Planning a remodel is rarely difficult because homeowners lack ideas. The harder part is turning those ideas into a defined project that can be designed, priced, and ultimately built.

That is why many Delano Designs projects begin with a $500 Design Jumpstart.

The Jumpstart is not intended to complete the entire design in one meeting. It is the first structured step in determining what the project needs, what decisions need to be made, and how to move forward with greater clarity before construction begins.

For Atlanta homeowners planning a kitchen, bathroom, exterior, addition, basement, or whole-home remodel, the process may progress from the initial Jumpstart into detailed design, remodel drawings, finish schedules, contractor pricing, bid leveling, and construction support.

Here is how that progression works.

1. Start With the Design Jumpstart

Before developing detailed drawings or requesting contractor bids, we first need to understand the project.

During the Design Jumpstart, we review the home, discuss what is and is not working, evaluate the anticipated scope, talk through budget expectations, and begin identifying the design direction and documentation the project may require.

Depending on the project, this may include discussion of:

• Layout and space-planning opportunities
• Existing conditions
• Desired project scope
• Preliminary material and finish direction
• Construction budget expectations
• Contractor involvement
• Drawing and documentation needs
• Potential consultants or specialists
• Recommended next steps

The objective is not to make every design decision immediately.

It is to replace a vague remodel idea with a clearer path forward.

2. Develop the Design Before Construction

Once the direction is established, the project can move into more detailed design.

This is where we begin resolving the decisions that can become expensive or disruptive if they are left until construction is underway.

Depending on the project, design development may address:

• Floor plans and layout
• Cabinetry configuration
• Kitchen and bathroom planning
• Lighting locations
• Plumbing fixture locations
• Interior elevations
• Exterior changes
• Architectural details
• Material relationships
• Color and finish direction
• Furniture or built-in considerations where applicable

Every project is different, so not every client requires the same level of design or documentation.

The important part is determining those needs before contractors are being asked to price an undefined project.

3. Translate the Design Into Remodel Drawings

A contractor can only price what has been communicated clearly.

Inspiration photos and verbal descriptions are useful for establishing direction, but they leave substantial room for interpretation.

As the design develops, Delano can prepare the remodel drawings and design documentation appropriate to the agreed scope.

Depending on the project, this may include:

• Existing and proposed floor plans
• Demolition plans
• Interior elevations
• Cabinetry layouts
• Lighting and electrical intent
• Finish information
• Exterior elevations or details
• Dimensions and construction notes
• Other project-specific documentation

The purpose is to give the homeowner and contractor a clearer understanding of what is actually being proposed.

Some projects may also require documentation or review from licensed architects, structural engineers, MEP professionals, surveyors, or other consultants. Those requirements are evaluated based on the project and local jurisdiction.

4. Build the Finish and Material Schedule

A remodel is not fully designed simply because the floor plan is complete.

Tile, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing fixtures, lighting, flooring, paint, hardware, appliances, and other selections can directly affect both the appearance and cost of the finished project.

Making those decisions earlier helps avoid having construction dictate the design.

Depending on the scope, Delano can develop a coordinated finish and material schedule that may include:

• Cabinetry
• Countertops
• Tile
• Flooring
• Plumbing fixtures
• Decorative lighting
• Hardware
• Paint colors
• Appliances
• Exterior materials
• Other project-specific selections

This allows the homeowner, designer, and contractor to work from a more complete understanding of the intended finished result.

It also helps reduce rushed decisions once demolition has already started.

5. Request Contractor Pricing From a Defined Project

One of the most common challenges we see is homeowners requesting several contractor bids before the project has been clearly defined.

The result can be three proposals that appear to price the same remodel but actually contain very different assumptions.

One contractor may include premium materials.

Another may carry basic allowances.

Another may omit work that someone else included.

The numbers can look different because the contractors are not necessarily pricing the same scope.

By developing the layout, design direction, documentation, and material expectations first, contractors have a more consistent basis from which to prepare their proposals.

That does not mean every contractor will return the same price.

It means the homeowner has a much better opportunity to understand why the prices differ.

6. Level the Contractor Bids

The lowest number is not automatically the best proposal.

Once contractor pricing is received, Delano can assist with bid leveling—reviewing proposals to better understand what each contractor has included, excluded, assumed, or allowed for.

That may involve comparing:

• Scope of work
• Material allowances
• Labor assumptions
• Included trades
• Exclusions
• Alternates
• Contractor clarifications
• Items requiring additional pricing

The objective is to make the proposals easier to compare and identify questions that should be resolved before a construction agreement is signed.

This is also where the project begins moving from design into execution.

7. Support the Design During Construction

The designer's role does not necessarily have to end when the drawings are issued.

Once construction begins, questions naturally arise.

A contractor may discover an unexpected existing condition. A detail may need clarification. A specified material may become unavailable. Something in the field may require a design decision that was impossible to anticipate on paper.

For clients who retain Delano for construction-phase support, our involvement can include services such as:

• Contractor bid leveling
• Site visits
• Design clarifications
• Responses to RFIs
• Reviewing field conditions
• Material and finish coordination
• Contractor communication
• Reviewing design-related substitutions
• Helping maintain alignment with the approved design

The purpose is not to replace the contractor's responsibility for construction.

It is to help protect the design intent as the project moves from drawings into the built environment.

Does Every Remodel Need Every Phase?

No.

A hall bathroom remodel may require a very different level of documentation than a whole-home renovation, structural addition, or major kitchen reconfiguration.

Some homeowners already have a contractor.

Others need the design developed before they begin interviewing contractors.

Some projects require extensive material selections and construction documentation, while others can move forward with a more focused scope.

That is one of the primary reasons we begin with the Design Jumpstart.

Rather than forcing every homeowner into the same design package, we first determine what this particular remodel actually needs to move forward successfully.

Why Plan Before You Build?

The goal of the process is not to eliminate every unknown. Remodeling an existing home will always involve conditions that cannot be fully understood until construction begins.

The goal is to resolve as many foreseeable decisions as practical before those decisions become expensive field changes.

A well-planned project gives the homeowner a clearer understanding of:

• What is being remodeled
• What the finished result should look like
• What materials are anticipated
• What contractors are being asked to price
• What professional documentation may be required
• What decisions remain before construction
• Who will help answer design questions once work begins

That clarity is what allows a remodel to progress from an idea into a project that can actually be priced and built.

Planning a Remodel in Atlanta?

If you are considering a kitchen, bathroom, exterior, basement, addition, or whole-home remodel, the first step does not have to be choosing a contractor or committing to a complete design package.

Start by defining the project.

Take the Delano Designs Remodel Quiz to tell us what you are planning. If the project appears to be a fit, we will schedule a Remodel Fit Call and discuss whether a paid Design Jumpstart is the appropriate next step.