and see the process unfold.

It might put trades on edge at first, but taking the time to say g’day and have a look around almost guarantees better work. You’ll learn a shitload of things you’ve probably never thought about, and you’ll feel more connected to the project.

I write this with a little reluctance—I know designers often inflate their importance, and I’m probably no exception.

But a designer who respects the project and their client isn’t getting paid to be coy about what they’re good at.

A good designer knows their strengths and weaknesses—and has no problem acknowledging either.

A good client does the same.

Blammo.

Navigate the links below for more blog posts related to design and construction, or email me if you're old school and prefer the personal touch.

Independent vs In-House Designers

What’s the Difference?

When planning a construction or fit-out project, you’ll generally have two options for design:

Engage an independent designer and go to tender or work with a builder who provides in-house design services.

Both approaches have their advantages, depending on your priorities.

A Key Distinction

Let’s strip away the assumption that one type of designer is better than the other—there are highly skilled professionals working in both roles. Instead, the key difference lies in who the designer is working for.

An independent designer works directly for you. Their job is to represent your interests, develop the design according to your needs, and ensure that it’s properly executed, regardless of which builder you choose.

A builder’s in-house designer works for the builder. Their primary focus is to develop a design that aligns with the builder’s preferred construction methods, materials, and cost structure.

That distinction can have a big impact on how your project unfolds.

The Case for an Independent Designer

If you engage an independent designer, they’ll develop the design, documentation, and specifications before putting the project out to tender. This means:

More control over the final product – The design is tailored to your needs from the outset, not shaped by a builder’s internal preferences.

Transparent pricing – With detailed design documentation in hand, multiple builders can provide comparable quotes, making it easier to assess value.

Flexibility in choosing a builder – You’re not locked into a single contractor from day one; you can select a builder based on price, experience, or other factors.

A dedicated advocate – Because the designer works for you, they’ll oversee the project to ensure it’s built as intended and flag any deviations.

However, this approach requires more from your designer. Tendering takes time, and if included in their scope, your designer will be responsible for coordinating responses, assessing quotes, and presenting them to you for final decisions.

The Case for a Builder’s In-House Designer

If you go with a builder’s design service, the design and construction phases are combined under one contract (often called ‘design and construct’). This means:

A potentially faster process – The builder can start planning construction while the design is being developed, reducing overall timelines.

Simplified coordination – With design and construction handled by the same team, there’s less back-and-forth between parties.

Upfront cost certainty – Because the design is developed with the builder’s pricing in mind, you get an early indication of total project costs.

The trade-off is that your choices may be more limited. The design will typically align with the builder’s preferred materials, suppliers, and methodologies, which may not always be the best fit for your vision or budget. And because you’re locked into a single contractor from the outset, you lose the competitive tension of the tender process.

Which Approach Is Right for You?

It depends on your priorities:

If you want competitive pricing, an independent design process, and control over the final product, an independent designer is the way to go.

If you want a streamlined process, fewer parties to manage, and an early cost commitment, a builder’s in-house designer could be a better fit.

Neither approach is inherently better—just different. The key is knowing what you’re signing up for and choosing the route that best aligns with your goals.

Navigate the links below for more blog posts related to design and construction, or email me if you're old school and prefer the personal touch.

Importing Furnishings for your Fit-Out Project

Sure, you know that the vast majority of furniture for sale in Australia is manufactured offshore, but when does it make sense to import it yourself, and what are the risks?

In an ideal world, every project would have a budget generous enough to afford furnishings designed and made locally, but it’s been a while since Australia was considered a manufacturing nation. More often than not, the cost of filling your tenancy with local furnishings isn’t viable.

These days, buying imported furniture from local importers is relatively low risk. The larger suppliers have been around for a while and understand the value of a good reputation. They go to great lengths to source and warrant their products, often keeping large quantities in stock.

Depending on the size of your project, your start-up costs can be reduced further by importing furnishings yourself but proceed with caution. Offshore procurement is not a straightforward process, and you could face unforeseen taxes, increased lead times, quality issues, and integration problems with other components of the fit-out.

