How do I figure out who to work with for my home projects?
photography by Christina Kiffney Photography
I sometimes equate picking your remodeling team to picking which restaurant to go to for dinner. There are so many options, so many price points, and so many different experiences to choose from. Using the restaurant analogy, a Chipotle burrito is yummy and will fill your belly, but your evening probably won’t end well if that’s where you’re taking your significant other on your anniversary.
One problem with the building and remodeling industry is that homeowners often don’t know what options are out there to complete their remodeling goals. Here’s a short list of different types of teams you can assemble for your home construction project:
This is the classic approach for large scale projects and new custom homes. You hire an architect and/or interior designer, and you contract separately with a builder to actually do the work. Pros of this approach can be that you’re picking designers that really resonate with your style. Often this is a very ‘design forward’ approach. The classic Con of this approach is that designers often don’t have a firm understanding of cost implications of the construction. Read more here.
This is a more new school approach where the designers and builders are all under one roof. The advantage to this model is that the design hand is talking to the building hand; as the design develops you’ll know the cost implications of decisions you make. This is Sobo Homes’ model. Read more here.
For smaller projects and/or when you feel very confident about the materials and design of your project, it might make sense to simply hire carpenters or a pure building contractor to do the work. The 2 major disadvantages of this approach are that 1) it takes a lot of time and bandwidth to design/coordinate a construction contract, and 2) it can be difficult to make all the design and finish decisions on an island without experienced people helping you.
In the end, just like eating out, there isn’t one approach that’s the end-all be-all best choice. It’s smart to educate yourself about these different approaches. This will empower you to assemble the best team for you and your project.
If you’d like to know more, especially about the Design/Build approach, give us a call or contact us here.
