Jimenez-Haid Custom Builders & RDS - A Valued Relationship

Our success depends upon the expertise of the builders and contractors that we work with on a daily basis. They build the vision that we help create. Close relationships with our builders and contractors are important to us. Jimenez-Haid Custom Builders is one of those custom homebuilders that we have worked with for many years. Here are some thoughts that Brian Jimenez has about working with us at RDS. We greatly value this relationship!

Name: Brian Jimenez, Jimenez-Haid Custom Builders

How is your experience working with RDS – Residential Designed Solutions?

I’ve worked with Jim for over 25 years, so that fact speaks for itself. My experience has always been exceptional. Jim creates very livable homes for the way families live today. He listens to clients, whether it’s my buyers or myself and doesn’t let his ego get in the way. He is very humble and is always able to follow the lead of the client. With that said, Jim is very true to the architectural integrity of his design, but not to the detriment of the client’s vision and budget. My company has worked with some architects and designers that are ego driven and just want their design out there to be recognized in the market. These designs can often end up being over budget and less flexible to cost reduce, but Jim is not like that at all. He is very talented and with his eye for architectural details, he can usually accomplish what we want without going beyond the budget. That’s really important, because our clients often have grandiose visions of what they want and are sometimes surprised by the actual cost of achieving that design. Jim works hard to meld the budget in with the design. This means we are less likely to design a house that clients fall in love with but then can’t afford to build.

What have you had designed or redesigned by RDS?

Jim has designed the vast majority of the homes that my company has built. He has created designs for everything on the spectrum from large, luxury custom homes, to empty nester patio homes, and our ranch condominiums in Walker Villas and Liberty Grand. He also designed a few remodeling projects, some that included room additions and others that involved partial and full teardowns.

What services do you appreciate that RDS provides? 

Jim is able to get the conceptual designs on paper right in front of the client as we are putting the client’s ideas and concepts together at the meeting. He is very adept at sketching those concepts as the discussion evolves. 

Another thing I like is that Jim always has a surprise concept element to add to the house that we usually find out when he presents the design to us. He’s always creative and loves when he can find something unique to add to the house. Sometimes he creates a space for something that we might not have even discussed. It might be a different way to fully utilize the floor plan space. He creates fun details and exciting ideas for the clients. As an example, a recent client received a special entry to a butler’s pantry. Sometimes it’s a simple thing like a featured window in a special place or a built in our clients weren’t expecting. 

What have your needs been and what are your future needs of an architect/designer?

Jim and his team design nearly all the homes we have built and going forward it will be more of the same. As my business evolves and changes, we will continue to utilize RDS to design a variety of homes for us. We continue to work on creating a portfolio of house plans that we can offer to our clients; both an exciting concept and a great value to our clients.

How are challenges/issues/decisions/questions handled and communicated?

At the beginning, communications are best handled together at the design table and Jim is very articulate and will sketch options right in front of the clients. During construction he is always available for onsite meetings to assist with design changes and construction changes. Jim is quick to get any necessary engineering or building department support if a code issue or any other questions need to be resolved. He places a high priority on supporting his builders when they run into code issues involving design changes or handling changes clients may request. When building, timing is always of the essence, so he will drop everything to assist.

What is your overall experience like when working with RDS?

Overall, it is very professional because he has a professional and experienced team. It is easy to communicate with them. They believe in the importance of serving and supporting his clients. 

His designs are very buildable. He recognizes and appreciates what goes into not only the design, but also the construction process. Because of Jim’s past experience working for a builder, he thinks through the design process with a builder’s perspective in order to make the end result happen. He understands that each line he draws has meaning and assists his builder with each objective in a cost effective way.

What advice would you offer to a builder who is having RDS design a home or redesign a space in the home?

Come in and tell Jim your vision and what your objectives are up front. Trust in Jim and his process from the design and budget standpoint. Jim will work within the parameters of what you’ve set for him and still be creative, because that’s just who he is! He will at times challenge some design elements that may stretch the budget, but will do what the budget demands and what the client desires. 

Will you use RDS again?

YES! 

To see a recent project we completed on a luxury home in Dublin, click here to read this article in the October/November Greater Columbus Housetrends Magazine.

