Tackling a home renovation project allows you to design your living spaces in such a way that they can accommodate you and your household’s changing needs. It can be as simple as converting an unused room into a home office to something more extensive, such as historic restorations or a kitchen and bathroom remodel. You might even plan a full home renovation where nearly everything is upgraded from the flooring and walls to the roof and windows.
However, no matter what your reasons are for remodeling your home, you’ll most likely have to secure a permit from your local planning department. But to get this secured, the department needs to check the architectural plans of your renovation project. And before that, they must first be reviewed by a licensed engineer. Depending on who you hire, some contractors may already provide engineer-reviewed architectural plans, but may also need an independent assessment of your project. This is where the architect comes into play.
Architects are licensed professionals who have experience and training when it comes to building designs. They essentially have a different design approach to home additions and other major renovations as they make solutions that add aesthetics and innovation to living spaces without affecting the plan’s practicality and function. Of course, design-build contractors can also create architectural plans and provide solutions, but their design approach is often different as they don’t always prioritize visual appeal.
Architects offer a range of services that serve different purposes in almost any part of the renovation process. This means they can work on your project from start to finish, which will mainly depend on what you need and how much you’re willing to pay. Listed below are some of their usual services:
Usually, architects either charge you hourly, a flat fee based on a percentage of your project’s overall cost or both. Before hiring one for your project, make sure to ask for the details of their fee structure. If it’s mainly based on a percentage of the overall project, get a list ahead of time about what will be included in that final tally. They may purchase the needed fixtures and fittings with around a 20% markup, but if they can often obtain trade discounts at around the same percentage, their services are usually worth it.
Whether you’re planning a complete kitchen remodeling project or building a new home, most architects follow a similar process when they’re hired. The steps are as follows:
From historic restorations to home additions, from individual room remodels to whole-home renovations, you can rely on Cottage Industries, Inc. to create the living spaces you’ve always been dreaming of. Since 1989, our team of industry-leading professionals has worked closely with homeowners to make the restoration or remodeling process as simple and enjoyable as possible, from start to finish. We treat each project with the attention and care that it needs to be meticulously designed and executed. We take our responsibility as design/builders very seriously, and we know that transforming your home into your dream space can only be properly done with a proven process and the best professionals in the industry.
To get started, schedule a conversation with us by calling (610) 293-9750 or filling out our online request form. We serve homeowners in Philadelphia and the Main Line.
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