Curated Conversations: Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Curated Confessions where we drink wine and talk design. Every time I'm so proud of myself. You did it. Cheers. Cheers. Hey, we are the no, it's me. I got ahead of myself. I'm Hilary Smith. Brittany Pelche Como. And we are the lead designers and owners of Brit Hill Interiors in Prairieville, Louisiana. Thanks for joining us today. my god, I had it. I've had a day already, as you can tell. Yeah. Also I was sick. So I am still sick, I think. I wish I always had that. Raspy voice? Mm-hmm. Yeah, I always wanted a raspy voice. I could always Miranda Lambert. Is it Miranda Lambert? Yeah. Is that it? Did I say that right? No. Yeah, that's her name. Okay. She has a raspy voice? I don't really I don't know. I was almost started singing. I'm not gonna do that now. I got what I was doing. I went and saw my shrink. I no longer have a shrink. I'm sorry. She retired. Please, someone step up. I joke. I joke. she said I was great. She's retiring though. So I felt like I was great when I was in there. And then I felt very alone and scared afterwards. It's weird she didn't like here's a reference. She did. No, she didn't she did a She gave me like four different options. That's good. Well at least you you shouldn't have so long. I thought I was fine. Now now I now I want to talk about it. No. I'm good. This is my therapy. word. But sometimes I need therapy after 'cause I'm like, what just happened? I definitely censored myself way too much for this to be therapy. Mm-hmm. You would not want to see the videos from my possession. and Yeah. They're I bet they're more funny. I'm sure they're funnier. I don't think I said that I don't think that's proper English, but no. I mean at first they were not. They were scary. My brain is a fun place to be in. I think you've you've come. Leaps and bounds too. This isn't mental health day, is it I think we already passed that week. We were supposed to do this a different week, but hey. Right. That's every day. But yeah, really, she just keeps me on my alma said meds. There, just my my ADHD, which is not working apparently. We should circle back on the dosage. But she was my therapist and my psychiatrist and so she knows all of it. That sucks to have to start over. Yeah. I feel like I lost a limb, honestly. But it's all good. At least you have dogs. That helps, right? No? I feel like dogs are really working. Like therapy, right? you talk to They they cuddle with you. They do. They do. Right now I'm having a conflict with my my dog children. They are with your actual child? No, they love my actual child. She keeps feeding them. And so now they think all human food is fair game. So I have one jumping on the counter and eating all of the food if you turn around and he'll just eat it off the counter and run to his room. He already knows he's in trouble. And so I don't even know how to discipline a dog if they No right from wrong. They just says it's okay. Except one time he took her sandwich right out of her hand as she sacheted past him and he and she started crying and I was like, I told you not to go by him and she's having a meltdown, he's running off having a meltdown, and I'm sitting there going, I can't handle I didn't have three children. I just had one. What kind of dogs do you have? A labradoodle and a golden doodle. I sound like such a pretentious little You you did that to yourself. I know. And they have anxiety issues. Yeah. I should have done more research. And I even got I the first one I didn't even do any research and I have a shedding labradoodle. I don't even get the perks of the non shedding. So I have a shedding labradoodle. And now my golden doodle is adorable and perfect. He just sits there like a statue and you just come to work with her all the time. And then Estelle came. And then now we don't get to see anyone around here. She doesn't bring any of the fun. Did I mention the part about my mental health on tartar and everyone's like, by the way, our rep the rep that always brings we have a a fabric rep that always brings Sweeney a treat or wants to see a st like so he came in the other day and you weren't here and no one was here. I was like We don't get to see him either. He like, no, he had the little treat ready. I know. Well I used to take the big one to daycare and then I took and then Sweeney came here 'cause Dexter likes other dogs and Sweeney likes people. And so it was really easy. Sweeney doesn't love to go to daycare. He wanted to come here. Sit at Hilary's feet under her desk like all day. And I loved that. Until I'm overstimulated and I have a child that's screaming at me and I also have two dogs sitting there staring at me too, and they're this close to my face. And I'm like, I need someone to just get out of my face, please. And Sweeney's also a licker. And I always said, if that's his love language, I'm gonna let him do it until I have been screamed at and touched all day long and I'm just trying to take a bath and I have a dog that's also trying to lick me while I'm just and I'm like, please just stop touching me, please don't just stop. And so we we need a puppy podcast. well, I didn't mean to make this one, but I mean that's what they did we need them on the pot. good luck. Well, they both do sit right in my face. So they probably would