Where to Start When Remodeling Your Home

By the time many clients call me, they’ve already hired their contractor, and are trying to figure out why the plan isn’t coming together like they imagined. Or worse, they’re realizing they’re not even excited about the project anymore, because no one seems to understand their vision. What should have been a dream project now feels like a game of renovation Whac-A-Mole.

Here’s the thing: if you want your investment to pay off better than you could possibly imagine - in beauty, in function, in joy and ease of living - the first call you make should be to your interior designer. Not your contractor. Not even your architect.

If you’re wondering where to start when remodeling your home, this is it, and I’m going to tell you why. Starting with design means your desired outcome leads the process.

Let me explain.

The Common (and Costly) Mistake

Many homeowners begin by hiring a contractor or architect, thinking they’ll figure out the "design stuff" later, but by then, you're deep in decisions about walls and wires, often without a clear plan for how you want to live in the space. These are the projects I usually get called to step in and fix because the process has stalled out.

Without a design-led approach, clients often find the project backtracking: adjusting layouts, reselecting materials, wrangling change orders with the contractor, schedules getting off track, and losing sleep over budgets that balloon because the vision was never fully defined in the first place.

What Designers Do That Contractors Don’t

Contractors are builders - they execute plans. Some may sketch or suggest ideas, but they haven’t spent decades learning how to uncover what you truly need and want… even when you don’t know how to say it yet.

For example: you tell your contractor you don’t like your kitchen peninsula. What they hear is "replace the peninsula with an island." What I hear is, "you’re craving openness, better flow, and a social space that welcomes your family in." That may be a completely different solution.

I also go into far more detail than your contractor ever will – measuring every wall increment, opening every cabinet and closet - because I’m not just building a box. I’m choreographing how your family moves through that box:  where the bag drops, where the dog bowl goes, what you see when you walk in the front door.  All of it matters.  From our first meeting, my thought process goes all the way from demo to drapery.

Why You Can’t Price a Dream Without a Design

Homeowners often call contractors first because they want a price. This makes sense in theory, but contractors can’t give you a real price without knowing what they’re building. Without detailed plans, they’re guessing.  These “S.W.A.G.s” (sophisticated wild-ass guesses) often include bare-bones allowances that don’t reflect your actual taste.

If your backsplash allowance is $200 and you’ve been dreaming of handmade Italian tile, you’re in for a very rude awakening. This is how budgets get derailed.  It’s not because the contractor is dishonest, but because they weren’t given the information to be accurate. It’s also important to realize that most contractors aren’t out sourcing merchandise. They don’t live in the world of product pricing. One of my most trusted contractors - hands down one of the best in the business - was still listing $7,000 for an appliance package in his allowances until I gently pointed out that wouldn’t even cover an entry-level range and refrigerator anymore. He wasn’t trying to mislead anyone, he just doesn’t shop for appliances. That’s my job.

Why Architects Alone Aren’t Enough

Architects are invaluable when the structure needs to change - additions, new builds, major remodels - but many are narrowly focused on systems and structural integrity, not the day-to-day experience of life inside the home.

I’ve seen some truly baffling layouts come across my desk. One architect proposed a remodel where the only way to get from the garage entry to the upstairs was to walk a circle around half of the house. Another drafted a 9,000 square foot home with fifty-two interior doors. FIFTY TWO. It felt less like a home and more like a game of Clue.

In cases like these (and so many others), my clients know the plan feels wrong, but usually aren't able to articulate why. It’s because the plans aren’t rooted in your life: your routines, your rhythms, your aspirations. These are the things that turn a house into a home — and ensure your investment delivers not just in square footage, but in quality of life.

Where to Start When Remodeling Your Home: The Right Order of Operations

Start with a designer who will take the time to understand your life, your vision, and how you want to feel in your space. That’s the only way to design something worth building.

I get to know you. I ask 1,000 questions (many of which won’t make sense until they do). We talk about your lifestyle, how you entertain, what frustrates you, what inspires you. I create a design plan that supports the life you want to lead.

Your contractor and your architect are not going to spend this kind of time. It’s not their role. It’s not their training. And it’s not their business model. The depth of discovery it takes to truly understand how a space needs to serve your family is the work of your designer.

From there, if your project requires architectural input, I bring in the right professional and share a thoughtful, detailed space plan rooted in your goals. They ensure it works structurally; I ensure it works functionally.

When we’re ready for contractor pricing, we don’t guess. We hand them a clear set of plans and specifications, and they give us an accurate quote, not a nebulous ballpark that comes with 27 change orders later.

The End Result

Your vision stays intact. Your budget makes sense. The final product looks beautiful and lives even better.

You’re not managing ten disconnected vendors. You’re not decoding allowances or second-guessing decisions. You’ve got someone leading the process, holding the big picture, and sweating every last detail so you don’t have to.

This is how you get the home you were hoping for… only better.

It all starts with that first call. To your designer.

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