Get Started Consultation FAQs

What is the Get Started consultation?

The Get Started session is a bespoke, stand-alone consultation, to provide you with ideas, expert guidance and practical solutions depending on your individual situation and requirements. It can be the starting point for a long-term project. It may also be all the help you need to define your vision, priorities and processes to move forwards unassisted. The Get Started consultation is all about sharing our expert advice and guidance. It takes the form of a hard-working, but fun, session held in your home to review and kick-start your project. At the end of the session, you will have had the opportunity to discuss and develop your ideas with an expert, made progress on your project and identified the next steps to achieve your objectives.

What are the benefits?

Expert Review: Time to review and discuss your project with an expert who has extensive knowledge and experience of similar projects.
Practical Suggestions to Avoid Expensive Mistakes: Our Buddies have hands-on experience of the opportunities and pitfalls you face. They take a practical approach and will share their experience to help you to make good decisions from the start and avoid potentially expensive mistakes.
Ideas and Design Direction: The Get Started session is as inspiring as it is practical and hard-working. Our experienced interior and garden designers will listen to your plans and suggest new ideas that you may not have considered that can elevate the outcome of your project.
Shared Vision and Agreed Priorities: The renovation of a home or garden involves complex decision-making with a variety of factors and valid opinions to consider. The Get Started session can help reach a consensus of the priorities and design direction more easily than you could do on your own.
Sources and Resources: We have an extensive little black book of trade and product sources which your Decorbuddi will be happy to share with you as appropriate and required.

What is included and what is the process?

All projects and all clients are different but all Get Stared consultations follow these basic steps:-

Initial exploratory call with the studio so we understand your brief and how we might be able to help
Pre consultation contact with your Buddi so they can do the research needed and come fully prepared to the meeting. This also allow you to get to know us a little before you welcome us into your home. Depending on the project and your availability this may be in the form of phone calls, emails, questionnaires, requests for photographs, plans etc.
Onsite consultation of up to 2 hours
A Consultation Summary is sent to you within a few days detailing everything that was discussed, suggested, and next steps if relevant

What is NOT included?

Extra meetings, shopping trips, sourcing, drawings and additional design work.

Why won’t you come for free?

Our design team are trained, experienced professionals and the Get Started consultation is much more than them just ‘taking a brief’. Before they come they will have done preparation work for the meeting, researching and gathering the right ideas and materials specific to your project. They will then spend up to two hours sharing their ideas and expertise which is then summarised afterwards in a document for you to keep and refer back to. All in all this is several hours work and we believe strongly that our team deserve to be paid for their time and their expertise. As you can see from the reviews on the service we provide, thankfully our clients agree too.

How long does it take to get a Decorbuddi appointment?

We will work with your timings and the availability of your Buddi but most appointments are scheduled for within ten days of you purchasing your package.

Is the consultation in person or remote?

We are big believers in face to face consultations, it means we get to make genuine connections with our clients and see your homes and gardens with our own eyes. If, however, you would prefer a meeting online for whatever reason, we have plenty of experience of making this work well and are more than happy to arrange this.

Can we meet at the weekend or in the evening?

Ideally we would meet in daylight to ensure the best experience but we can accommodate evening appointments if necessary. We are also happy to have consultations at the weekend if easier for you.

Who needs to be at the consultation?

We recommend that anyone with a vested interest and all decision makers are at the initial meeting. It is a crucial time for enabling us to understand your needs for your home or garden and having everyone present who will be part of the ongoing communication is very helpful for everyone.

How can I be sure that I will get the best Buddi for me?

We have developed a tried and tested list of questions that enables us to make a good match. This includes relevant skills, lifestyle and life stage as well as location and availability. We have experts in colour, lighting, soft furnishings, gardens, styling, artwork and larger interior design projects. Over the course of your project you may meet a number of our team.

How can I get more information on your suggested Buddi before I commit? Can I connect with them directly first?

We can share the Buddi’s portfolio (which shows their projects and also their design work), their reviews and any of their recent work as a way of you learning more about their skills and experience. In addition, our design team are very happy to pick up the phone, introduce themselves and chat everything through before you make any decisions.

Can I chose my own Buddi by looking at the profiles on your website?

If there is a member of our team you feel would suit you best (or has been recommended) please do let us know. We will do our best but due to the geographical diversity of the Decorbuddi team, cannot guarantee a specific Buddi will be able to come and meet you.

What if you don’t have a Decorbuddi near me?

If you are enquiring from outside our current areas (or outside the UK) we can arrange an appointment by Facetime or Zoom. Some clients also prefer this method of communication for follow up meetings or when they are working long hours and it is difficult to meet face to face.

I haven’t used an interior/garden designer before, is this a problem?

Not at all. Plenty of our clients are new to this and we are happy to guide you through the process step by step and work in a way you are comfortable with.

How do I know if I am going to be able to afford further design work after the Get Started before I commit to it?

Until we have met you in person, seen the space, discussed the brief in full and decided together exactly what the next steps and what level of help you require, it is very hard to predict how much our fees will be. However, we have plenty of experience with a wide range of projects and are happy to discuss budget in our initial exploratory call to help you get a sense of the costs involved.

What is the Decorbuddi style?

The whole premise behind Decorbuddi is that we help you create YOUR style. You will see from our Portfolio that no two projects are the same and that is because no two clients are the same. Whether you prefer Ikea or bespoke handmade furniture, pared back Scandi minimalism or luxe, loud maximalism, we can help you define your space so that it reflects your personality and style.

What happens after the consultation if I want more help?

After the consultation you will receive the summary notes from the session. At this point we would usually recommend what we think the next steps should be. Sometimes this is you actioning the suggestions from the ‘Get Started’ yourself (if this is what you want to do). Often it may be us proposing doing some design work for you to help you with your project. For smaller or ‘consultative’ type projects we may suggest working on an hourly basis. For larger or more in depth projects we will put together a fee design proposal for you with clear design costings. The proposed next steps are usually discussed at the end of the Get Started meeting.

Can I buy items for my home and garden through Decorbuddi?

We are delighted to help you to source the best products at the best price for your projects. We have great relationships with a vast range of suppliers and can often get you a better quality product at a better price than you can find on the High Street or online.

Can you recommend or organise tradespeople if I need work done?

We have an extensive little black book and brilliant team of builders, joiners, electricians, plumbers, upholsterers, curtain makers, landscapers and more. We are delighted to pass on their contact details or organise projects as appropriate.

What if I’m not happy with my Buddi or the design?

If for any reason you are not happy with any element of your project we ask you to get in touch straight away by emailing us at hello@decorbuddi.com – the sooner we know of an issue the sooner we can sort it.

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