Thinking about renovating your home but not quite sure where to begin? Before the tile samples, paint colors and dramatic before-and-after photos comes a whole lot of planning, including plenty of questions.
We sat down with Design + Build Renegades to talk through what homeowners should know before kicking off a renovation, what to expect when working with a design + build firm, and why, especially in Chicago’s older homes, a little flexibility goes a long way.
Q: Before we get to proposals, bids and all the fun design decisions, what should a homeowner be thinking about before calling in the pros?
DBR: There are some basic questions we like to start with: Have you renovated before? What is the purpose of the renovation – better functionality, a change in layout, or simply updating an outdated space? What’s your budget? Do you have a timeline or deadline? Have you been thinking about the project for a while, and are we the first people you’re talking with?
From there, we start looking at the house and project itself. Are there major structural or systems changes that might require an architect, structural engineer, or architectural drawings? Is there an HOA or condo association that needs to approve construction? What year was your home built, and do you know whether there have been previous renovations or alterations?
Q: What if I don’t know the answers to all of those questions yet?
DBR: That is totally OK! Depending on the size of your project, you should be having multiple conversations. We like to know as much as possible upfront so we can provide the most realistic proposal and understand who needs to be involved in the scope of your project.
There are often additional aspects that need to be considered even if you weren’t initially thinking about them, and this is especially common in older homes.
Q: Does renovating an older home automatically mean a project will cost more?
DBR: Not necessarily, but it is certainly a consideration. If your home is old and hasn’t been altered, it may have original fittings that are no longer up to code, aren’t safe or won’t withstand the capacity needed as we update other things.
For instance, let’s say you want to add heated floors to your bathroom, and we discover electrical cloth wiring from the original build prior to 1920. That is something we would need to upgrade and perhaps hadn’t accounted for in our original conversations.
The more we can see into the original house and the more information we have, the better. But the truth about renovations is that you really can’t know everything until you uncover it and see it.
Q: With so many moving parts, how do I know what should be included when I start getting bids?
DBR: It helps to understand the difference between working with a general contractor and separate designer versus working with a design + build firm. With design + build, you have one point of contact and one team in place. Having your design team also be your construction team helps streamline the process.
Q: Is that kind of setup necessary if I’m only renovating one bathroom?
DBR: That depends on your needs! If you’re really busy, feel overwhelmed by all the initial choices or are looking for guidance in selecting and specifying materials, it can be really helpful.
Even if you like selecting your own materials but don’t have time to facilitate the construction process, having a single point of contact may be a good fit. Once construction kicks off, the internal communication is handled so you aren’t managing multiple vendors, subcontractors, crews, and the implementation of the
design yourself.
Q: OK, when do we get to pick paint colors and tile and all the fun things?
DBR: Yes, those are the fun things! Once you have a solid scope, the design process kicks off. That may begin with a space-planning study if layouts are changing or involve architects if walls are being removed.
Once the layout and scope are identified, it’s time for the finishes and other choices that need to be made prior to demolition. And it’s often much more than paint and tile. It might be the edge detail on the tile or whether you want a dimmer on a particular switch. We keep a comprehensive list to track all those decisions and their implementation.
Q: What if I have absolutely no idea what my design style is?
DBR: We start with a more general approach to get a sense of what you like: neutrals versus colors, minimalist versus layers, silver versus gold. We encourage you to save photos of things you’re drawn toward, but we also talk more thoroughly about how you want your space to feel, and how you want to feel in it.
Then we do our magic to give you choices that can achieve that. We also provide pragmatic options that fit your needs. If you tell us you don’t want to see fingerprints all over your countertops, for example, we aren’t going to steer you toward a dark matte option!
Q: And what happens when you open up a wall and discover something that changes the plan?
DBR: You can certainly count on this happening somewhere, whether it’s big or small. That’s another benefit of working with a team that is overseeing it all. When something changes, we can provide solutions that are still aligned with the original design and construction intent.
Q: What advice would you give someone who has been dreaming about renovating but feels overwhelmed by taking that first step?
DBR: Start with a list of priorities for your renovation, an idea on budget, and begin pinning inspiration. It’s important who you partner with most of all – ask for recommendations from neighbors, do your own research on local firms, and make those consultation appointments. We are always happy to chat through our process!!
Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements, and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media LLC (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses, or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability, or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party.
