At Grisafe Architecture, we greatly appreciate client feedback. We love it when a client leaves a review online that gives our potential clients a good idea of what it’s like to work with our Long Beach architecture firm. In their reviews, they often talk about the end result of the residential or commercial project and their experience working with our team during the design and building process.
As much as we value client reviews, we also love it when industry professionals provide feedback on what it’s like to work with Grisafe Architecture. Unlike our clients, who have often never worked with an architect before working with us, professionals, like general contractors, structural engineers, and interior designers work with architects on a regular basis. They may work with dozens of different architects throughout their careers. This puts them in a unique position to evaluate an architect’s abilities and the type of service they offer their clients, since they can compare the type of service an architecture firm offers to that of other firms in the area.
Recently, we received a review from a local general contractor with whom we’ve worked on several projects. His review highlights two aspects that we focus on at our company: the client experience and the end results we provide. Here is what he said in his review:
“As a General Contractor I did a number of projects on which Mark was the Architect. I found that Mark listened very closely to the wishes of his clients and produced a product that far exceeded their expectations. I would strongly recommend Mark for any project.”
– Carl Hoelscher
There are a lot of architects out there who think they know best in every aspect of a project. This shouldn’t be the case, in our opinion. At Grisafe Architecture, we recognize that our clients are the experts when it comes to how they want their space to look, feel, and function. They are the ones who will be living or working in that space every day after our job is done. Therefore, we allow our clients to have a heavy amount of influence on the design of their projects. Designing a space based on what we think is best is a good way to end up with disappointed clients. It might stroke our own egos or pad our portfolio with interesting or unique projects, but if our clients are dissatisfied with their outcomes, what does that matter?
We always take the time to listen—really listen—to our clients. Not every client knows exactly what they want at the beginning of the process, so we make sure to ask a lot of questions and learn to read between the lines. For example, if we’re helping a family remodel their home, we try to find out what their pain points are in their current setup, as well as what features they want to add in the remodel. If we’re designing a new custom home, we ask our clients about how they envision their lives in their new home. (What types of things are they doing in it? What type of entertaining do they anticipate doing? How do they want to relax in their home at the end of a long day?) When working with a commercial client, we work hard to understand their business and what type of space will help make it more efficient (and therefore more profitable), inspire their employees to do their best work, and project the desired image to clients or customers.
In the end, it’s about exceeding our clients’ expectations—both in the level of service they receive and the end result of their projects. If that’s the type of Long Beach architect you’re looking for, contact us at Grisafe Architecture. We’d love to talk with you about your upcoming project and see how we can work together to make it happen!
