Is There an Online Exterior Design Service?

Homeowners have become very busy, making it harder to create time to speak to exterior contractors about any upgrades they may be planning. However, an easy solution could be through the services of an online exterior designer. With online exterior designers, homeowners can connect with professionals on the go via videoconferencing services and arrive at a favorable outcome for their projects. Visit Lifetime Exteriors`s official website if this is a service you’ve been looking for.

Choosing your online exterior design can be a bit tricky, especially as you won’t be meeting with them in person for that personal scrutiny. However, below are some important tips to keep in mind when searching for an online exterior design service provider.

Do Your Research

Finding an online exterior designer is similar to finding a local contractor to work with. You begin with the research phase, identifying exterior designers that provide online services. Unlike searching for a local contractor, online services can be delivered from anywhere, so you are not necessarily constrained by location.

You can search for these professionals in your community, state, and in neighboring states. Be sure to take down their names and read through their profiles to ensure they offer online exterior design solutions.

Please note that you should limit your search to your local community if you intend to hire a contractor to do the job. However, you can expand your search nationwide if you’re only interested in consulting top exterior designers for design ideas.

Check Their Online Portfolio

An online designer should have their portfolios online and wait to be viewed by interested customers. Start by screening out designers without an online portfolio of their past work. For those whose online portfolios are updated, look through their past work and judge based on quality, uniqueness, and appeal.

A good contractor should have done several jobs across the different exterior elements, including sidings, windows and window frames, doors, etc. Look through their portfolio and check whether they’ve handled diverse materials for each exterior element.

Exterior designers with experience handling diverse materials can advise you on what’s best for your property based on the climatic condition and your personal preferences. Besides, it’s always relieving to find that your contractor is familiar with handling the proposed exterior material.

Ask for Referrals

Referrals and recommendations are also a good way to scout for excellent exterior designers for your project. You can speak to anyone within your circle who has recently completed an exterior remodeling or upgrade for help.

Some common questions you may need to cover during the referral request process include the following;

• Would you recommend your exterior design contractor?
• How much did their service cost, and are there any payment plans to help with costs?
• How long did the exterior design project take?
• Did the exterior designer stick to the quote or your budget?
• Were you satisfied with the quality of the project delivered?
• Who handled the post-construction cleanup?
• Are there any negative experiences that stood out during the project?

 The answers to these questions tell you what to expect from the online exterior designer and whether to contact them or not.

Schedule Online Consultations 

Online exterior designers should be able to flexibly slot you into their time for an onboarding call, if not to discuss the entire scope of your project. During the onboarding call, the company should offer you all the information you need to know about their online services and whether they also perform physical installations.

Watch out for key factors like;

• How patient the designer is with you
• How interested the designer is in your goals and preferences
• How the online designer introduces ideas and concepts that are contrary to yours
• The designer’s willingness to work with you to make your dreams a reality.

It may be best to hire an online designer offering physical installations. Such designers give you the confidence that they know both the theoretical and practical aspects of exterior design and can capture the essence of what you’ve discussed during the consultation period.

Ask for Estimates

Being an online service, your exterior designer may be unable to give an exact quote for the project, especially if they haven’t scheduled a physical inspection of your property. However, they could ask for pictures and videos of your property to understand what they’ll be working on and how much it may cost.

Ask for an estimate based on their calculation and discuss all other important aspects, including payment plans, project start and end dates, materials to be used, warranty on materials and services, licenses and insurance coverage, etc.

Hire the online exterior designer once you are satisfied with their responses and await a masterpiece from them.