How to Find Your Renovation Team
Take the first steps toward making your remodeling dreams a reality with this guide
Erin Carlyle
10 October 2019
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
If you’ve never renovated or built a new home, you may not be sure about how the seed of an idea turns into a completed project. Here are tips for two early steps: putting together your renovation team and nailing down your project’s cost.
Who Will Help You Build Your Vision?
Before you meet with a professional, know what you want to accomplish. Is your goal to tear out your entire kitchen and start fresh? Are you looking for less costly upgrades, perhaps replacing cabinet fronts and a tired backsplash? Do you want to remodel your whole house?
Some homeowners know only that their current home isn’t working for them but they aren’t sure how to fix it. If you are in this group, you will probably want to work with a design or building professional. This pro will help you develop a construction plan that fits your budget, meets local building safety codes and reflects your personal style.
Find design and remodeling pros near you
Before you meet with a professional, know what you want to accomplish. Is your goal to tear out your entire kitchen and start fresh? Are you looking for less costly upgrades, perhaps replacing cabinet fronts and a tired backsplash? Do you want to remodel your whole house?
Some homeowners know only that their current home isn’t working for them but they aren’t sure how to fix it. If you are in this group, you will probably want to work with a design or building professional. This pro will help you develop a construction plan that fits your budget, meets local building safety codes and reflects your personal style.
Find design and remodeling pros near you
How to Select Your First Team Member
When hiring your first design team member, you can start with a builder, architect, designer, design-build firm or remodeler. Each profession has its special emphasis, but there can be some overlap in services too. In very general terms:
In a survey, Houzzers who remodeled in 2015 said the most valuable contributions of general contractors and design-build firms were delivering a quality result, finding the right products and materials, staying on budget and managing the project.
The survey also showed that architects and designers were valued for helping clients integrate their personal style into the design. Homeowners appreciated architects for understanding and complying with local building codes, and interior designers for finding the right products or materials.
Use Houzz’s directory to find individual professionals, see their past projects and read client reviews. Ask friends, neighbors and other home pros you respect for referrals. The key is finding someone you feel comfortable with and who is qualified for the work you want done.
The Interview Process
Narrow down your list to your favorite pros and then interview a few people. Ask for references and go to see past projects, if possible.
See how it might feel to work together. Make sure you have a rapport with the professional. You should find out whether they listen and are good communicators, says Jon Dick, an architect with Archaeo Architects in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who has been practicing 30 years and has worked on more than 100 homes. “Their design ability is very important,” Dick says. “But it’s also a long-term relationship. They’re going to ask pretty personal questions and know a fair amount about you.”
The average kitchen remodel takes about five months once construction starts, but three times that long from initial design phase to completion. So the professionals you hire should be people you like and can communicate with.
When hiring your first design team member, you can start with a builder, architect, designer, design-build firm or remodeler. Each profession has its special emphasis, but there can be some overlap in services too. In very general terms:
- Architects and interior designers create concepts and draw plans. They also may offer construction management services, involving consulting and coordinating with the various agencies overseeing your project, and manage the bidding process when you search for the right contractor.
- Design-build firms offer both design and building services, some with in-house architects, others by contracting out the design work.
- General contractors build the plans.
- Landscape architects create designs and plans for outdoor spaces.
In a survey, Houzzers who remodeled in 2015 said the most valuable contributions of general contractors and design-build firms were delivering a quality result, finding the right products and materials, staying on budget and managing the project.
The survey also showed that architects and designers were valued for helping clients integrate their personal style into the design. Homeowners appreciated architects for understanding and complying with local building codes, and interior designers for finding the right products or materials.
Use Houzz’s directory to find individual professionals, see their past projects and read client reviews. Ask friends, neighbors and other home pros you respect for referrals. The key is finding someone you feel comfortable with and who is qualified for the work you want done.
The Interview Process
Narrow down your list to your favorite pros and then interview a few people. Ask for references and go to see past projects, if possible.
See how it might feel to work together. Make sure you have a rapport with the professional. You should find out whether they listen and are good communicators, says Jon Dick, an architect with Archaeo Architects in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who has been practicing 30 years and has worked on more than 100 homes. “Their design ability is very important,” Dick says. “But it’s also a long-term relationship. They’re going to ask pretty personal questions and know a fair amount about you.”