sit here and take the Honestly, we sent out a Christmas card one year and Sweeney was in it and everyone thought he was fake because he was posed so perfect. Like Photoshop bitch. And I was like, Nope, that dog's real. He's there. But so then Dexter stopped going to like then I had Estelle. And then I was like, I'll make Sweeney just stay at home so they can have be friends together. And it's just a lot. And then I tried to take him to daycare not too long ago because I was like, maybe he needs some let out some energy. And then they were like, he can't come. He has mounting issues. And I was like, he should become he's just become a handful. I'm like I don't know what to do. And he's like eight years old. I'm like, calm down. Shouldn't you be old by now? Like Then my mother in law was like, Maybe he has dementia. Like maybe he's too old. And then I was like, No. Well, he doesn't have like problems as far as knowing right from wrong. He knows right and wrong. He's just like, Watch this. And he's not getting enough attention and I literally have no more of me to go around. So if somebody wants to come and play with my dog, this is At your house 'cause I mean I tell you. That's funny. I mean you can come pick up, I don't care. Yeah. That and that. So I mean if you are a psychiatrist, that's your info. If you're a dog walker, go ahead and add that info to work. All the help. I'm like someone help me please. But other than that So that was just like that's just like a normal Monday. Yeah. I am I'm just overstimulated in design projects and Christmas. Instead of dogs and children. Yeah, that's like the least of my words. Like we literally have a Christmas sprawled out half of the showroom right now, but it's getting put up. Yep. It's happening. So yeah, stay tuned for some footage of during and after. And our pictures with Santa is one of the backdrops we are getting ready for. Yes. So we now have the the link is now up to where you can sign up for pictures with Santa November twentieth and twenty first. Sure. Friday and Saturday. we'll have two backdrop options. I hope that's correct. We'll we'll Put something over if it's wrong. We can put the sign up link, perhaps. but yeah, so that'll be fun. We we get asked about that every year, so full disclosure, we didn't want to do it. I don't know if we're supposed to say that, but we just have so mm I just felt so bad. I couldn't tell anybody. No, people started commenting and saying how it was like The best experience and This is what we look forward to every year. This is people say it's like part of our tradition. And I'm like, don't put that on me. Like, no. But then I was like, we have to do it. And then I was like a well old machine when people come in and it's not like going to the mall. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I haven't been to the mall in like a hundred years, so I wouldn't even know what that experience is like, honestly. But I did take my dogs to Cabello one year. How was that? It was cute. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean it made sense and I expected the picture that I got. So Yeah. We had a couple fur babies come through here. yeah. But they got a different picture than what I got. Yeah. Like theirs is like frameworthy. Mine was not not. But it was an experience. It's however you want to look at it. I also was very overstimulated by the time I left there. I bet so. My husband was like, Why what? Why do we do these things? Mm-hmm. He thinks I'm a lunatic. This year we are going to have Santa and Mrs. Closs. I can't wait. For pictures, so I can't wait to show y'all Estelle's outfit. I can't wait for y'all to see it. That's gotta be a reveal on on Instagram. We have to have a account down to reveal Estelle's outfit. okay. So I shouldn't say what it right now. Don't say it. Got it. That's gonna be so hard. Wait, are you talking about Halloween or Christmas? Christmas. we just talked about Halloween. So I don't think I've seen the Christmas one, have I? I think you're confused. I can't remember now. I think in the picture the kid is wearing it as a Halloween costume. See, that's why I was confused. Correct. But see, you're giving too much information on that. my gosh. Mom dad. Mom Ben. She a Christmas spider? Yes. That'd be so cute. She has like she's as fast as a Christmas spider. I don't know how fast a Christmas spider is. Well, Sweeney's going as a beast and my husband's going as a clock. And I'm a candlestick, so So I wonder She will be Belle. How are you gonna be a candlestick? You never seen Lumineer? Yeah, I I love Lumineer, but like how do you dress as a candlestick? Isn't it like Lumini or something? I don't know. Lumière. Lumier. But You just wear gold. I didn't know if there was like an actual like blow up candlestick or something. I ain't gonna No, he's gonna look like Flavor Flav and putting a clock around his neck. my gosh. Of course he is. Gangsta beauty in the beast. Yeah. We're not putting that much effort into it. I love it. Now Sweeney's cute and Cell's costume is Can I be a tagalong as a teapot or something? Yeah. You gotta bring home ch you gotta bring chip with you. I don't know who that is, but go ahead. But yeah. Okay. So we don't know what we're doing or where we're going, but that's fun. Yeah. You should come to my cousin's neighborhood. It's