Okay, so you’ve designed this fabulous kitchen remodel. It has a curved island, sage-colored back-painted glass doors, built-in espresso machine – the works.

Your clients love the design, they’re ready to go, but you suspect the project may end up costing more than the homeowners are ready for. You usually hire an outside contractor to build this type of project, and the contractor you use would be a great fit – but you know he’s probably going to blow the budget.

So what do you do? You’re leery of hiring an unknown contractor for the work, especially as this is a great client – well-connected, lots of friends, lives in a great neighborhood. You need the job to go well – not just for your client, but for your business, too.

The first thing to do is go to your regular contractor and be totally straight with him or her about what’s going on. Is there any way they can be more competitive; lower their labor rates; perhaps not mark up everything as much as they usually are inclined to?

Can they “value-engineer” the work and find some ways to do the job for less? Perhaps the contractor will suggest a faceted island base cabinet and still keep a curved countertop – sure, a design compromise, but a way to save some money as well.

Not having to go out and risk hire an unknown contractor on an important job is critical these days. If you can make it work with people you know and trust, that road will usually produce a much better result for all involved.

FINDING A CONTRACTOR

If you do decide to hire a new contractor for a project, here’s what you need to do.

Start by doing your research. Virtually anyone can call themselves a contractor these days – from a handyman who wants to do larger work to a laid-off firefighter who has built a few decks on his days off. So tread carefully!

You may want to start by approaching your local trade organizations and asking them for recommendations for established contractors. In general, you want someone who’s running a bone-fide business; there’s a better chance they’ll be licensed, insured and bonded. This provides at least some protection for you and the homeowner if things go awry.

Designer colleagues can be a good source for new contractors. Call around and see if you can find a professional outfit that’s a good fit for your project. You may run into a reluctance to give away favorite names, but your friends in the business can be the best place to find the best contractors. Ask about the three key things – speed, quality and price – and remember, these days, you’re looking for all three, not just two!