Planning Basics for Your Remodel – Items to Consider:
- Determine what you really want. What are your basic priorities and the goals for your remodel project? Write down your basic list and your ultimate wish list.
- Cut pictures from magazines and look on-line. Make notes and formulate questions about the various products and designs that you may be potentially interested in.
- Determine a budget. This will help determine the scope of work that is feasible to undertake. Get familiar with current remodeling costs and the value of home improvements. Home & Garden Television (HGTV) programs are not the real world and what you read on the internet may not be realistic either. You can check out “Remodeling” magazine’s “Cost Versus Value Report” (www.CostVersusValueReport.com). Each year a new report comes out. Sacramento is one of cities featured in the report.
- Consider financing for the project. If necessary, make inquiries with your mortgage broker, mortgage lender, or credit union to see what you can qualify for. Determine if you will pay for the improvements by cash, or through a loan, or both.
At The First Appointment – What Happens?
- There is no chargefor the initial consultation at your home (approximately 1 –1 ½ hours).
- We will discuss your remodel projectto determine what your needs are and get a good general overview of your wish list.
- We will discuss the remodeling processand the required details of the three phases involved in most remodeling projects.
* Design and Product Selection Phase.
* Detailed Proposal for Construction Phase.
* Construction Phase.
The ultimate goal of the Design and Product Selection Phase, and the Detailed Proposal for Construction Phase, is to spell out all of the details of your project. We will discuss the value and need for each of these phases.
- We will present you with our “Presentation Package”,filled with references and information about Design/Build remodeling process. The package will describe the process in greater detail and the rough time lines needed to complete the 3 phases of the process.
- We will discuss ranges of project costs for projects that may be similar to yours.
- We will send you a Design Agreement that allows us to work with you to design your project; determine a full scope of work; as well as work out the details of the materials that will be used and how they will be installed. Even if re-design is not part of your project, we still go through the same detailed process. The design phase is fee-based. The fee is credited back to you when the construction agreement is signed.
- In the Design Agreement, we again discuss a possible range of costsfor the project that you are considering. At this point in time, cost ranges are all that we can discuss. The goal of the entire process is to spell out everything that is involved in your project to be able to get to a price, and hold to a price. No change orders is our goal!
What Happens During the Design & Product Selection Phases?
- In this phase, after the Design Agreement is signed, the first meeting is at your house to take measurements of the remodel areas involved.
- After that, the measurements are entered into our CAD program and an existing plan drawing is created. Then, conceptual floor plan drawings are created to allow for meetings and discussions in our office. At these meetings, we will at the floor plans in 3D perspective to allow for an excellent visualization of your remodel project. Generally, within one to two meetings we will arrive at a final floor plan.
- At our meetings, we will also discuss and finalize all materials. All of the details: from the types of appliances, cabinets, countertops, and windows; all the way down to the type of baseboards, cabinet door knobs or pulls, and grout color.
- All of the design and product details, allow us to complete the detailed Proposal for Construction (estimate of costs). The goal in this phase is to, as best as possible, reduce costly change orders that frequently occur in the case of a poorly defined remodeling project.
After the Detailed Proposal for Construction is Completed – What Happens?
- Once the agreement for construction of your project is signed, we can then proceed to the Construction Phase. We will then complete the drawings for submission to the building department.
- We will schedule a start datebased on our production schedule. You will receive a schedule.
- We will make progresson your job each and every day.
- We will communicatewith you on a daily basis, through on-site visits, fax, phone, e-mail, text, or whatever works best for you.
- From the Design Phase to the completion of your project, your project will be receiving the attention to detail that it deserves.
- We will complete your project in a timely fashion with the quality of process and quality of design and construction for which we are known.