a it's a fun time. I just planned on painting in bronze. I guess you haven't seen the live version of Beauty and no, I need to watch it. So that's why that's the one I'm thinking of when I said that. I'm thinking of it. He very much looks like a human. So I was like, I just I'm gonna paint myself bronze. Literally two flashlights. Correct. That's all I'm gonna do. Flickering candlesticks. Just I have those flickering candlesticks we have. I'm just gonna walk around with Yeah. And then somehow one of them's gotta be able to be a wine glass though. Cause I don't I'm gonna get you a light Well but that's kinda weird because I was gonna say you should be the feather duster, but that's actually my girlfriend. So it's getting a little Quirky, I think. But you I do have a dress with feathers. I'm just saying how they all w line up doesn't quite make sense yet. I could wear tall and put some stuffing. Well I don't need too much stuffing, but and just do my little teapot arm all night. Huh. What'd you think? Put a paper plate on my head as a lid? Is that tool that you just said or just twall? Like the print? Yeah, and not on the teapot. No. She's like white with like pink diamonds. really? that's even funner. I'm just thinking about I guess. I can't remember. I'ma watch the You should. I'ma rewatch it. Watch the live one. It's so much better than the original. Okay. I put it on probably every Saturday just so I can sing the songs. It's amazing. Yeah. It's like I don't care if anyone I don't even know if Estelle likes Beauty of the Beast. Well, I'ma I'ma just But this is the age where I can do what I want. Next year she's gonna have all the opinions. Yes. I'ma come over and watch it with her. And you. You you're gonna watch it with me 'cause she's not in the room. She's usually running around like a lunatic. She's over there, yeah, feeding the dogs in the kitchen. I just go and hide in the living room. Hmm. Okay. So anyway. No, later literally well, this past Saturday I was sick, so I wasn't doing anything. But the Saturday before I was doing I was building Legos. Well, I was I did the nightmare before Christmas Lego set. So of course I had to start with that and Frank and Weenie and like Corpse Bride and all of those. Estelle wanted no part of any of it. Even watch Coraline. I'd never seen that one before. So it's a scary. I mean it's a little edgy. It's a little edgy. and so she had already gone to bed before I f like that one came on. But then the next day I watched Beauty and the Beach just for fun. And that so I was sitting there singing to myself and doing my Legos. And was like, I don't know, it's getting really weird in this house. Yeah. I mean it's just a typical Saturday. But I finished my Lego, so that was that. It's great. Can't wait to see it. so cute. Though I did lose the tails for his for his outfit. I wonder who ate those, Estelle or Sweeney. No, I think I threw away because I've never seen a Lego set where they put in a manila envelope and hit it's like fabric. So they they put in a special packaging. I didn't know. So now I won't Let us take out the trash that's been sitting there for a week and a half because I know they're in the trash can and I'm like, who's gonna dig through this? It's not me, but someone has to. Sweeney. Sweeney. Sweeney would never. Dexter, yes. Sweeney does not get to You know he would turn up his nose. Like, excuse me. Mm-hmm. Though he did miss his grooming appointment because we were out of town. And so he is very like, you could tell he's frustrated that he's not not looking his best. Correct. He just is Mm-hmm. A little peeved at all of us. Yeah. When he got a fresh new a fresh blowout, he will strut through the kick about my You can tell, like he feels himself. Yeah. But I put on that beast costume and he was like too tight. I was like, okay, I'll get you bigger socks. And you could tell he was like. He kind of wanted to strut around but couldn't figure out how to move his arms. But that's funny. Yeah. So in the Brit Hill design world. we are, you know, trucking along this week. I don't even know what to say at this point. I have so many I couldn't even take a total count of the projects we have on them. Okay, so I do have to circle back. I've had some people c follow up and ask me how projects are good and I was like, I don't even think we're doing that project. I don't even know what you're talking about. Apparently we are. So we don't get we don't say people's names on here 'cause I don't know, privacy or something. I feel like that's respectful. So to Miss Gay, we're still working on that project if you're watching. But I think people don't understand the timeline for construction or that one's a remodel, but it was almost a total. Yeah, because they could be like, stay tuned to see after pictures and they don't call them. They're thinking like a month at the most. And we're like No, we meant like six months. They're coming, but like that project in particular, someone Hillary knows asked about there was so many delay like well they had foundation issues. Yeah they had they had like structural issues that they have to they had to like pick up their house. The whole house. And this was on a slab. Like it's a house in Covington we're working on. And it's an older home. I forget what year it was built but at least the