Before you begin / Mistral Mari planning notes
A useful brief starts with everyday life
The most useful starting point is a clear description of what your home needs to do better.
Write down the friction
Think about an ordinary day in the room. Is storage hard to reach? Does everyone meet at the same narrow doorway? Is there enough light where you prepare food or read? Describe the problem before deciding on the solution.
Separate essentials from possibilities
Choose three priorities and distinguish them from the ideas you could add later. Note anything that must stay, such as an appliance, family furniture or an original architectural detail. Include whether the home will be occupied during the work.
Gather a small, useful reference set
Bring current photographs, a rough sketch and three inspiration images. Add a sentence explaining what appeals to you in each image: the color, the storage, the light or the atmosphere. That explanation is more useful than a large collection of unrelated photographs.
Compare the same work
When reviewing estimates, compare the scope, materials, exclusions and proposed schedule together. An estimate with missing work is difficult to compare with one that includes it. Keep the agreed details in writing.