If it all sounds overwhelming or you’re pressed for time, it’s safer to keep it local or engage a professional.

For those of you keen to hear some insider tips, read on. I'll cover the following:

• Selection, Design and Manufacture

• Purchasing

• Shipping and Customs

• Receiving

• Warranty

Selection, Design and Manufacture

Whether you're selecting from a catalogue or having your own designs manufactured, clarity is key.

There are likely to be language barriers, so make sure your requirements are clearly communicated. Engage an experienced designer to document custom joinery and furnishings in great detail. If you aren’t happy to accept whatever the manufacturer feels like offering, be specific about your needs. Construction methods, joining techniques, materials, finishes, units of measurement, and what’s considered acceptable to be exposed will vary between borders—don’t assume any detail is obvious.

Nominate seat heights, foot rail heights, overall chair widths, and the distance between table legs to ensure chairs fit properly. Specify timber finishes and the type of paint used for high-wear components. Send swatches to the supplier early to allow for finish matching, and ask them to send physical samples for your final approval.

Be cautious—cultural differences may cause a supplier to agree to all your requests, regardless of whether they can realistically meet them. Make sure you understand their capabilities and inspect their previous work if possible.

Often, the company you're dealing with will source the products rather than manufacture them directly. Ensure they’ve worked with their manufacturer before and check if they’ve supplied furniture to nearby establishments. It’d be well worth the drive to check out their work in person.

Finally, keep communication clear and be respectful. There are enough intolerant, reactive jerks in the world—don’t be one of them.

Purchasing

You’ll be parting with large sums of cash, which can be uncomfortable—especially if you're not sure where it’s going.

Generally, terms are 50% up front, with the remaining 50% due at the time of shipping. Best practice is to spend the extra time and money to inspect the items personally. If you're not sure what to look for, send someone who does.

Hot tip: Transfer a small amount of money to the supplier’s account before making the down payment. Once it clears, don’t change the account details.

I was involved in a project where my client transferred the down payment to the supplier, only to realise that hackers intercepted the email exchange and changed the recipient’s bank details. While the money was recovered, it was far from a good day at the office.

Keep clear communication with your supplier, call directly to confirm account details, and reduce risk by using a reputable foreign exchange service. They’ll charge a fee, but it’s generally cheaper than using a bank.

Shipping and Customs

It’s got to get here, and it’s coming by ship. Shipping can take weeks, with delays from holidays, bad weather, or busy ports. Set aside extra funds for shipping, customs, import duties, and taxes.

Insure the goods while in transit—it’s not expensive. Ensure your coverage includes all transport modes—sea, air, road, rail, and registered post—starting from the warehouse until the goods arrive at the final location. The basic coverage typically includes accidental damage, loss, and returned goods (e.g., if the ship returns to the departure port). Read your policy, and then have a friend double-check it for you.

Make sure you understand what the supplier is responsible for—this is crucial to avoid surprises, such as being left with a container sitting at a Chinese port while you sort out logistics.

Once the goods land in Australia, a clearance and logistics company will need to arrange Australian customs to clear the shipment for release from quarantine.

Pay special attention when importing timber components. Timber must be treated against pests, and you’ll need to prove it hasn’t been illegally logged. Additionally, some species aren’t allowed in the country at all. Ensure you have the necessary permits and certifications for timber species, as some may require specific export documentation or be prohibited altogether.

Receiving

Your shipment will likely come in one or two 40’ containers, so plan accordingly. Make sure to arrange the drop location well in advance and consider how the truck will access the site. Specify to the transport company which way you want the doors facing and whether the container will need to be offloaded from the rear or sides of the truck.

Unload the container as soon as possible to avoid excess holding fees from the transport company.

If your shopfitter or builder is responsible for unpacking, assembling, and arranging your imported products, ensure they are aware of this before they provide a price or schedule the build.

Defects and Warranty

It’s not as simple as having a sales rep drop by with a replacement for a chair that was faulty or broken in transit.