seventies. Yeah. If not earlier. Earlier maybe. But really cute like bungalows. Does not seem that old since I was born in the eighties. I mean, that was like just the other day. but I felt so bad because, you know, you have a timeline and you're thinking you're gonna be moved in your house by a certain date and they had structural issues where they literally had to like level like pick up the whole house and then when they picked up the house they realized they had Plumbing rot it out, had to redo all the plumbing. there was electrical issues. There was because of the foundation, there was the the terrazzo, the original terrazzo from when they built the house, flooring. And we were trying to save part of that. So they ended up having to go in and do a lot of repairs to get the terrazo. Anyone here knew how to do that? Yeah, there was there's some people out of New Orleans I feel like they was like I don't I've never seen a house here that have Yeah. But it's it's actually like a neutral color, it's not some crazy like orange or green or something. So it's I feel like it's gonna be pretty with I haven't seen that outside of Vegas to be honest. So the fact that they have it and it was salvageable is awesome. Yeah. And so there was just like multiple delays that was out of anyone's control. And so we kept having to push back things, but we just got the wallpaper installed finally in the dining room. The painting's been done. The cabinets are going in. And so next is like the finishing like cabinet hardware and the lighting's going up. And so hopefully I'll get to go get some pictures of that soon of progress. Yeah. But yeah, just there's been multiple projects we've mentioned on here that they're They're happening. They're just They just take a little longer than we expect. So our big remodel that we've been talking about for it's kind of funny to think that we've been doing this podcast for so long because it really feels like we just started. I know. But what is this episode twenty eight? Twenty eight or twenty-nine? Twenty-nine? I think twenty. That's like a lot of weeks. Yeah. twenty-eight. But Like so we started that project in April and we had a goal date of August. Yeah. Which we could have almost made would have been originally end of scope. It would have been end of August. But as things started coming in, they had postponed some of the design and then as they saw some of the fixture finishes and stuff coming in, they were like, well now we wanna see the rest of it. So the goalpost moved a little bit. And I feel like in the beginning like the house was already beautiful and they were getting opinion you know, people's opinions that have been in the house that that it was those people's tastes that loved it, which they could they told me they were like, we can totally respect what they've done with the house and the previous designer did with the house, did a great job. And there was just some things that like needed to be more cohesive and then they wanted things just more like with their flair, with their taste. More modern, a little bit more edgy in color and bold statement pieces. And so I think in the beginning they were a little bit torn of do I keep the origin you know and they were looking at us toward you know at and we're like, no, we sh you should we should change it. You should make it yours, you know, you're spending this much money on the house and and so it I think it took a little bit to get that ball rolling and for them, like Hillary said, to see what the finished product of something was gonna look like and there was so much that needed to be like the stages of this remodel were so involved and then like it as we took things out of the house and they realized like the floors had this I've never seen the floors like this. It's like it's wood floors, but they used No Bona. Bona flooring like flooring polish. That that's what they cleaned with. But everywhere there was a rug doesn't have gloss. So they ended up having to spend book of money just to get the floors refinished. and then the contractors and people put tape down to protect the floors and it really did not. It did them a disservice and peeled the finish off. So it just kept kind of the fun the the perks of a remodel. Yeah. And so I mean, these are all kind of things that just happened during a remodel. But then also we decided to add more root rooms toward the end. So now we have a mid November goal date. Yes, they want to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Which so I'm saying mid-November. Do you say that's all from being there on Thanksgiving with them, still hanging up artwork because that's what will happen. So mid November is We'll be putting the final forks down on the table. Also hanging a window treatment. Don't mind us. No. There's that's like the party that we did not too long ago. Brittany was taking final footage and I'm still in there like putting candlesticks and I'm like they're People are sitting around eating with me and I'm like, hi, I can't stop. I just can't stop. I'm like, no, we can still add more. Don't worry. Don't mind me. No, no one really noticed, but I was like, I'm like creeping around in the video trying to like finish still put more stuff. I'm like, just let it go. It's fine. It's done. Nope. There's still more time. We can't. We can still add more