On the Ask Us Anything podcast, BOH editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen taps former Trade Tales guests to answer real, confidential designer questions, offering a safe space to discuss business challenges. Have a question of your own to ask? Send an email to start the conversation.

This week, Wellesley, Massachusetts–based interior designer Erin Gates joins the show to answer a question from a designer who thought she had a great thing going with her client, but just as the final design plan was ready for signoff, the spouse decided to weigh in. The problem wasn’t the feedback itself—it was the fact that it was delivered so late in the game.

Gates jumps in with advice, stressing the importance of documenting client communication to keep all parties accountable, setting expectations early, and charging hourly to protect your firm when clients want to backtrack.

Crucial insight: Gates says eschewing a flat fee for an hourly rate not only protects a designer’s time, but also provides an additional incentive to clients who may be prone to dragging their feet on final design decisions. “I have been in this position so many times, and it is insanely frustrating, and all I can say is, money talks,” she explains. “You say, ‘We’ve been doing this for months and months, and we’ve made all these decisions. Going back and redoing all of this is going to cost you a lot of money.’”

Key quote: “It’s very painful to do, and it’s very hard to say no, but occasionally you get those jobs where you get to the point where you say, ‘I don't think this is a good fit anymore.’ I usually give many chances … but I have gotten to that point before, and I have done it on some very big jobs. It’s scary, but it saves you a lot of heartache and drama in the long run, and opens you up, hopefully, to fresh opportunities with people who really value you and what you do.”

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.