The average kitchen remodel takes about five months once construction starts, but three times that long from initial design phase to completion. So the professionals you hire should be people you like and can communicate with.
Be Upfront About Your Number
It’s helpful to be honest about your budget with the professionals you contact. Pros typically work with clients whose budgets are within a certain range. (Sometimes a pro’s range can be found on his or her Houzz profile.) If you fall in love with a pro whose projects start at $50,000, but you have $5,000 to spend, you’re probably not a match. Some homeowners pay a high-end designer to create the initial plan, only to realize later that the products and materials suggested are out of range.
Homeowners without constrained budgets may be afraid to be too forthcoming for fear that pros will push them to spend more than they would like. That’s where checking references and finding people you can communicate with comes in. In the process of vetting the pros you are considering, you will find reputable people who will not push you but will use your target number to help guide your plan.
It’s helpful to be honest about your budget with the professionals you contact. Pros typically work with clients whose budgets are within a certain range. (Sometimes a pro’s range can be found on his or her Houzz profile.) If you fall in love with a pro whose projects start at $50,000, but you have $5,000 to spend, you’re probably not a match. Some homeowners pay a high-end designer to create the initial plan, only to realize later that the products and materials suggested are out of range.
Homeowners without constrained budgets may be afraid to be too forthcoming for fear that pros will push them to spend more than they would like. That’s where checking references and finding people you can communicate with comes in. In the process of vetting the pros you are considering, you will find reputable people who will not push you but will use your target number to help guide your plan.
Some U.S. Cost Averages
Remodeling costs vary widely by region and even city, depending on local labor rates and the cost of the finishes you select. To give you a very broad picture, here are some benchmark costs from Houzz data.
Kitchen renovations. In the U.S., a typical complete remodel for a kitchen smaller than 200 square feet using midrange-quality materials costs between $27,000 and $42,000, according to Houzz data. For the purposes of this estimate, a complete kitchen remodel includes replacing the cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, backsplash, light fixtures, sink and faucet, as well as applying paint.
This estimate also assumes that updates are made without any layout or structural changes and that the remodel is managed by a general contractor. Upgrade to premium-quality materials for this level of kitchen remodel, and the typical cost can be as high as $74,000.
For a kitchen 200 square feet or larger, a typical complete remodel using midrange-quality materials costs between $30,000 and $52,000. Using premium-quality materials, the cost can be as high as $86,000.
Keep in mind that remodels that involve increasing the size of a kitchen or that take place in busy metropolitan areas could cost much more, and kitchen remodels in small cities or that are purely DIY jobs could cost much less.
Bathroom renovations. In the U.S., the cost of a complete remodel of a master bathroom smaller than 100 square feet using midrange-quality materials is between $14,000 and $28,000, according to Houzz data. In these cases, a complete remodel includes replacing the tile, flooring, a bathtub, shower, shower door, light fixtures, vanity cabinet and countertop, faucets and heads for the bathtub and shower, medicine cabinet, toilet and vent fan, as well as applying paint.
This cost range also assumes that updates are made without any layout or structural changes and that the project is managed by a general contractor. Using premium-quality materials, the typical cost to remodel a bathroom this size can be as high as $49,000.
In the U.S., the cost to remodel a master bathroom that’s 100 or more square feet using midrange-quality materials is between $16,000 and $36,000. For premium-quality materials, the cost to remodel a bathroom of this size can be as high as $65,000.
Remodeling costs vary widely by region and even city, depending on local labor rates and the cost of the finishes you select. To give you a very broad picture, here are some benchmark costs from Houzz data.
Kitchen renovations. In the U.S., a typical complete remodel for a kitchen smaller than 200 square feet using midrange-quality materials costs between $27,000 and $42,000, according to Houzz data. For the purposes of this estimate, a complete kitchen remodel includes replacing the cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, backsplash, light fixtures, sink and faucet, as well as applying paint.
This estimate also assumes that updates are made without any layout or structural changes and that the remodel is managed by a general contractor. Upgrade to premium-quality materials for this level of kitchen remodel, and the typical cost can be as high as $74,000.