You’ll want to avoid relying on replacement warranties, as lead times and shipping costs will be hefty. Order a few extras to cover random breakages and discuss what your supplier will cover. Always aim for a refund on damaged or faulty goods, but be prepared for the fact that replacing or repairing items in Australia will cost significantly more.

If you're negotiating for cheaper products than what was originally quoted, keep in mind that you’re likely getting items from a cheaper manufacturer. You get what you pay for—everywhere.

I’m not trying to paint a negative picture of offshore manufacturers and suppliers—everyone is in business trying to make a buck. But, as with anywhere, some are less honest than others. Add in communication difficulties and the distance, and things can get a little hairy.

Navigate the links below for more blog posts related to design and construction, or email me if you're old school and prefer the personal touch.

Beer Glass Rinsers: What You Need to Know

Beer, pretty popular and not going anywhere anytime soon, which means hospitality fit-out trades should probably get familiar with the equipment that comes with it.

Let’s talk beer glass rinsers. They aren’t new, but their installation seems to be causing headaches left and right. Here’s what you need to know to avoid unnecessary drama.

What’s a Beer Glass Rinser?

Think of it as a coffee milk jug rinser but with a chilled water feed. Its job?

• Wetting the inside of a clean beer glass to improve the pour (depending on which beer nerd you ask).

• Chilling the glass down without needing a fridge.

Simple enough in principle. But from a plumbing standpoint, it comes with some challenges—mainly around backflow prevention.

The Plumbing Risk

Most water outlets direct water downward, where it drains away. But beer glass rinsers shoot a jet of water upward into an inverted glass. The concern? Contaminated water could potentially backflow into the mains.

The risk might seem minor, but it’s enough to trigger regulatory requirements.

How to Prevent Backflow Issues

The solution is straightforward:

• Install a backflow prevention device between the water chiller and the rinser.

• Offset nearby taps from the rinser jet to further reduce risk.

Design Considerations

If you’re including beer glass rinsers in your fit-out, factor them into your preliminary hydraulics design. That way, your hydraulics engineer and plumbing inspector won’t be blindsided later.

Keep in mind that plumbing inspectors vary between councils, and not all will allow the same type of backflow device—some are stricter than others. Whoever’s managing consultants should make sure the preliminary hydraulics design gets in front of the relevant inspector early. Sorting this out upfront will help you avoid defects at plumbing inspection time.

Plan Ahead, Pour Smoothly

Like with any design decision, early planning and clear communication will save you from a world of trouble. Get it right from the start, and you’ll avoid unexpected problems coming to a head.

Yeah, I went there.

Navigate the links below for more blog posts related to design and construction, or email me if you're old school and prefer the personal touch.

Acoustic Treatment

If You're Opening a Restaurant; Know This

It's true that acoustic treatment is not necessary for a restaurant, café or bar.

Nor is lighting, furniture or music… but having them is a damn sight more pleasant for your customers, and they're all more effective when considered during design.

You've been there.

Great spot, great food, great company, but you couldn't wait to get the shit out of there for concern that your ears were about to explode.

There's no shortage of hospitality venues like this on the Sunshine Coast, and it's a total bummer. Venues that would otherwise be epic are reduced to venues you have to endure.

Anyone with sensitive hearing, or that is hard of hearing, is going to dread returning which is not great when you're trying to retain customers in a competitive market.

What's All That Racket?

Every hospitality venue has fridges and loud patrons and music and extraction fans and coffee grinders and clumsy staff, but generally speaking, the volume of these noise sources isn't the problem - it's what happens to the sound after it's made that crumbles the cookie.

Having a lively, noisy venue isn't a bad thing, but the noises need to work together at an even volume, with no particular frequencies spiking and putting your customers on edge.

In order for the sounds in your venue to create atmosphere it's pretty likely you'll need to acoustically treat your space - and no, adding some rugs and cushions isn't going to cut it.

It's worth me pointing out the difference between sound proofing and acoustic treatment.

Sound proofing stops sound from leaving the space and makes for happy neighbours.

