One of the most common questions we hear from potential clients and those beginning to think about a renovation project is, “Who do I hire first: a designer, a builder, or an architect?”
In my 17 years of working as an interior designer, I’ve seen many whole home, kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects through from start to finish, and the size and scope play a factor and every project is different. But here are some important thoughts about project requirements and which professionals should be engaged at which point in the project.
Not all home remodeling or building projects require an architect. In many parts of the country, a licensed designer (rather than a licensed architect) can draw residential plans (for single-family residences) that are submitted for a building permit. Here is a general listing by state of where an architect is required to get a permit for single-family construction projects. But be aware that there are sometimes different requirements by specific county. The best way to know whether a licensed architect will be required for your home building or remodeling project is to call the building department at the offices of your city.
At ASR Design Studio, we hold a CCIDC license that enables us to stamp and submit drawings to the building department in California. If any load-bearing work is involved, a structural engineer or architect must be engaged. Depending on the county and the scope of the work, we may also require a licensed plumber and a T24 consultant.
When you’re remodeling your home or building a new one, you’ll definitely need a builder or contractor. They handle all the construction, like putting up walls, installing plumbing, wiring electricity, and more. This is why many homeowners think a general contractor should be the first person they hire. But actually, that’s not always the best idea—and we have seen situations where it has led to problems later.
Here’s why: If you hire a contractor first, they can give you a rough cost estimate for your project based on similar work they’ve done before. But at this point, you likely haven’t made all the big decisions about your home—like the layout, materials, millwork, cabinets, or lighting. Once those choices are made with the help of a designer or architect, the contractor often comes back with a new, higher price based on the final plans. At that point, you may feel stuck because you’ve already hired them.
The truth is, in order to get an accurate estimate from a contractor, your design needs to come first. Without detailed plans, a contractor is just guessing.
That’s why it’s better to hire your design team—an architect and an interior designer—before you bring on a contractor.
When We Recommend Hiring an Architect First
If a licensed architect is required in your area to develop your single-family home plans for a remodel or new home—or even if a licensed architect is not required, but you want an architecturally-unique and thoughtful home design—I recommend hiring the architect first.
During the planning and design process, your architect can:
- address questions regarding load-bearing elements
- determine what is feasible and what will be cost effective
- research codes and zoning requirements
- help make material selections for siding, roofing, windows and doors
Once you are at the point of reviewing plans and making decisions about materials, this is when you should bring an interior designer on board.
Why We Recommend Hiring an Interior Designer Second
Your interior designer will collaborate with your architect to ensure all elements work seamlessly together for a cohesive and beautiful finished home. Our main goal is for you to fall in love with where your life unfolds.
During the design process, we support our clients by:
- working alongside the architects, structural engineers, contractor/builder, and any other trade needed to bring the space to life
- Creating detailed cabinetry layouts for kitchen, pantry, bathrooms, living room, and any other space they may be required.
- Creating detailed tile layouts on floors and walls.
- Creating a cohesive design of the space that includes flooring, wall finishes, plumbing fixtures, and lighting fixtures
- Creating furniture layouts to show them how traffic can move through the space, pointing out situations that might need to be adjusted (before they are built!) to avoid awkward layouts.
- Selecting material finishes and preparing installation details.
- Developing the lighting plan, choosing fixtures, and ensuring switches and outlets are placed not only to meet code, but to provide optimal lighting and convenience based on the proposed furniture layouts we created
As an interior designer, we think through all the details to create a home that you love where your life unfolds and make sure the plans are clear so the builder knows exactly what to do.
Finally, Hire a Builder or General Contractor
Now that your plans are set in place and all design solutions have been ironed out, it’s time to start the builder search. You may have more than one builder bid on your project. Builders will review the design plans and material selections prepared by your architect and/or designer, and will be able to prepare an accurate project budget, since all the design details have been documented. The bid will include allowances (estimated cost place holders) for items that have not been definitively selected. A builder will also develop a construction schedule.
If you have more than one builder/contractor bid on your project, you can then make your final selection.We have great relationships with local builders/general contractors in San Diego and we are always happy to make recommendations to our clients once we’ve been hired onto the project. Most architects are also able to help guide clients in the right direction to choosing a reputable builder who does quality work.
How an Interior Designer can help make your project goes smoothly
As an interior designer, we collaborate with builders to troubleshoot any issues and make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible for our clients. We also help our clients to make sure the allowances provided by the builder are suitable for their preferred level of refinement. Oftentimes we see allowances that are unrealistically low so we are able to advise our clients on what is more aligned with their expected level of finishes (removing the financial surprise down the road!).
Sometimes homeowners hire interior designers late in the process or after key decisions have already been made. Interior designers certainly can still help at that stage, but your options may be more limited. When you hire a designer early on, everything can be planned to work together perfectly. We’ll help you make smart choices, figure out where to splurge, and think through details you might not even realize are important.
At ASR Design Studio, we’ve worked on new homes, remodels/large scale renovations, kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, and furnishing whole homes.
Teaming up with talented designers, builders and architects can make the process less overwhelming. If you’re planning a project, we’d love to help—just fill out a Project Inquiry Form to get started!
FALL IN LOVE with where YOUR LIFE UNFOLDS
ASR Design Studio is an exclusive residential interior design studio in Southern California.
We specialize in remodeling, new builds, furnishing, and thoughtful styling.
Our approach to creating homes blends our signature style of modern coastal design with our clients’ personal preferences, lifestyles, and objectives.
We believe that your home should tell the story of who you are.
