When considering the undertaking of a home remodeling project, especially one that touches multiple rooms in the home, we at Merrick Design and Build believe it is vital to the success of the project that you engage in a design investigation and project feasibility period with your contractor. But what is “design investigation” or “project feasibility”? And why do we believe it is so vital? Let’s discuss further.
What is the conceptual design portion of a remodeling project?
Design investigation, conceptual design, and project feasibility are three distinctly separate tasks that are part of the Merrick Design and Build home remodeling process. As a design-build firm, we emphasize the importance of the pre-construction phase, which we will call Phase 1 or the Design Agreement. We will use both terms interchangeably throughout this blog post. (Learn more about design investigation in this post, and more about project feasibility here.)
Conceptual Design
Once our Design Investigation is complete, we move into Conceptual Design. This is the part that is often most fun and exciting for homeowners because it’s the most visually stimulating portion of our Design Agreement.
Space Planning and Layout
In a set number of review rounds, your project’s designer will share floor plans, elevations, and 3D images of their proposed layouts. These designs will be shared with you in PDF print out and using the Chief Architect Viewer App.
We work together to tweak the design to fit your family’s needs and wants to arrive at a single approved layout with no more than 2 design options. We cannot proceed to feasibility until a layout has been approved.
Why is it so important to the overall process of a remodel?
Conceptual Design
Space Planning and Layout
Most people are not able to visualize a remodel the way a designer can. Looking at inspiration pictures can be very helpful, but we want to be sure you know what your space will look like once the project is complete. You may love the idea of something in your mind, but absolutely hate it in reality. By showing you a 3D rendering of potentials of your home before you commit, you can see what you really think about those potential options.
Let’s talk about your home remodeling project.
If you are appreciating the detail that goes into the Phase 1 Design Agreement we use here at Merrick Design and Build, we would love to talk to you about your next home remodeling project. You can schedule a complimentary consultation by calling us at (301) 946-2356, or by filling out our contact form. We look forward to speaking with you.
To learn more about our design-build remodeling process, from the Phase 1 Design Agreement, all the way through to the final walkthrough of the completed remodel, check out our process page.
