Three Things to Consider Before You Remodel Your Church
Happy 2022! Here at Jillian Design Co we’re kicking off the year by blogging about church design, and I’m so ready to share tips, pointers, and examples of stunning church spaces with you over the coming months! Maybe this year you have decided to remodel an area of your church. Maybe you’re looking at updating a lobby, a children’s space, or the church office - or maybe you are going all-in and looking to transform the whole facility! As an interior designer specializing in churches, I’ve learned some big lessons working with churches like yours. Before you start knocking down walls and choosing paint colors, here are three points to consider.
1. Begin with the end in mind.
One common mistake I see with church clients is focussing on immediate, obvious problems within the space or only addressing surface cosmetic issues. To gain a comprehensive view of what the new design should look like, we have to dig into the history and needs of the space. We also have to ask the right questions. I like to start with these three: Has this space served your needs well? How so? What do you wish it could do for you?
Ask the right questions. Asking the right questions can save money & time in the remodeling process. So, for instance, if the problem is that more office space is needed, many times churches will simply choose to add more offices. It makes sense, but it’s also a huge undertaking, and it might not be necessary. Start by asking questions about what types of employees you need to accommodate and what kind of work they do. The answers to these questions may show that individual offices aren’t needed. Perhaps a multipurpose room with group workstations or a cooperative workspace would serve your team better while also providing much-needed flexibility.
Get feedback. Feedback from people who use the space is essential in the planning phase. I like to consult with volunteer ministry leaders and ministry employees who utilize the area to find out what works and what doesn’t, function-wise. If I’m designing a lobby, I want to speak to a leader of the First Impressions Team and any other ministry leaders who utilize the lobby on Sundays. These people are boots-on-the-ground and can provide insight into how the space can better serve the church in practical ways.
Have your design plan in place first. Beginning with the end in mind also means having a design plan in place BEFORE you start applying for permits and hiring electricians, plumbers, and other tradespeople. This will save you time and dollars, too! I saw this in real-time when a church brought me in to design their space after they had already submitted their plans to the city. That meant the lighting and electrical plan would have to stay the same, or they would have to pay for new plans. They wanted a beautiful feature wall, but because the lighting plan was set, we were unable to light it properly. They also had not planned wiring for their coffee bar. Had they started with a design plan first, they could have avoided the costly changes to have the electrician come back to move the wiring.
2. Decide who will decide.
As design plans develop, many opinions will follow. Let’s be real - this is church, and everyone has an opinion (helpful or not)! A lot of times, those opinions can sway plans back and forth, making it difficult to nail down the final plan, or even cause “analysis paralysis.” This is where we overthink plans so much that we aren’t able to come to a final decision and the project stalls.
Here’s the key: Decide early on who will have the final design approval. Will it be the lead pastor? A board? A project manager?
If you’re the key decision-maker and diverse opinions crop up (and they will), I urge you to return to point one: Begin with the end in mind. When you started the project, there was a problem that initiated the remodel. It’s so dark in here. We don’t have enough storage. The flow needs help. When opinions or ideas appear, ask yourself, “Does it address the reason we started this project?” Stay true to the purpose of your project and you’ll more than likely be very happy with your outcome.
3. You need a budget.
Changes (whether big or small) always incur costs. It’s important to have an idea of how much you want to spend to cover these costs and then actively work to stay within budget. It is also important to share this budget with your designers, architects, and the tradespeople that you work with if you want them to present options that you can afford.
And if your budget is flexible, ask them, “If we increase our budget by $25,000, how does that change our options?” More money in your budget could completely change what’s possible in your space. Alternately, after finding out your options, you may decide that the difference is negligible and decide to stick with your original budget.
It’s not enough to plan - you have to plan ahead for your design plan. Before you start your project, my hope is that these three tips will help set the stage for a seamless remodel!
FEELING OVERWHELMED BY YOUR CHURCH REMODEL?
If you’re contemplating a church remodel and you don’t know where to start, schedule a 15-minute discovery call with me and let’s talk about how I can help you!
