Fear of doing it wrong

Blog 03 “Fear of doing it wrong”, February 2021

Do you have an Architecture F.O.D.W?……….(Fear of doing it wrong)

Is the fear of doing it wrong holding you back from creating your dream home, workspace or garden office? 

Well, you are not alone. Often it’s not that easy to define exactly what you want from your build, renovation or extension, and that’s one of the main reasons that many are postponed or not started altogether.

The risks and delays associated with renovation during the actual build phase are well documented, but delays in getting started can be just as problematic- with many putting up with issues that impact their day-to-day lives for months, or even years!

Each project comes with its own unique characteristics and potentials for delay, but here are three common issues that BWMA have seen first-hand, and suggested ways to cut through them - if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

#1: Too much choice

Some people have a very clear idea of what they want which is great but even they can get lost in Googles, social media (in particular pinterest) or looking through catalogues and visiting showrooms, all in a quest to find the ‘one’!   The availability of precedents and choice to our fingertips is fantastic but it can become overwhelming. 

In a great TED talk, Psychologist Barry Schwartz, calls this ‘choice paralysis’.  He highlights that more choices make us less likely to take action and also to be less satisfied with our eventual decision.  You may be great at making decisions in daily life, but with so many similar options for home improvement or renovation, we tend to blame ourselves if we’re not meeting our usual standards of making them.  We may also worry that today's decision is going to be a waste of money in the long run - and this can ultimately lead to no decision at all. 

#2: The Vision v Reality Trap

In tandem with this, are delays caused by thinking about what problems might arise from the change we make.  We’ve all heard about the fact that there is a difference between what you want and what you need, but the gaps between your vision and the reality for your project, takes the decision-making issue to the next level.  The things we need from our renovation, extension or build are important and justifiable - the things we want (or think we want) might be constrained by budget, timescales or practicality.

Vision is a good thing, right? According to author Peter Senge in his book The Fifth Discipline, the gap between vision and current reality is a source of energy. If there were no gap, there would be no need for any action to move towards the vision. 

Delays in making a decision here deals more with the impact of your decisions on the project - the dreaded What-ifs!  Will an open plan living space be too cold, or not offer any escape from kitchen smells?  What if our decision to install bigger windows and doors makes it too hot in the Summer?  

The benefit of this is that we don’t have to do this alone; family and friends may also want to share their views, test our thinking and offer their own vision as an alternative.  Yes, they are trying to help, but it often creates further delay as options are considered, changed and adapted indefinitely. 

#3: Stuck in the Mud Problems  

Problems with layout, accessibility, or space can be obvious, but a solution isn’t always forthcoming.  The truth is that renovating or extending an existing space can be more difficult than designing from a blank piece of paper and with so many options to consider, it can seem like you are just stuck in the proverbial mud. 

This is how it can feel when trying to address problems with your existing living or workspaces - with you never making any progress towards a solution.

Time is also a key factor here and many people run out of hours to address the problem, or it feels too big to solve in one go. Resulting in all-round frustration and still no decisions.  

The secret …..Make a start!

take the time to make a plan

Getting started can be hard and knowing where to begin, even harder.  Before you start talking to anyone (that goes for Architects, contractors, friends and even some family members) we recommend you get things down on paper.  

Start with a blank sheet with a line down the middle and on one side write what you want from your project (split into categories of necessity, importance, would like to have); and what you don’t want on the other side.  Keep it overarching at this stage and don’t worry about specifics - things like open plan living or more space;  rather choice of door handle finish.  This isn’t you committing to anything, but will be invaluable as you move through the project.  Include how much you would like to spend, what is your max spend (and be realistic) and when you hope to have the project completed by, also include any factors that could impact the process.  

Get a little inspiration

Our next tip is to get inspiration from different sources but make sure you stop!!  Get a list of things you like and add them to a shared folder.  Houzz provide an Ideasbook on Houzz.com, where you can save, share and comment on a whole range of things.  Check out the BWMA Ideasbook here, or share yours with us - we’d love to see what inspires you.

The key here is to know when to stop. Use it to help build a general picture of what you are aiming for; rather than a definitive example of what you want to produce. You wouldn’t send your surgeon a picture of the operation you need, and the same rule applies when you work with an Architect - the goal is to give context to the things you want from the project, but rely on their knowledge and skills to create a well thought out solution to your problems.

Be guided by your Architect

Think of your project as a puzzle that you need help to solve. You won’t have all the answers when you start, but you can rely on the knowledge and experience of your Architect to guide you towards the right answer. A good architect will help you to work through the process; support your decisions; and challenge your thinking where needed, to get you through those initial fears of doing it wrong, to a place where you’re happy that you got it right!

At BWMA if we don't think your ideas or thoughts are the right moves for you project we will demonstrate why and explain the many contributing factors and show you what we think will help you instead.

As we always say to our clients, don't feel that you have to solve the problem; let us do that for you.

All the best and just make a start,

BWMA