hi bookworm,
from what i know, vera visits the site once a week. (but please please check with her whether this is still true, in case my memory fails me.
) while during the course of the week, whenever you go down to check the workmanship and such, if there is anything not to your satisfaction, just let her know. i am sure she will help you to rectify the problem.
when she took us to her site visit, the owner happened to be there, i saw how well vera gets along with the owners and also how she notes down the things which the owners told her about the workmanship etc. she is a detailed person so i think you will be safe with her.
actually what matters most is your rapport with her and how well you can communicate. because even for some designers whom a lot of people had wonderful comments on them, there are still some customers who have problem with them. vice versa, even if many people complain about the design company, but you might be the lucky few who gets good service and workmanship from them. it all boils down to the chemistry and luck factor i guess.
good luck!
PS: sometimes don't take the comments posted in the forum too seriously, there are always 2 sides to a story.
trust your own gut feel and recommendations from your personal friends if possible.