Hire a Design-Build Contractor Near You Who Specializes in Historic Home Renovations
Complex remodeling projects require coordinated efforts to attain a cost-effective finished product that best meets your dreams and desires – a modern, functional home with all the retained character of its history.
Work with a design build contractor near you – rather than an architect – who will listen to your desires and who meshes well with your personality – but finding one you love generally requires research and in-depth reference checks. Here’s why the legwork to find the right contractor is worth the time and effort and what you can expect from hiring them.
Standard Architectural Design Services Don’t Consider the Build
If you hire an architect to redesign the interior of your home or create an addition, you’ll definitely end up with gorgeous renderings and detailed drawings. But architects design to your dreams without a connection to what you can afford.
This is, in part, because they aren’t usually involved in the actual construction, nor do they have established partnerships with subcontractors who can provide current cost estimates based on construction knowledge.
A Contractor’s Architectural Design Remodel Includes Thoughtful Budgeting
You can get beautiful results when you work with an expert design build contractor near you, without compromising on your budget expectations or the final cost. A good contractor guides and advises you on important design decisions, product selections, and scope changes to make your dreams a reality.
It takes years of industry experience to cultivate this ability and expertise, including developing a deep knowledge of construction costs and city building code requirements. The best design build contractors near you – like Architectural Craftsmen in Overland Park, Kansas – also maintain licensure and insurance and invest in team training to ensure everyone follows industry best practices. They’ll also have made an investment in project management systems that ensure clients remain informed and involved during the architectural design remodeling process.
You Can’t Handle an Extensive Historic Home Remodel on Your Own
Most homeowners don’t possess the knowledge necessary to oversee a major home remodel, and it takes far too long to learn legal requirements, product features and specifications, and arrange for city permits and inspections, let alone establishing relationships with reputable subcontractors.
With hundreds of decisions to be made, it’s a full-time job for several people. A design-build contractor has those people on staff.
Architectural Design Contractors Have Connections to Get Materials and Supplies
Another major reason to work with a reputable contractor is to avoid the pitfalls of buying materials first and hiring someone to install them later. In fact, if you supply the materials, it’s likely that installers won’t honor any warranties on their workmanship related to the product – and no one will be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement if something goes wrong.
For example, Architectural Craftsmen once had a treasured client who wanted to supply their own farmhouse sink from an online retailer. Doing so would save them a little money – and on its face, that request seems perfectly reasonable. The sink arrived broken, and the installer was coming in just a few days. So the homeowner reordered the sink – and this second one arrived broken, too!
To stay on track with the construction schedule, the homeowner needed a new sink right away. Our team was able to source a similar, higher-quality sink from a local supply house, and we received it – intact – in time for the countertop installation.
A good design build contractor near you maintains relationships with suppliers and subcontractors. The ability to solve problems and acquire materials is priceless in situations like the above anecdote.
Architectural Design Remodelers Start with a Master Plan
Decades of industry experience and the creation of a master plan minimizes mistakes, avoids conflicts, and makes a historic home remodeling project flow more smoothly and efficiently.
Good planning goes a long way to alleviating challenges, like budget constraints, timeline changes, and staying in scope. An architectural design contractor starts by helping you sort your needs and wants and then develops the remodeling plan that uses your budget as a guideline and provides an accurate estimate.
With your approval, they then take the determined scope, commissions contract, and build plans to the city to secure permitting. At this step, precise costs become clear, particularly as they relate to subcontractors and materials suppliers. This “real cost to construct” means there are few unknowns remaining, ultimately saving you money on the construction end. Any dollar you spend on planning is potentially many dollars saved during the remodel.
For Remodeling and Architectural Design Services for Historic Homes in Kansas City, Choose Architectural Craftsmen
Your distinctive home deserves a distinctive remodeling team who can preserve your home’s significant design elements, while ensuring the final result reflects your lifestyle and brings out the soul of your home.
By listening to your stories about your home, taking a look at it firsthand, and gaining an understanding of how you live, Architectural Craftsmen can thoroughly plan your historic home remodel and carry out every step on your behalf.
Learn more about our process, and request an initial consultation on our website.