Acoustic treatment makes the sound within the space sound better and makes for happy patrons.

Soundproofing is a thing, and yeah, there's some overlap - but that's another post.

Today you're learning about acoustic treatment, so pipe down and listen up.

Why Do Some Spaces Sound Worse Than Others?

Hang with me as I grossly simplify some basic wave principles…

Sound waves travel within a medium, air in this case.

Vocal cords, motors, speakers and dropped cutlery vibrate causing the air around them to vibrate, causing your eardrum to vibrate, causing magical brain things inside your head that result in you perceiving sound.

Sound waves reflect well off flat, hard, dense things (like a concrete wall), are absorbed by soft, less dense things (like a mattress), and are diffused by irregular surfaced things (like a pile of rubble).

Here’s the analogy

Right - picture a toy boat in the middle of a pond.

Now picture a wave passing the boat, then hitting a solid wall - It will rock the boat, bounce back at a similar height in a similar shape and then rock the boat for a second time.

Now picture that same wave passing the boat and colliding with reeds and grasses, then rocks. It's going to rock the boat, shake the reeds and grasses (absorbing some of the wave's energy) then hit the rocks to come back much smaller and all wonky-looking and gently wobble the boat.

The wave is the sound in your space, the boat is your customer's ear, the wall is a wall and the reeds and rocks are the acoustic treatment.

Reverberations and echoes are sound waves that aren’t absorbed or diffused.

I'll leave the analogy there - just note that it was a really good one.

Correctly specified and installed acoustic treatment doesn’t simply absorb all the sound.

It will absorb and diffuse problematic frequencies to achieve a good balance between too live, and too lifeless.

The geometry of the space also has an impact, but it's probably best not to get into that today.

Just keep this mind, Captain Minimalism; If your space is made up of hard, smooth surfaces, sound will be reflected until it escapes or is absorbed.

This is known as a 'live' space and this sucks unless you're trying to build a reverb chamber.

View fullsize

Spot the acoustic treatment…

How Is Treatment Designed and Installed?

When budget permits, the best option is for your designer to work with an acoustic engineer on customised solutions.

The engineer will acoustically test the space with a heap of very unpleasant sound bursts to establish problematic frequencies in each of the areas. To lessen consultant costs, these tests should be coupled with the sound readings needed for Liquor Licensing.

The engineer will then specify commercially available systems that can be integrated into the design.

Commercial products are often unattractive, but a good designer will be able to integrate them, so they don't stick out, or design custom systems that become a feature.

The images below show a system I designed where double thickness acoustic batts were retained by black fabric and covered by spaced timber battens. Using the walls within this space as the primary location for treatment meant that we could retain the original, newly exposed plasterboard ceiling with very little reworking. As this system was clearly documented, it was priced and installed by the builder, requiring no specialty trades.

If your budget is tight, select an interior designer with experience in acoustic treatment. Though not as detailed as an engineer, they will have a good idea of the amount of treatment that is required.

Suppliers and installers of acoustic treatments will also be able to specify systems, but make sure they are involved early, and don't order products until you've spoken to your designer.

This option is far more likely to have a negative impact on the overall aesthetic of the space.

It is critical that the system works in with electrical, HVAC and joinery installations.

I can't overstate this - Acoustic treatment should be considered as part of the design - not as a patchy, expensive response to complaints from patrons.

My theory on conversation

I'm not going to pretend I have any understanding of the psychology behind this, but I've been a human for the majority of my life and have made an observation or two about a thing or two.

My theory…

Candid conversation is the backbone of a great night out with friends, until the dancefloor urges kick in - then communication gets all pre-verbal.

Candid conversation won't happen if you think that neighbouring tables can clearly hear your every word.

You subconsciously know that if you can hear what patrons at another table are saying, they too can hear you, ergo, when the space is too live, you're not relaxing into your conversation nor your company.

Ambient sounds should be heard - it's part of the eating out experience. But to create good ambience, those sounds should not be crystal clear, they should not be louder than your patron's preferred conversation volume, and they should certainly not bounce around the room until they finally are absorbed into the only absorptive medium on hand… your patron's bleeding eardrums.