stuff. But so I do think so, which we've kind of just bounced around on a lot of pros and cons of all of this. So at The whole goal of this podcast was to talk about new construction. yeah, we I know. I'll tell you to go see my doctor, but she's not there. Yeah. But so I guess pros and cons of financial versus timeline. We could really just hit on focus on, you know, remodel versus new build. Something we've been I personally have been talking about. my husband said he never wanted to build a house with me, which I found offensive. he also said he never wanted to remodel a house with me, which I also found offensive. But I mean, granted we've been together thirteen years and I think he's been in a remodel all thirteen years. I could see the frustration. He's yes, I want to buy a house turnkey. He was like, if we move it is a finished house. I want a finished perfect house. I don't want to touch a thing. And I'm like, there that's just not I know who we are. I have looked at homes far out of my budget and I'm like, I s got it. And so I'm like, okay, we should build a house and I'll treat you like a client. There'll be set meetings, set time for like I will have this done per like we're not gonna wing it because we're gonna do it correct. And then, you know, we have clients coming in. drawing up floor plans. This is not just one client. This has happened multiple multiple times and it's so sad to watch happen because yeah. They get their I mean it takes it excited. It can take up to six months getting your plans finalized and all the back and forth. I mean, some people can do it in a month, two months, which I don't even know how that's possible 'cause I can't make my mind up. Like most people bring a bring us a draft and then we have like our we redline it and send it back and have a final draft made, but so Even if you spend two, three months on that, also the amount of money that goes into floor plans. it's not anything to just disregard. But and then they take those final plans and then they start bidding them out and then they realize that they can't afford the house that they just drew up. And so with the cost of materials now and everything is just going up and who knows if it if or when it's gonna go down and it's just I've I always people always say it might go back down. And I always wonder who's gonna do that. Yeah. Who is gonna decide that plywood is not as expensive as it used to be? I've just never seen that really in my call me cynical hot time. No, I've never the only thing I've ever seen go up and down is gas. But other than that, I've never the price of milk has never gone back down. Like the price of and don't get me started on eggs. I just found out that was all a coup, like the egg. bo the board of eggs decided that what they were gonna be. There was no shortage of eggs. What? I don't know. Don't get me spread. I don't know nothing about No, that was just crazy. Went out and took all the Yeah. Which I did watch a TikTok about that the other day and I died laughing. It was they were saying it's so funny we had COVID and everybody was getting toilet paper, which COVID wasn't causing explosive diarrhea. And then we have this lettuce situation where there's explosive diarrhea and no one's going out to buy toilet paper. And we're like, what about COVID was making us freak out about toilet paper? I I don't Never once did I think I might run out of toilet paper. And like, not to get too far off subject. We're so far off. COVID. Why can't businesses stay open longer again? Like, you gotta go eat at six o'clock to go to like be able to eat up. What the he it ain't? The gym jobs are street closed, period, and I'm upset about it. That was my favorite place to go eat. I'm so I was so tired of hearing since COVID, but it's like it's never leaving. No. They decided that everyone shops online so you don't have to stay open. And I well that doesn't fix restaurants, but No. And I surely ain't gonna start cooking 'cause of it, but I just gotta eat earlier, I guess. Mm-hmm. Or eat more fast food. Mm-hmm. That's a real No. I know. I just can't Anywho. Okay, so Okay. So so I've been having this conversation and I'm like, I get that a remodel sounds terrifying to you because when I decide I'm gonna remodel a house, I do it room by room while we live in the house, which is not ideal. You should not do that. but I was young and poor, so And that is something to elaborate on a little bit. Because I do have some clients that are like, we're I'm like, okay, when you you have plans to move everything out and move yourself out and and then a lot of them are like, No, be prepared if that is your most of them end up mid remodel moving out. It's a lot more of a hassle to do it. And your stuff's already damaged at that point. Not damaged, but just everything's covered in dust. Yeah, like there is dust everywhere. No matter how many times you clean and it And the amount of times that the guy the you know, the people working in the house are trying to visqueen your drapery panels and all that. I went on a a consult last week and it's for a big remodel, like big kitchen remodel and they were like Yeah, we we actually they we were talking about timeline because I thought they were gonna say something different. But they were like, We actually found like a really good rental and we're