Commercial Integrator June 2022 - Special Section 8

C llab rati n
TODAY and TOMORROW
at the table earlier - we often
must make do with what we
get. This meant that it would
be " all hands on deck, " and it
meant that we would have to
make sure our communication
with everyone was on point.
We also realized that, if we
could do this (and do it well),
we would have the opportunity
to really showcase what we, as
integrators, could add to the
design to enhance LaHaie and
the client's vision for the home.
To say we hit it out of the
park would be an understatement.
Later, upon reflection,
LaHaie said this project
really made him realize how
important it is to bring up the
pre-wire and infrastructure
conversation early with clients.
He looked at developing
a team with us on his projects
because he recognized how
technology was, in his words,
" new and exciting...one of the
'wow' factors that can make a
home personalized and memorable. "
He also viewed it as a
method of offering a competitive
advantage in his niche.
On projects in our area,
clients often meet with
an architect prior even to
determining their builder. So,
it proved wise to focus on educating
LaHaie and his team
about what we could offer
clients. We discovered that we
had a fellow teammate who
was committed to educating
the builder, as well. Often,
builders' primary objectives
are to build the house, adhere
to code and stay within
budget. Although these things
are of course very important,
it is often the architect who
designs the " it factors " of the
house. And we are better
positioned to help them with
commercialintegrator.com
that. Meantime, architects are
the perfect partners to help
us convert builders into fans,
helping them understand the
importance of what we offer.
LaHaie is excited to bring us
up during conversations with
both clients and builders because,
according to him, " You
make us look smarter! "
LaHaie says, " The most
exciting piece of technology
for the home right now
is lighting! " It's not just the
fixtures, of course; instead,
it's what can be done with
them. It's the science behind
designing a system so that we
utilize the natural light from
the windows; we allow it to
flow through to the fixtures;
we balance the color temperature
of light throughout the
day; and we create and simply
automate the scenes so that a
client never has to think about
it. We can accomplish all this
for a client while minimizing
the view of technology and
making sure they don't suffer
from the dreaded " wall acne "
of having banks of switches
and devices all over the place.
Mutual Respect for Skills
and Knowledge
The key to our successful
collaboration has been mutual
respect for each other's skills
and knowledge. We educate
each other about what we
bring to the table, and we
have open communication.
Often, LaHaie and I will send
messages or pictures back
and forth of architectural ideas
we see or tech ideas that are
new. So, we're always keeping
our creativity flowing. These
conversations allow us to have
talks with clients sooner. That
way, we can make sure that,
Architect Ryan LaHaie and the author often send messages
or pictures back and forth of architectural ideas they see or
new tech ideas.
in each home, we're accentuating
the details that the architect
originally envisioned.
LaHaie's advice to other
architects is to interview the
integrators in your area. Meet
with them before you're under
the gun on a project. Discuss
with them what they can bring
to the table. It's also important
to inspect their work on
a job site. If the things that
are visible in the mechanical
room are neat and clean, you
can usually rest assured that
what is hidden behind the
walls is also that way. Develop
a good relationship with your
integrator and then, in plain
words, just get out of the way.
If you've done your homework,
you should have a partner
that you can trust...a partner
that will make you look good.
My advice to integrators
out there is to learn how to
educate your local architects.
You shouldn't try to " sell " them.
Be a resource for them, even
if they don't use you right from
the start. Always being a trusted
resource on whom they
can call will eventually win
them over. Also, we all know
it's not ideal to be called in last
minute. But, if it happens, be
willing to work with the team
and don't spend all your time
complaining about it. Instead,
have a recap on the project
when you aren't under deadline
pressures. That's the time
to have a candid conversation
with your architect about how
bringing you to the table earlier
is in their best interest.
The bottom line: Don't give
up. These collaborations take
work and communication.
However, when you find a
partner like LaHaie and his
team at 42° North Architecture
+ Design, it's worth it!
Good luck and happy collaborating!
Amanda
Wildman is owner of
TruMedia.
JUNE 2022 Commercial Integrator
PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEY AVILA /ASHLEY AVILA PHOTOGRAPHY.
http://www.commercialintegrator.com
Commercial Integrator June 2022

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