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Assuming you decided that the project is too important or maybe too complex for you to do it yourself, the next logical step is to seek some professional advice.
“There’s more confusion today in the market around the different type of professionals. I think people are confused by the differences between builders, designers, decorators and architects.”- Bob Carp, Owner of Nuss Construction.
There are several kinds of professionals who can help you with your project:
Design Build Contractors:
The true benefit of design-build for a typical homeowner interested in a remodeling project, whether it is a kitchen, a bathroom, a major addition, or a whole house renovation, is that you are dealing with one entity who will be responsible for leading you through the maze of choices and decisions to arrive at the best combination of Function, Aesthetics, and Budget to meet your specific needs. Think of a three legged stool – it doesn’t wobble! Every project needs to address each of these areas in a balanced way in order to meet the individual needs of a specific client. A successful design-builder will have a standardized process that will produce a specialized result for you. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a single individual or company will perform each and every task along the way, but that they have the experience and the responsibility to assemble the appropriate resources to accomplish the goal. A Design-Builder has the ability to begin with the end in mind – and you benefit from a comprehensive, big picture view with a FABulous project.
Designers/Decorators
While designers and decorators offer valuable and focused insight into the aesthetics of a project, sometimes the overall project can bog down if the functional and budgetary legs of the stool are out of balance.
Architects
Too often, if all of the architectural work is done up front, without consideration for the budgetary leg of the stool, a homeowner invests a considerable amount of money in a design they love but then find they can’t afford to build. Along with that, it is exceedingly rare to find a set of plans for a residential project that is completely unambiguous. That being the case, the idea of getting multiple bids and comparing “apples to apples” is very difficult to accomplish. Moreover, you are not buying a finished product, you are investing in a service – one that may take several weeks or months to complete – and to top it off you have to live in the midst of the process. Do you want to base all of that on who is the lowest bidder?
Remodelers/Handymen
Sometimes the cheapest way to go is to deal with a contractor or tradesperson who is working for wages and is simply there to do what you ask them to. That puts all of the responsibility on you to know exactly what you want and how you want it done.
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