not trying to like, you know, move ahead or anything, but we are just gonna go ahead and move out 'cause they have dogs and we're just gonna go ahead and move out and so as you know, as soon as we could get started the better. But I was always it was just refreshing to hear someone that has I mean they've been through remodels though and kind of what it is but and I don't think people not to circle back on mental health I don't think people understand how to how it disrupts your life. and you have to be really good at being chill about all of that. having when it was you know just my husband and myself, it's not that big of a deal. with a child, I don't I don't I don't know how you disrupt your your routine that much and now granted I did do a remodel while I had a newborn in the house so that was also something I would not advise. But Anne, to you sacrifice. You end up just saying, I don't care. If it doesn't work, just find something else. I I just want y'all to be out of the house. Please stop ringing the doorbell while during nap time. Like I just need you to stop doing that. I don't really care at this point. it didn't matter how many times I said, Hey, the back door's open, just let yourself in. They they wouldn't do it. I still needed to ring the doorbell to let you know I'm going in the back door. And I'm like, I just rocked her for two hours. I I will I will come unglued. But and then whenever they were f I was just like, just please just be finished. I don't care what it looks like at this point. So I will say we've had a couple of clients that towards the end they were like, At this point just go with a different tile. I don't care if this one's back ordered, just go with something different. Just make it work. Just finish. I just want it finished. And so I that makes me sad that you don't get exactly what you want. also you should buy all the material before the remodel starts. That's the biggest, biggest lesson I've learned in all of it. But so I've been talking about how Maybe a remodel would be a better solution for our family because at this point I think you might get more house for the price point because certain things like a pool. We all know that you don't recoup all the dollars back in a pool. You don't recoup all the dollars back in a nice outdoor space. You don't recoup like there's some things that people have put in their home because they wanted to live in it and now they're moving on to something else and You know, you might not love every finish, but you can easily ch tweak a few, but you still have the bones of a great, you know, outdoor space or whatever it may be. And so maybe a remodel is a better idea as far as getting more house for the dollar. But then also when you do a remodel, you have no clue what you're going to get once you move in. And so you start opening up walls and you encounter unexpected Problems always. Now there was one house that I was looking at that I'd noticed it was sold three times in the last like four years. Like basically after someone moved in, they moved out immediately a year later. And I was like, Either the neighbors suck or something's wrong with this house. I was like huge red flag. I'm not I I don't care how pretty it is. I would never I no. I'm I'm not gonna even look at this. Yeah, there's something wrong with that. I was like, wow, this has been on the market and sold a lot in the last few years. Something's wrong. And so And I mean, yes, of course there's inspections and yes and course of course there's certain things, mold and stuff have to be But as we know, they don't always find things in inspections. Correct. so there's just a lot of pros and cons of both. But where are you at, I guess? I feel like people should do more research on the front end of things. Like it's exciting to want to decide. I should have got a labraded that didn't shed, but here we are. Yeah. It's exciting to like want to jump in and just like, I found this like set of plans and a lot, you know, and then start adding to it and whatnot. But like to do the amount of research to know, you know, a ballpark. I'm not saying like I literally called a few builders that I had on the top of my list whenever I first wanted to draw plans back in two thousand and eighteen and I had no idea what I mean I knew I did homes but I didn't not I didn't have as much knowledge as I do now, obviously. Yeah. And And we don't always get like that goes through the client with the builder. We don't see a lot of those numbers. But I called two or three builders and I said just I didn't even tell him finishes. Just this is what we charge square footage per square footage. And he was like, basically, he said in the nicest way possible, I'm not gonna waste my time on having a meeting if you can't digest that number. And I said, I don't think I'm ready to build this house. He was like, That's a big house for a young person. And I was like, Noted. Yeah. I wasn't and that was and at that point I stopped. With the architect has stopped with everything because I was like, I know what I want. I will not be able to afford to build this house. Yeah. And so a lot of builders spec out like builder grade, you know, lighting and countertops and to not trying to like not all of them, but a lot of them do it to get the job. Well, and that's what I mean, it is to