Top Design and Building Mistakes

I think we all understand how excited, yet naïve, many of our clients can be, even in today’s HGTV world. We are amazed quite often about how easy they think the process of building or remodeling will be. We’ve put together some thoughts and are sharing some of our experiences and what we have learned over the years from our clients. 

Our responsibility as designers, contractors, and builders is to help our clients to “know what they don’t know”. We try to address every possible issue, scenario, and design feature, but we have all heard, at one time or another, a client bemoaning a mistake or an unresolved issue.

We’ve spent years honing our craft and wanted to share some of the mistakes we’ve seen clients make, we’ve made, and contractors and builders have made that ultimately shouldn’t occur. We can’t take the blame for all of these mistakes, as sometimes the client is dead set on this or that, and nothing we say will change that. But the client is whom we are working for, so it behooves us to pay attention to these mistakes clients wish they hadn’t made or had been savvier in their understanding when going through the building process. Us being aware of these possible issues or design changes helps us be better craftsmen – and isn’t that what we’re all after?

Mistake – Communication Patterns

Mistakes are bound to happen, we are human. But open communication between all parties will alleviate miscommunication. The number one complaint we get that can be easily avoided is establishing clear communication expectations from the start of the project. Don’t assume your clients are online and/or want texts—be sure to ask!  Draw pictures, take photos, call when there are any issues, and communicate as often as you can. We recently completed a home for a client who has no interest in using email or texts which is challenging for our younger associates who don’t know how else to communicate.

Mistake – Door Dilemmas

Nothing is worse than a door that opens the wrong direction. We have to do our due diligence when designing and building. Talking with the clients and “walking into each room on paper” and again as framing occurs can help solve this. Mistakes also are made with doors opening into other doors, windows, or cabinets. We’ve even seen electrical outlets and switches behind doors! Good design dictates that doors open and function without interfering with furniture placement and traffic patterns in the home.

Mistake – Weird Open Concept Layouts

Most clients now want an open concept, but with this comes issues if there aren’t defined beginnings and endings to the rooms, even though they are open. If ceilings or soffits create weird angles or trim work can’t meet, then it just looks like the workmanship in unrefined or unskilled. This is where good design is paramount and all possibilities are discussed. From furniture layout to helping educate your client about the pitfalls of a completely “open” layout is paramount to long-term happiness in their home. 

Mistake – Walk-In Closets that Aren’t Large Enough

Making a mistake and creating a large bedroom but not a large enough closet has many clients wishing for more. A master closet should be about 7 feet wide and have rods on each side and not at the end. Rods that meet up do not allow for easy access for clothing. The depth should run 4-5 feet. Many of your clients are coming from smaller homes and on paper, a master closet might look larger than it will in reality. Asking your clients their storage and closet needs we find can make a project go from good to great. 

Mistake – Storage Mistakes

We’ve had clients wish that outlets had been installed and storage closets were larger. A vacuum that charges should have a place to be stored and not be in the corner of a room where there happens to be an outlet. Is the client a home cook that needs a larger than normal pantry? How much shelving is needed in each storage area? Don’t forget about one in the home office. More storage will never be a mistake, but not having enough storage is a common complaint.

Mistake – Traffic Flow

The placement of the kitchen in the back of the house looks good until you try to get there from the garage with an armful of groceries. The staircase should be easily accessed from all points of the home. Is there a central path that won’t be interfered with by furniture? Are hallways wide enough and bright enough? Having clear conversations and understanding your clients’ lifestyles will help in the design process. Before framing, mark off the rooms and walk through the home with clients. Talk about what they see and feel in the flow.

Mistake – Window Design and Lighting

HGTV has taught our clients to desire natural light and put an increased emphasis on lighting. Nothing brings down a room (unless it’s a media room) more than not having enough light. This applies to bathrooms, hallways, and interior rooms. Create light wherever you can, naturally with windows that fit the space and scope of the room. If windows aren’t a possibility in certain rooms, make sure there is adequate overhead light and outlets available near furniture. We’ve heard time and time again that some of the best decisions made were ones by adding windows and lights into plans. It is something that often gets overlooked. 

