Blogger Florence, KY on Jul 16, 2012

Do you think builders/contractors benefit from getting a woman's perspective?

I was recently hired by some friends of ours to work alongside their builder in the reconstruction of their fire-destroyed home (no one was hurt!). The wife has entrusted me with the responsibility of being her "voice" when it comes to elements in the design that need a female's input and I think the builder and I make a great team as a result. So, what do you think? Is it important for a builder/contractor to have a woman's perspective in the process of building or remodeling a home? I'd love to hear from you! ~Vanessa

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30 Comments Displaying 25 of 30 comments | See Previous

Jan P Windsor, CT

Without a doubt!! When we built our last house - I relocated the half bath, opened the upstairs landing, added a pocket door to the bathroom...I wish I had pushed more - as some of the electrical things were totally nuts!! In our current home - I can tell a guy designed things - I would have done them so different!

on Jul 16, 2012 · Like 0
Ellie Perez Rialto, CA

Definitely! I know it's probably more of an annoyance to them, but too many times they just do the "standard build" and miss out on all the details that that women (who usually run the daily household life) will need and find appealing when buying a house!

on Jul 16, 2012 · Like 0
Sharron W Memphis, TN

They certainly do! How else are they going to learn their target demographic....LOL

on Jul 16, 2012 · Like 0
Steve G Fort Collins, CO

I know at least one house where the kitchen is just terribly designed. Nothing is located where it needs to be. Clearly nobody who had ever cooked designed the kitchen. Now I'm not saying only women know about the kitchen. I do all the cooking in my house, but it's important to get input from people who will actually use the space for its intended purpose.

on Jul 16, 2012 · Like 1
Sharron W Memphis, TN

@Steve You are SO right, that's the thing that contractors don't realize is that the women for the most part are maintaining or using some of these areas and we're subjected to the design choices of someone that doesn't use the area and doesn't know...

on Jul 16, 2012 · Like 0
Connie A Conroe, TX

Absolutely, I work for a builder and I could make some suggestions that would be much more convenient for the woman of the house. You hear so many clients (woman) say "A man must have designed this".

on Jul 16, 2012 · Like 1
Jeanette S Atlanta, GA

Of course!

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 0
CheryL Ozark, MO

absoluteLy ... Let's think back ... washer's & dryers were hidden in the dungy basements or dirty garages in the 70's ... in the eighty's they moved inside; as a pass through .. and finally in the 90's made it in to the master suites, even upstairs & a downstairs washer & dryer! And now complete rooms for laundry and organizing! It is obvious that builders are listening more than they did years ago! ... Go Vanessa! .. Give it to them from all of us! :)

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 2
Kim H Pikeville, KY

Absolutely! I don't think a house should be built without a woman as the main voice!

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 0
AK Complete Home Renovati... Marietta, GA

When we meet a client for the first time, we ask that ALL the decision makers be at the initial meeting - and any critical meetings going forward. We want to make sure everyone is on the same page and has an opportunity to ask and respond to questions!
We had an AK employee attempt to meet with a company offering free estimates on windows who flat-out refused to meet with her without her husband present. Now we think that was taking it too far!

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 0
Thistlewood Grand Rivers, KY

It is so important that everyone's voices be heard! Great post Vanessa!

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 0
Carmel P Lexington, KY

Oh my YES! Wish a woman was involved when my house was built. We have so many awkwardly placed things like thermostats in the middle of a stinking wall! A woman would never do that!

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 1
At The Picket Fence Florence, KY

LOL Carmel! We have the same type of thing in our house. Like the phone jack being on one wall and the outlet to plug the phone in on a different wall!

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 2
Becky Blair, NE

We've had three homes built and this last one we decided to be our own contractor. Though I found the plans online I drew up changes in sizes and where some of the doorways and windows were to placed. My husband did all the wiring and plumbing after we walked the skeleton of the house together with a sharpie marking what went where. I designed our kitchen with input from my husband and even at that we made changes before installing them. I have to admit that our male architect came up with ...»
the idea of moving the door to the garage from the kitchen allowing for a larger pantry. So you have to give the guys some credit too.
My husband and I have been a team on finishing the interior of our home. We discuss what he wants in his rooms (the Library and Gentleman's Parlor), I draw up plans and he pretty much makes them though I still have input along the way.

on Jul 17, 2012 · Like 2
Sheila G Marietta, GA

Yes,every day in my master bath....I did not want grout to clean, but tile guy said one gigantic piece of marble would be too expensive. What his idea of $$$ was and mine......lesson learned. Now my guest bath has the marble, as does the vanity, both of them....