put how to their job. I mean, that's you have to be competitive. Mm-hmm. And that was a thing I knew that I wanted to work with This particular builder, I'd seen the caliber of work. I knew that he was known for being on his A game and having everything done, but he was also like, You have to take into account that I have to have a team and I have to have people and I have to pay for their health insurance and I ha and I was like, he put it to me very straight about how he's not going to negotiate that is his bottom number. Yeah. And it was builders or just charge a percentage of That was the best conversation I had with any of Yeah. It was the most disheartening, but also it was the one that kept me from getting myself into a bind. And getting too far, you know. I had spent a little money on my plans, but I didn't, you know, get fully invested. And so that was helpful. I think that's the other thing. People shop bids hoping to get the pr the house. And the price point they want, but that's not really what is being bid. That they're getting you the house at a price point you want to see on paper, but you're still not getting it with the finishes you want. So that's also the difficult part because That's where we cut it. We have yeah, we have client and we give the whole portfolio, like everything's already spec'd out. Now have your builder price this house out with these finishes that you said you wanted. And that's they get a whole different number. And then like, well, we can't afford this house now. And I'm like And no, because they spec'd it out at, you know, Uba Tuba. Yeah. From from Home Depot granite. And you're like that you picked out Taj Mahal. I don't know what to tell you. That's like Yeah. And if you want a house with designer grade finishes and you want to have like a showstopper house, you might have to come down on your square footage. And so you don't have this big huge empty house with like I'm not gonna say it. With furniture. What, like your house that you won't finish? No. With No, you you probably got some furniture. Stressing me out for a while. I know. with furniture that that does not meet the caliber of the house. Correct. and also like window treatments and things like that. So you have to think about the the end result and what it takes to get there and not just like, what's it gonna cost to build this house, you know? Correct. I think people don't even have a clue what it costs to f furnish a house. Mm-mm. And I think if I actually said what I don't I mean, it's not a set number. It's not like there's a math behind it, but I think people would actually throw up if they knew what my percentage is. But I always guess on a home when we build a house. She's normally right. What it will end up costing. And I would say twenty five to thirty three percent of the home cost is what you should at least spend on furnishings. Mm-hmm. And no one is prepared for that number? Including me. You can pick your jaw up off the floor. Yeah. I mean, when you really talk about window treatments and furniture to accessories fit. Yeah. Accessories. No one is ready for that number. Mm mm. Even on this last house I was doing the budget for, I just put fake numbers down just to give me a placeholder. And then I started actually picking out, you know, accessories that should fit the scale of the space. I mean, it was a joke. I put like five thousand dollars and I was like at fifty thousand dollars, I was like, I'm so far off this number. And like we're talking about meeting the caliber of the house, right? So if you live in a twenty three hundred square foot house versus a fifty-three square foot hundred fifty three hundred square foot house, there's gonna be a different caliber sometimes of I mean I have those caliber of accessories because that's why I said sometimes 'cause I But once you've seen the pretty accessories, you can't unsee them. I know. I also like marble. Also, if you have dogs And you don't want them to fall over or small children. Everything has a marble base in my house. Yes. I can't even pick up the accessory. There's no way that can get tipped over because also my dogs are trained very well. Well, they're not now, apparently. Everyone has always laughed that my dogs don't touch any of the stuff in my house. They just now eat my food. But other than that, they still don't touch my accessories or my furniture. But I will say that Also, my house doesn't cost the same as what it used to because I've also upgraded the countertops and all of the lighting and all of that. So if you take into account now where my house is versus what it was, no, my furnishings probably are about maybe thirty five percent. And you upgraded your main areas that you would recoup, like your kitchen and your master bath and so there are very few accessories in my guest bedroom. Sorry, Mom, but Right now there is a night before Christmas Lego set on her dresser. so yeah, I would say also those things aren't cheap either. So I'm just saying that is an accessory. doing some preliminary research always helps. And I mean now obviously if you have land or you have a set place you're trying to there's always Pros and cons to anything. And you can always make anything work within any budget, but well not but you know what I'm saying? You can Yeah. Now you might have to sacrifice. But