Architect/Contractor Overlap
I have to re-do 2 bathrooms and a kitchen in a house I intend to (hopefully) buy. It would be my first house and my first renovation experience. If all I have to do is replace the bathrooms and the kitchen, and NO reconfiguration is required at all, I assume I do not need an…
I have to re-do 2 bathrooms and a kitchen in a house I intend to (hopefully) buy. It would be my first house and my first renovation experience.
If all I have to do is replace the bathrooms and the kitchen, and NO reconfiguration is required at all, I assume I do not need an architect, right? Will a simple contractor do? Or do I call bathroom/kitchen specialists? I have no idea what kind of professional (architect v. contractor) I am supposed to start with!
My very rudimentary understanding is that folks who are gutting or re-designing a place will usually call an architect who handles the whole thing–design and construction work. But my project is relatively simple and involves replacing bathrooms and a kitchen that are already in place. So I assume I do not need to waste money on a design professional–is this about right? Thanks in advance.
Hi!
As many of the comments above suggest – there are many routes for you to take. My husband and I are a design/build company in Brooklyn and could give you a price for a package deal that could save you money on hiring an architect / contractor separately.
Feel free to contact us at the information below:
Tricia Martin
347-236-0142
tmartin@wedesign-nyc.com
http://www.wedesign-nyc.com
We are a contractor with experience in both public and private work. If you would like know about some of the project we have completed please email randsconstruct@aol.com
Yes you can manage your own project yourself, but if you want you can have an architect for consultancy but it is not really necessary. I have a architect that does small jobs who is also professional engineer (Certified PE). So please contact me if you are interested.
Thanks,
R&S Construction
I agree you can do this yourself, if you know exactly what you want and can source all the materials on your own. It will require a fair amount of time and close attention to detail, but I did it myself with no major issues. The key is definitely a highly competent and trustworthy contractor.
I think this is a job you can manage yourself if you’re careful and do your homework. I’d start with the simplest job, like the smallest bathroom, and take a crack at it. If you find the process overwhelming, change course for the other bath and the kitchen.
I did a lot of research online for bath fixtures, but then had my plumber (John Hlad) order and install them. He let me know if he thought a fixture was good or bad from a quality standpoint, and it eliminated delivery problems on my end. This was totally worth the few extra bucks to have him handle it. Once he got the walls open, it turned out we had to replace some old pipes, but there’s always that kind of unexpected stuff when you renovate.
I used a small contractor for the rest of the work–he did the tiling, painting, towel bars, etc. The end result was really good.
For kitchens, any decent cabinet shop, and even Ikea, will come and measure and give you plans–generally for free if you end up ordering from them. It can be a good starting point.
Frances, if you’ve described your needs correctly, you could practically get a handyman to do the work. An architect is not unnecessary (as even an architect says.)
As for ordering, I’ve even ordered stuff over the net (tiles, bathroom fixtures, toilet) and not had a problem (or any more problems than with any delivery).
It also depends on how picky you are, and I know I’m much less so than the majority of renovators. So if you want perfection, you’ll have to pay for it.
Frances, I agree that working with a contractor only would be very difficult because most contractors rely on the information provided by the architect or designer to build their work. They usually do not want to take responsibility for interpreting what the owner wants. My husband and I run a design/build business in Brooklyn-we are both architects/designers and my husband is a licensed contractor. A design/build business might be the way to go because you get both services under one roof to save time and money.
Email if you are interested in discussing your project further-christine@harperdb.com
hey eman, not trying to get the OP to save any money by buying himself, only to make sure he gets exactly what he wants. He may want ‘white marble’ somewhere and the contractor might have a different idea of what it is from the homeowner.
Yeah Frances. You got it rught.
denton
i think that the 20% that you save by sourcing the material is lost by the aggravation of damaged goods, untimely shipments, incorrect specs..you are penny wise and pound foolish when you take that route