Do You Need a Designer for Your Remodel?
Designed by Kelly Straka of Lux Living. Built by Collins Kitchen and Bath.
Most people planning a remodel hit the same question early. Who handles the design? Do you work out the layout, the cabinets, the tile, and the fixtures yourself, does the contractor handle it, or do you need to hire a separate designer on top of everyone else?
There is no single right answer. It comes down to how hands-on you want to be. Here is how we work, at three different levels, so you can pick the one that fits your project and your budget.
You bring your own products
Some homeowners already know exactly what they want and would rather buy their own materials. That works with us. You pick and purchase your own vanity, tile, fixtures, and finishes, and we handle the build and the installation.
The tradeoff is that this level does not include design or product management. We are not designing and rendering the space for you or sourcing the products, so the selections, the ordering, and the timing are on you. If a vanity shows up late or the wrong tile arrives, that lands on your schedule and ours. For someone who knows their plan cold and wants to control their own buying, it is the most budget-friendly way to work.
We handle the design and the products
This is where most clients land, and the one we point people toward. A designer works with you to lay the space out and produce a design you can see before we ever start tearing anything out, and we source and manage the products for you. That design is included on this path, with no separate design fee, since it runs through the products we provide.
A few things come with that. You have one team responsible for the whole project, the design, the materials, and the build, so there is no finger-pointing when something needs to be sorted out. And because we handle the products, there is a clear path if there is ever an issue with one, instead of you chasing it down on your own.
You still make every selection. We carry the weight of pulling it together and keeping it on schedule.
We bring in a dedicated designer, or you bring your own
For larger or more involved projects, some clients want a dedicated designer leading the whole vision, beyond the design that comes built into the managed path above. Sometimes that reaches past the remodel itself, into furniture, decor, and styling the finished room, with the designer pulling the whole look together. We can connect you with one we work with, or you can bring your own. Either way, the designer handles the deep, custom design work and we build it.
The designer bills you directly for their work, separate from us. This is the most hands-on, fully designed path, and the most involved on our end, so it sits at the top of the range. It fits clients who want every last detail considered.
Which one is right for you
One thing applies no matter which path you pick. If your project needs a permit, it requires architectural layouts for the building department, regardless of the design help you choose. Those layouts are a permitting requirement, separate from the design work above, so even if you bring your own products, a permitted job still gets drawn up properly.
Most projects do best somewhere in the middle, with us handling the design and the products while you make the calls. But we will work at whatever level fits you. Want to run your own materials? We will install them. Want a full designer experience? We will set it up and coordinate it.
The point is simple. You should not have to guess at the design or get blindsided by it halfway through the build. However hands-on you want to be, there is a way to work with us that fits.
If you are planning a remodel and not sure which path makes sense, click the button below and tell us about your project. We will walk you through it.