I think some people are just like, I hate the idea of a remodel. And I'm like, I don't know why we're opposed to it. It is the equivalent to con it's n the equivalent to a new build. You just I don't suggest you live in it. Right. Which is But you can also take out construction loans and this and that. Like there's way I now I am no banker, so I shouldn't be talking but there's people we know that you could talk to. But there are ways around which I did tell tell my husband, I was like, No, we would be taking out a construction loan. It would be done as if it was new construction. We would not be living in the house while we did it. And so but I think figuring all of that out before you dive in and halfway through the process of realize that you built a house. Now I will say the the last few clients we have gone to the architect with like we went with them to go to their meeting you both architects point blank said this house is going to be no cheaper than this. Are you comfortable with that number? And they just said, We do not want to draw a house that doesn't come to fruition. Yeah. Which I appreciated. Right. It's a hard it's hard terrifying but yeah. Hard pill to swallow when you're sitting there going, I mean, who are you to say if I can afford this house or not? But I mean they just were like we apparently it's been happening a lot. The drawing plans and people are not prepared to pay for what they get. 'Cause that's just And we kind of do a similar like if you're talking about furnishings for a room, you know, a lot of people not knowing what furniture costs and window treatments and we've done this also think social media has probably paid a huge part in this, which I wasn't gonna go down that rabbit hole. But I have said a couple of times I want to. I've seen other designers post videos of room and tell people the true price of what things are and I think it's terrible. You get half and half. You get half of the people like this makes complete sense and you have the other half that is like this is asinine. I don't know why anyone would do this, which I mean T share. Yeah. so I mean, I I don't want negative co like, you know, comments on our work. But at the same time, I do think people don't know the true value of what they're seeing on social media. They do not. But if that's something that interests you, let us know 'cause we would like some feedback. I don't know, yeah, you know, if you're most people schedule a consultation with us. cost three hundred dollars for us to come out locally and give you an idea for your space in particularly, like how much is that gonna cost if you we furnish a room because each project is different. Like we can give ranges for a living room, but everyone's living room is a different size and different you know, so but I wanted to add to new build too you know what your relationship is. A lot of times There are couples that know that they should not build a house together. And there are couples that work well together. and there was a couple times when we were building, I there I had a client that didn't finish the build. Yeah. It so think about that. Think about that too. How strong is your relationship? Yeah. but and knowing like if you're doing it yourself versus versus hiring someone, if you can have it in the budget, hire someone, it will sometimes save a lot of fights. Yeah. I mean, you know, like just just things to think about. I think some people see certain numbers and they're like, I can't believe I would give up that much money for someone to oversee a project and I'm like, I honestly don't think people understand why that number came about. 'Cause there's that many headaches that come up and until they get about a quarter of the way in, they're like, And then you might save on paying someone else to oversee your project, but you're gonna pay more on interest, on loans, and you know, other things because you can't finish your project in a timely manner. And also, Are we in builders and have established relationships with their subs over years so they're able to beg a sub to get off another job to come to yours to finish something and vi and you you don't have that kind of pool because you don't have that relationship. So you're going to have to wait. So the timeline to self it's gonna be long manage a project absolutely is going to be longer. Mm-hmm. And there's gonna be a few more mistakes. Quite a bit more mistakes. So it's just also Yeah. Well that was a Debbie Downer to leave this on. I know. So So is there something upbeat we can talk about really fast? Hmm. Can't think of anything. The beautiful project that we're finishing up. So I don't this one I don't know what we got out of this one, but I will say next episode is something that you should probably set your clock for. Like, subscribe, whatever, because you're gonna want to see the next episode for sure. Yes. We'll try to find something positive to talk about. Maybe not my mental health. I mean we'll see. You never know. Every week's a new week. Hey. So we hope you gained a little, I don't know, knowledge. Some sort of insight from that. Yeah. If you're building or tomorrow. Yeah, don't run. no, but we're here to answer any and all questions. So tune in on YouTube. Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Thanks for joining in. Cheers. Cheers.