Historic Home Remodeling in Kansas City Demands Careful Planning, Design, and Construction for Show-Stopping Results
Channels like HGTV showcase whole-house transformations in 60 minutes or less; walls are torn down, rooms are reconfigured, and everything from floor to ceiling is flawless in what feels like no time flat. That’s just how it happens in real life, too, right? Well, not quite.
What’s left out of these shows is a significant amount of planning and behind-the-scenes design work. You can’t simply snap your fingers and get the home of your dreams – however nice that may sound.
So what does a home remodeling project actually entail? Understanding the answer to this question will help you determine if you’re ready to take on a renovation.
At Architectural Craftsmen – Kansas City’s experts in historic home remodeling near you – we’re committed to highlighting what makes older properties so special. Through period-appropriate design and quality craftsmanship, we incorporate modern functionality without removing your home’s distinctive character and charm.
That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive three-step approach for home remodeling projects, ensuring no detail is overlooked. We want to treat historic homes like the precious antiques they are; the only way we can achieve this is through thoughtful preparation and careful execution.
Keep reading to learn all about our process and what you can expect when you partner with our team.
Home Remodeling Project Step 1: Discovery
Every home remodeling project is different, but they all start with an on-site consultation. We’ll visit your home to get to know you, see how your current spaces are used, and talk about your renovation ideas. We want to understand what you like and don’t like about your home – what’s already serving you well and what’s lacking – so we can come up with a plan that meets your needs and matches your vision.
We’ll also ask about your investment goals, so we can determine what’s feasible and craft an appropriate project budget later on.
When you’re ready to move forward on your home remodeling project, we’ll draw up a design agreement, and you’ll submit your first payment. From here, we begin the next phase of the process – project development.
Home Remodeling Project Step 2: Project Development
Our project development step encompasses everything related to pre-construction and design. To start, we’ll schedule a two- to three-hour window to take measurements and photos of your home’s as-built condition. By including this documentation step, we ensure we have all the necessary information from the start to craft accurate and realistic layout options.
We’ll present one, two, or maybe even three conceptual drawings to you; together, you and our team will decide which one is the right fit. One idea may be a clear-cut winner, or we may find it beneficial to combine two or more concepts. When we all feel good about a plan, our master craftsmen will get to work developing the design. This is also the time your second design payment will be due.
During this stage, we fine tune the details of your home remodeling project, like any new fixtures and finishes that need to be installed. Additionally, we’ll collaborate with trade partners, suppliers, and other entities to calculate pricing and set a project budget.
We’ll review this with you in the form of a written proposal and make revisions, if needed, to better align with your investment goals. After we receive your approval, we’ll draft and complete production drawings that our team will use to put the plan into action.
We’ll then create a construction agreement that’s based on your home remodeling project’s specifications and plans, and you’ll be responsible for a third and final design payment. When you sign the agreement, you’ll make a construction deposit. At this point, we’ll also look into municipality review and building permits should your project warrant it.
The last step of project development is a pre-construction meeting. This is where we’ll go over the project ground rules, project schedule, and selection schedule. It’s important to note that you’ll be involved in a separate selection meeting, where you’ll have the chance to finalize your material choices.
Only after all these crucial preparations are finished can construction of your home remodeling project begin.
Home Remodeling Project Step 3: Construction
You’ve put in a considerable amount of time and effort planning your home remodeling project; now, it can finally be brought to life! Hiring our team means you can look forward to having one of our certified lead carpenters on-site daily to oversee your project’s progress and a dedicated project manager, who will ensure everything stays on track and within budget.
What’s more, you’ll be able to access our online project management tool, where you can find all our documents, photos, budget, and communications 24/7.
When construction gets underway, your second contract payment will be due, and depending on the timeline of your home remodeling project, you may have other intermediate payments. These will be outlined for you in your unique construction agreement.
As construction nears completion, we’ll do a walk-through with you to determine if there are any items that still need our attention. We’ll wrap up any finishing touches before a final inspection, which is when you’ll make your last payment.
Following your home remodeling project, you’ll receive a one-year warranty on all materials and workmanship, on top of any relevant product warranties.
For Historic Home Remodeling in Kansas City, There’s Only One Choice. Contact Architectural Craftsmen!
It’s safe to say there’s a lot more that goes into a home remodeling project than what you see on HGTV. Your historic home is a treasure and should be handled by professionals who are passionate about taking the proper steps to preserve its classic beauty.
Even the best home remodeling contractors are no match for our NARI-certified craftsmen. Other remodelers may produce aesthetically pleasing spaces, but we take it a step further and work to understand your home’s individual style language. Our combined expertise in architecture, design, and history allows us to achieve more than gorgeous results; our home remodeling projects are a reflection of what matters most – you and your family.
For more information about historic home remodeling near you, get in touch with our award-winning team! Send a message using our contact form, or call us at (913) 963-2246.
