It’s exciting, and more than a little nerve-racking, to decide to build a custom home or remodel your current home! This year has included periods of lockdown and a lot more time spent at home, and many people have decided now is the time to remake their space into the sanctuary they’ve dreamed of.
Everyone’s idea of a sanctuary is a little different, and you should aim to achieve your perfect place. It can be overwhelming to know where to start, and many people work with a home design professional to inspire them and steer the project forward or just to get it off the ground. Read on for some of the questions a homeowner should ask when beginning a project with a designer.
When working on any home project, it’s essential to establish the budget before you get started. This part of the task can be intimidating in itself, and it can pay to consult with a professional right away. You probably know the actual amount of money you’re able to dedicate to your custom home design project, but you may not know if it’s realistic. Talk to a home project designer at the outset of your project to determine if your budget will work and for helpful suggestions and ideas. Paying for a consultation upfront could yield information that will save you money and trouble in the end. A professional designer may very well end up saving money overall by foreseeing challenges and finding ways to work around them before they occur.
As your meeting with designers, it’s important to talk about how that person will be paid. Does your designer work on a strictly hourly basis, or will he or she charge a flat fee for the project? If so, what does that flat fee encompass? Are you paying for the grand vision and sketches only, or will your project designer be involved in the execution of the concept? There are many ways to work with a professional designer, and your budget and personality will guide your decision on how much involvement you desire from a professional designer.
What sort of services is your project designer able to offer concerning your build or remodel? Depending on what your budget allows, a designer can provide you with the broad strokes only or work with you and your team through every step of the process through installation and finishing touches. What is your comfort level? You might think you’d like to manage the entire project and pick out all your finishes, but consider the advantages and the limitations of your project budget before making the final decision.
A home design professional simply has experience and knowledge that the average homeowner doesn’t. Designers will think of things that you might now and can work on the details of a space such as where the switches and outlets should go and where a room needs hardwired lighting. To take advantage of afternoon light, for example, a designer might suggest moving or enlarging a window, and the entire room could be transformed. That’s the sort of thing that needs to be planned at the beginning of a project and is also the type of thing a homeowner might not consider.
Professionals also see space differently than homeowners, and there are a couple of reasons. When you look at your bedroom, you see all the baggage and the existing story of the room. A designer can look at the room with fresh eyes and imagine possibilities. Designers also understand space in a way that allows them to maximize storage potential.
A lot of design professionals carry an individual style throughout their projects. It can be subtle or bolder, but there will be a signature you can feel. Ask to see examples of past projects and talk about his or her philosophy. Do some research before meeting with anyone. Visit Instagram and read shelter magazines, look through local directories, and speak to friends who’ve remodeled or built in the past in your area. If your style is cozy and shabby chic, you probably don’t want to work with a designer whose focus is clean and minimalist.
When you decide to remodel or build, you deserve to get what you want. If you’re hoping to create a garage workshop where you can seamlessly store everything you need, you should prioritize your goal. Harkraft has been working on custom home design in Minnesota for a long time. We work with homeowners and contractors to make sure the final result is exactly what you envisioned. We create seamless custom storage solutions throughout the home, from custom mudrooms to high-end wine cellars. Contact us today, schedule a consultation with one of our professional designers, and start imagining your dream home.