on Jul 18, 2012 · Like 0
Marianne Radley

We did a similar thing as Becky. Our home was in a development, with several home styles to choose. We altered ours quite a bit. The big thing was our bath. Design called for double doors, but I knew they would be a pain in a bath and I also wanted more space there. So we went with one door. The bath is L-shaped, with a corner tub in the corner opposite the L (by the way, I HATE that tub!) When we walked thru during the framing stage, they had the inside wall of the L at a right ...»
angle, and I mentioned to the builder that with the tub in place, you would only have about 2 ft. BTW the wall and the tub to walk. So we angled the wall, giving us 3 ft.- plus there. Lots of headaches like this, but luckily we only lived about a mile away in temp. housing, and could stop by every day! I had input on many changes that better suited MY perspective as a woman and homeowner. Men sometimes don't see the same things we do, their brain is wired to think differently!

on Jul 18, 2012 · Like 1
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

When I put together the plans for my 960 foot addition I asked the Mrs....what she wanted...she was so so on just about every point I brought up and never "got involved". Fast forward 11 years and she is now the "ex" and my current partner have provided tons of very creative and valuable input in our decor.....bottom line is in all depends on the woman...and whether of not she is invested or has a sense of style. Some gals just dont care. ( though that is very small percentage).

on Jul 18, 2012 · Like 1
No. 29 Design Belmont, MA

I think a woman can plan better on how a change, renovation or addition needs to work on a day to day basis, as well as how it looks. I recently did a large renovation with a contractor. Little things like having the light switches right at the bottom of the stairs, or hiding the numerous wires for the wall mounted television behind the wall, woun not have been something a man would necessarily think of. They were trying to convince me to get rid of the ceramic 1920's washboard basin laundry sink on legs and buy a fiberglass one!

on Jul 19, 2012 · Like 0
Sirius H Smyrna, GA

OMG, yes!! Having to walk the laundry from the laundry room to the bedroom and assorted drawers and closets is my pet peeve. We broke through to our laundry room from the master bath closet. Things come out of the dryer or off of hanging rack and right into the closet and drawers... no middle steps!
I don't know why this isn't standard in every home! Most homes that I lived in previously had ...»
the laundry in the basement. Talk about inconvenient, and I don't think that if a man had to do this prevalently female chore all the time (calm down... not saying that some of you don't =), home design would change immediately. My proof of this is that when the chore of emptying the dishwasher became my hubby's, he asked me to compartmentalize the way I put things into the dishwasher, so it would be easier to unload. After my "look", he abandoned that plan, but it just goes to prove my point.

on Jul 19, 2012 · Like 1
Sharron W Memphis, TN

@Sirius HaHaHa, you said a mouthful there girl, and rightly so!

on Jul 19, 2012 · Like 0
Sirius H Smyrna, GA

=) Thanks Sharron... I know I'm not alone in this!! lol

on Jul 20, 2012 · Like 1
Linda T Stewartstown, PA

Back in the 1950s, we lived above our pharmacy. A very large kitchen was practically the only room we 'lived' in. Back then, the living room (lounge) was the 'best room' and only used at Christmas, or when we had guests. Anyway, one of my favourite memories is when ever mum tried to make a cake. The old gas cooker was right next to the back door, which in those days was not insulated, or even have a weather strip, so because of the draft, her cakes would always rise unevenly, so ...»
lopsided, that the icing would slide off. That's when we learned new swearwords, as she cursed the builder!
Luckily, my partner does all the 'building' and renovating, so we discuss a lot, before he starts.

on Jul 20, 2012 · Like 1
Vera H Gifford, IL

My husband and I built a house 10 years ago, and he always said that I pointed out things that he never would have thought of. Made me feel like I was an important part of our home.

on Jul 20, 2012 · Like 1
Cheryl Grand Rapids, MI

A woman's input is absolutely necessary. I see so many things done by builders, installers w/o any thought as to who and how many will use a space. How about using all that wasted wood to reinforce areas around windows for drapery rods. How about making towel bars 32 inches so can be set in studs instead of the silly 14 inch ones everyone pulls out of drywall. All the towels are bigger today and I want mine to dry between uses. How about doors at least 38 wide in case someone becomes ...»
disabled. How about adequate closet spaces? In the bath quit putting soap dishes right in the path of the shower! Ditto shelving for shampoo, etc. I want a bench in there instead of risking life and limb to shave my legs and those 36 in sq showers are horrible. Stairs and Slick tile flooring in the bath are a recipe for an accident or death in the bath. Deeper sinks to keep water from splashing everywhere! Power flush commodes and higher seats because the low ones are hell for bad knees, hips, backs and it is not just older people w such problems. Pull out shelving, divided storage for pot, pans, bakeware. It just goes on and on.

on Jul 21, 2012 · Like 1
Linda T Stewartstown, PA

My partner built a shower wide enough for a wheel chair, with a tile seat that he put the hot pipe through, so it's warm when you sit on it. The toilet is higher than normal, and there are grab bars next to it, and in the shower. We also put louvered, sprung, double doors on the outside, to be able to push in or out.

on Jul 21, 2012 · Like 2

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