Conclusion

Here's the takeaway…

If you're planning a fit-out and your designer or fit-out consultant isn't considering acoustics, ask them why not.

Acoustic treatment should be detailed during the design phase, so the solution is embedded within the greater fit-out design, working in with all other design elements.

You don't want to be adding a heap of panels after completion - they're going to cost more, do less and look shitty.

Adios.

Navigate the links below for more blog posts related to design and construction, or email me if you're old school and prefer the personal touch.

Construction Design Project Stages

Pre-Design to Practical Completion

The aim of this post is to explain the typical process that your designer will follow for a construction progress, in order.

Hopefully I can shed some light on this mysterious path for those of you who’ve never ventured into these woods.

Design Brief

The first step is to come up with a design brief.

This is put together after a meeting between the client and designer, outlining the overall vision for the project. The designer will ascertain constraints that will affect the design, and start will form an idea on function.

From the design brief, the design team will create the conceptual design (also known at schematics or sketch plans) to give a graphical representation of space, and how we intend to use it.

Quotation Provided

A fee proposal is provided for the design project. Generally speaking, no further design work will take place until the designer has been formally engaged by the client.

A design project fee proposal does not include the project costing or quotation for supply of any kind.

Conceptual Design

Once engaged, the design team will begin conceptual design. This is a low detail drawing set intended to start a conversation between the client and designer.

The approximate size and proposed function of the spaces is considered, along with rudimentary furniture and joinery selections.

After an agreed concept is reached, the design can be developed.

Design Development

At this stage, materials and construction details are considered.

The designer will add dimension to the drawings and will complete 3D renderings to further explain the design intent.

Details of lighting placement, joinery function, technology systems and appliances are furthered.

The Building Certifier, Town Planner and Consulting Engineer are engaged as required.

After the client has signed off on the design drawings, 'contract documents' are created for the tender process.

Tender Issue / Contract Documentation

The drawings made for tendering and construction are called 'contract documents' because they will become part of the legal contract between you and the builder or product supplier, depending on how the project is run.

The aim of this stage is to get a complete picture of what will be built, so that all companies tendering for the project are quoting to supply the same end product.

The contract documents will generally include; a written specification, tabulated schedules, and working drawings.

These documents will contain all details required for construction of the project, and the supply of associated fixtures, equipment and furnishings.

Tender Process

The 'Tender Issue' contract docs are sent out to a select group of companies for quoting.

The designer will handle all queries, and make sure all companies have everything they need to provide a quote.

Once the quotes come in, the designer will look over all items to make sure everything is included.

The designer will contact the client to give the quoted figures.

If the client is happy with the quoted figures, the designer will continue with the tender process.

If not, the designer will revise drawings as decided in a meeting. Note that major revisions at this stage may attract a 'variation' to the design fee.

Once the design has been finalised, the designer will then meet with the companies responsible for submitting the two best tenders, and discuss all aspects of the job to ensure nothing has been omitted.

If there are any issues with inclusions, the price will be recalculated, and submitted for a final decision.

Construction

The tender is then granted to the most suitable company, or companies (not always the lowest price) and construction phase commences.

'Construction Issue' contract docs are issued.

Site work commences

Now the head contractor has taken the site and the trades are in.

You can’t waltz in as you please, the site is now legally the head contractor’s responsibility and you have to abide by their site rules, which are usually in place for everyone’s safety.

The designer will make site inspections when the head contractor requests progress payment claims and will inspect joinery and other fabricated items at the factories if included in the design scope.

The designer will make a final ‘defects’ inspection at the project’s ‘practical completion’.

After the completion of the construction stage, an inspection will be conducted by the Building Certifier and the Health Inspector (for hospitality fit-outs) to ensure regulatory requirements have been met.

Now move in, trade and win the championship.

Easy as pie.

Navigate the links below for more blog posts related to design and construction, or email me if you're old school and prefer the personal touch.