Mistake – Not Investing in Hard to Change Features

It’s easy to replace lighting, furniture, paint and wallpaper, but it isn’t as easy to replace heating and cooling systems, flooring (especially the color and style), cabinets, ceiling heights and insulation. Your clients might think they can invest less in these, but try to help them understand that some features shouldn’t be skimped on. Complaints come time and time again when we don’t plan for the long-term because the costs to renovate continue to climb. Taking the time to talk through design choices with clients is critical.

Mistake – Cabling, Faucets, Outlets and Switches

Your clients might not think of all of the places to put cabling, faucets, switches and outlets, so talk about it with them. Have them visualize both the interior and exterior needs of their design. If the plan is to add a patio versus a deck, thinking through the location of all outlets and faucets are critical. Ideas to suggest include; outlets under windows, above a mantel, by the stair railings, near the front door, double outlets in bathrooms, where automatic vacuums will be, beside beds, in pantries for small appliances, the side of the kitchen island, and charging stations.

Mistake – Hello Garage

A garage and the space it provides is vitally important to our clients, but one that dwarfs the front elevation of a house is a common mistake a client might regret. It is advantageous to use detailed garage doors, change the elevation to make it less prominent, use screening or walls for L-shaped plans, or move it to the side to avoid a client’s distress. One design choice that always creates curb appeal is the front facing garage door.

Mistake – Budget Cuts

Everyone has to prioritize and make cuts to a budget, whether it’s due to unforeseen circumstances, changes to the design in other rooms, and more. But in our experience, the number one client complaint is wishing they hadn’t made some of the cuts that they made. Prioritize, prioritize, and reprioritize using the whole process to keep this issue to a minimum.

Mistake – Remodeling Proportions

We can’t just add on to the existing home when doing a renovation without making sure the flow of the home still works and that it looks like it was meant to be that way the whole time. Nothing is worse than looking at a remodel and knowing it was a remodel. It should appear seamless and appropriate!

Mistake – Renovation Master Plan

A client may come to us and ask us to create a plan for a larger family room or to open up a wall between the kitchen and dining room. Our first question to them is to understand what the end goal is. Are they planning on doing something to another room down the road? What plumbing, electrical and design issues do we need to think about now in order to make future renovation plans work? Many of our clients want to stay in their existing home and remodel it over time. This same thought can be utilized in a new build with someone who plans to age in place in the home. What can be done now that will positively affect future living?

We’d love to hear your thoughts about this list. What else should be added or discussed in order to help us all create the best designs and experiences for our clients? We know that each client is different and will have different design challenges. Here at RDS, we strive to create the best, most innovative, and functional plans and designs for our clients. How can we help you with your clients’ visions? Contact us to see what we have to offer.

Jim's Tip - Who Comes First, Builder or Designer?

I recently read an article in one of our trade publications written by a builder explaining in great detail why he insisted on being the initial contact with potential clients. He spent a good amount of column space demonstrating that his clients were best represented by working through his process to develop designs for their project. His belief was that only through a process such as his, would clients be able to have plans developed that would be able to be built with-in their budget.

Having worked as a residential designer both independently and in the employ of several builders, I certainly understand his perspective. It is very common for clients to come into our office with grand dreams, essentially with “champagne taste and a beer budget” as the saying goes. Someone must introduce some hard cold facts into the conversation very early so that realistic expectations are set before pen or mouse are in motion.

There is nothing worse than having a set of construction documents fully developed only to find out that the house is way over the client’s budget. A lot of money has been wasted including the builders’ time along with all his trade partners, bidding a useless set of plans. The point that the builder was emphasizing was that costs must be part of the discussion and controlled all the way through the design and construction process. I couldn’t agree more.

All our designers have construction management and hands on building experience which allows us to have a realistic cost perspective when initially meeting with clients. We always have a cost discussion before we get started so it really doesn’t matter who qualifies the client. The key is tracking costs at every step of the design process, from initial sketch “ballpark” pricing to final construction/contract documents.

The point that I want to convey is that it really doesn’t matter who comes first if both the builder and their designer are working closely together. The resulting home will be one that the clients are thrilled to own at a cost they are comfortable with. Contact RDS to see how seamlessly we can become part of your team.