For a kitchen 200 square feet or larger, a typical complete remodel using midrange-quality materials costs between $30,000 and $52,000. Using premium-quality materials, the cost can be as high as $86,000.
Keep in mind that remodels that involve increasing the size of a kitchen or that take place in busy metropolitan areas could cost much more, and kitchen remodels in small cities or that are purely DIY jobs could cost much less.
Bathroom renovations. In the U.S., the cost of a complete remodel of a master bathroom smaller than 100 square feet using midrange-quality materials is between $14,000 and $28,000, according to Houzz data. In these cases, a complete remodel includes replacing the tile, flooring, a bathtub, shower, shower door, light fixtures, vanity cabinet and countertop, faucets and heads for the bathtub and shower, medicine cabinet, toilet and vent fan, as well as applying paint.
This cost range also assumes that updates are made without any layout or structural changes and that the project is managed by a general contractor. Using premium-quality materials, the typical cost to remodel a bathroom this size can be as high as $49,000.
In the U.S., the cost to remodel a master bathroom that’s 100 or more square feet using midrange-quality materials is between $16,000 and $36,000. For premium-quality materials, the cost to remodel a bathroom of this size can be as high as $65,000.
Ask About Options
Many pros offer a range of services, from initial design to project management, which may be priced as menu options or charged at per-hour rates. For just one example, architects can provide evaluation and planning services, which can involve site analysis and selection, economic feasibility studies and helping you determine what you want, need and are willing to pay for.
Even if you are not yet ready to hire a professional to design or manage your renovation, you may want to hire a pro on a per-hour basis to help you refine your ideas. “A small percentage of upfront money with a professional can really help clarify the scope of the project and the budget before you get too involved,” says John Firmin, general contractor at Build-A-Home, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who founded the firm 16 years ago.
Next, we’ll focus on how to work with your professionals to sharpen your renovation vision, understand its realistic cost and refine the plan to match your budget when necessary.
Part 2: How to Refine Your Vision and Budget
More
Find remodeling pros near you and see photos of their work
Many pros offer a range of services, from initial design to project management, which may be priced as menu options or charged at per-hour rates. For just one example, architects can provide evaluation and planning services, which can involve site analysis and selection, economic feasibility studies and helping you determine what you want, need and are willing to pay for.
Even if you are not yet ready to hire a professional to design or manage your renovation, you may want to hire a pro on a per-hour basis to help you refine your ideas. “A small percentage of upfront money with a professional can really help clarify the scope of the project and the budget before you get too involved,” says John Firmin, general contractor at Build-A-Home, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who founded the firm 16 years ago.
Next, we’ll focus on how to work with your professionals to sharpen your renovation vision, understand its realistic cost and refine the plan to match your budget when necessary.
Part 2: How to Refine Your Vision and Budget
More
Find remodeling pros near you and see photos of their work
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You could meet with a couple of good building professionals, whether it be a design build firm or separate architect and contractor, be up front with them that you are looking for approximate numbers, because a true bid is a very time consuming process. A real bid done by our firm usually involves a couple of meetings with the client to actually determine the scope of work that is desired with all the things they desire. Then after a pretty lengthy process of pricing out all their wishes and dreams a budget is given for what that will cost. (Remember that this will not include changes that the client inevitably makes along the way that add to the cost of the project.) That is where the client has to say either yes, the entire scope of work that I put on my wish list is within the budget or no, I need to scale my wishlist back. Homeowners frequently feel like they cannot say what their budget is, but it would actually really help the professionals that you ask to bid your job. Because if your wish list is $300,000 and your budget is $100,000 there is likely to be disappointment.
Loving that you listed the averages! Referrals and reviews are our lifeblood, always take them seriously!
The other type of "team member" you may want to consider is a Renovation Consultant. For homeowners in the Greater Toronto Area, if you are completely unsure as to whether you want to undertake a renovation we can help.
We are 100% impartial expert advisors. We won't suggest any sort of renovation or remodelling unless it makes total sense for you and your home. We offer on-site consultations and inspections. Click here if you need an unbiased opinion on how to proceed.