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One of the things we are most excited about with the impending kitchen remodel is new countertops! One of the most embarrassing parts of our house is our laminate countertops. Now, laminate isn’t inherently bad. But ours…ours was meant to look like marble. I think. Is there such a thing as yellow marble with gold veins? It’s […]
So we found this great chandelier…oh wait. No, that’s the horrendous thing that came with the house. But really, is it not glorious? Fake plastic dripping wax and real burn marks on the ceiling? What style would you even call this, neo-modified medieval revival? [Don’t worry, we replaced this beauty long ago.] How about this […]
Yesterday we spent the afternoon shopping for lighting ideas. The result? We found a couch and a coffee table. I guess that’s how it goes. We’re eyeing a similar configuration from BoConcept to what you see above. We will have just enough space for a chaise + side unit and we love that the fabric options […]
Remember those sketchup images that we posted last week? The ones we were all excited about? Well, they are officially old news…put them in your virtual recycling bin because Kyle has busted out some mad sketchup skills on this revised design. This week we started thinking more about lighting, which led to thinking more about […]
Let’s talk about range hoods (or the lack thereof). The deluxe combo you see below is what came with our house. Before we officially moved in, the range was gone. (Fortunately, a friend of ours had just remodeled his kitchen and sold us his old range for cheap…which was about 100x better than our very questionable […]
An architect is a qualified professional that not only designs your home or remodel but acts as your advocate throughout the entire process. A good architect will listen, they’ll be honest about how much things cost and how long things take and they’ll use their years of expertise to navigate an onerous permitting process, help vet potential contractors and be there for you during construction. If you don’t have an architect, that work is either done by you or the builder and compromises and sacrifices will inevitably happen.
This depends largely on the size and scope of the project and where you’re located. In some jurisdictions it’s easy and straightforward to get a permit, in others it can take 6 months to a year or longer. We usually advise clients to budget 3 -6 months for design for smaller projects and 12 months for larger projects. Permitting timelines can extend those estimates. Construction can take 4-6 months for small remodels or 16-18 months for custom homes.
Absolutely! We love to see what clients like (or don’t like!) and we’re used to gleaning the important info from all sorts of media – photos, sketches, diagrams – we’ve seen it all!
Maybe – this really depends on the housing market and how much time you have before you make an offer. It also depends on the property itself. If you’re looking at a house with a steep slope, we may advise that a geotechnical and structural engineer make their own evaluation. This can add more time based on people’s ability. We can usually make some basic recommendations based on our knowledge of the local codes, but it’s not a replacement for a more thorough feasibility study. If possible, we usually recommend that people make an offer contingent on a more thorough analysis. What we don’t want to do is give you a rosier outlook only to find that there were some unexpected issues with the property.
Depending on the scope of the project, phasing can be a practical approach. However, we usually advise that homeowners do everything in one phase if possible – this not only takes less time but simplifies the permitting process and is a more appealing process to contractors. When you phase a project, you have repeat mobilization costs that create a more expensive project in the end than doing it all at once. We’re happy to talk through phasing options though as each project is unique and sometimes it does make sense.
Yes! For us, interior design is an integral part of our process. We enjoy working with homeowners to think about their homes holistically and have extensive experience in all aspects of the design process.
In our experience, successful projects have homeowners that are engaged but trust us and the process. They ask questions and are clear communicators. They make timely decisions and speak up if something doesn’t feel right. They’re transparent about budget and schedule constraints so there aren’t missed expectations.
Say hello. Tell us about your project.