Home renovations and remodels are about improving an environment that, in part, you want to keep.
Before beginning the design process ask yourself what it is that you want in a home. Given no constraints, do you prefer wide-open spaces or cozy little nooks? Do you prefer expansive, distant views, or close views of your garden out the kitchen window? Do you like to entertain company, or do you prefer solitude at the end of the day? How do you rejuvenate? A book? TV? A bath? Nature? Consider what it is you love about your home, and what is lacking. Our goal is to help you update your home to efficiently meet your needs and enhance your lifestyle without losing the soul of your home.
What are the key reasons for your renovation or remodel? Creating a wish list and a must-have list can help with ordering your ideas. Prioritizing that list is an important step toward balancing wants, needs, and budgetary constraints. Do you have additional plans for your property in the foreseeable future that need to be taken into consideration now? And, is it possible or likely you will experience lifestyle shifts or occupancy changes in your home?
Realistic project timelines are an important consideration in renovating/remodeling a home. There are three major schedule considerations: the urgency of your needs, the time required for design development by you and your architect, and the time necessary for permitting and construction. When do you expect the process to begin? What is your desired timeline for completion? Does your budget allow for continuous progress from the first point of contact with the TDArchitect through the completion of construction?
There are three major project delivery methods; design assist, design/bid/build, and design-build.
Other project delivery methods may be discussed as well, but these are the most common methods. Design assist refers to the designer, owner, and builder working as a collaborative team. The builder is involved early in the process to provide constructability reviews and preliminary cost analysis. Design/bid/build refers to projects that are competitively bid between general contractors based on completed bid and construction documents. The owner contracts independently with the architect and the general contractor. Design-build refers to a single “turn-key” contract with a design-builder who manages both the design and construction processes. Details of the project may be developed while construction is in progress. We can discuss further which method will be the most advantageous for you.
Once construction begins, you can anticipate a bit of a mess. This may be obvious, but it is good to bring to the surface in order to prepare both mentally and physically for that period of time. You can anticipate some disruption in your routine. Demolition and construction may challenge your orderliness for a while. This, however, is a temporary inconvenience and a necessary step toward the enjoyment of your newly remodeled home. Remember, your home will be better than ever, beautiful, fresh, and better suited to your lifestyle.
