The Thousands of Decisions Behind a Successful Remodel

Homeowners think they're paying us to design their remodel. They're actually paying us to make the thousands of consequential decisions.

Most homeowners don't realize how many decisions are involved in remodeling a home.

They start with something simple.

"We want to remodel the kitchen."

Or: "We want to open up the first floor."

Or: "We want the house to feel more modern."

It sounds straightforward.

Then the decisions start.

That's remodeling.

The finished kitchen or bathroom is what you see. The decisions are what actually created it.

You don't know what you don't know

And that's not a criticism of homeowners.

Most people remodel one or two homes in their lifetime.

I've spent more than 50 years doing this.

I've seen what happens when a decision is made too early. I've seen what happens when an important decision is ignored. I've seen homeowners spend money in the wrong places and then discover they don't have enough budget for something that matters more.

I've seen beautiful ideas that looked great on paper but didn't make sense once we considered how the house was actually built.

I've also seen simple decisions make a tremendous difference in how a home works and feels.

That's what experience gives you. You don't just know how to make a decision. You know what that decision is likely to affect.

Every choice has a consequence

That's something I think homeowners should understand before they start a remodel.

Move a wall and something else changes. Move plumbing and something else changes. Change a window and something else changes. Increase the size of an island and something else may have to move.

Choose an expensive material and that money isn't available somewhere else. Decide you want more square footage and now you're dealing with structure, permits, engineering, exterior changes and a larger construction budget.

Sometimes the best decision is to spend more. Sometimes the best decision is to spend less. And sometimes the best decision is not to do something at all.

That's part of my job.

This is why design comes before an accurate price

I get asked this question all the time:

"Why can't you just give me a price?"

Because we can't accurately price thousands of decisions that haven't been made.

If we don't know the layout, scope, materials, finishes, fixtures and details, we're not really pricing your project. We're pricing our assumptions.

And assumptions have consequences.

I'd rather work with you to make the important decisions first, then give you a number based on what we're actually building. That's more work for us. It's also much more useful for you.

You're not supposed to know all of this

This is probably the most important thing I can tell a homeowner thinking about remodeling.

You don't need to become a remodeling expert before you hire a remodeling company.

You shouldn't have to know which decisions come first. You shouldn't have to understand construction. You shouldn't have to know which materials work together. You shouldn't have to know what is hiding behind the walls. You shouldn't have to coordinate the designer, contractor, trades and everyone else involved.

That's our job.

Your job is to tell us how you want to live in your home. Our job is to help figure out how to make that happen.

That's what you're really paying for

Homeowners sometimes look at a design consultation and think they're paying for someone to give them ideas.

That's not what we're doing.

We're using our experience to help you make decisions that affect your home, your budget and the way the project will be built.

You're not paying us simply to draw something pretty. You're paying us to know what happens next.

That's the difference.

I've spent more than 50 years designing, building, remodeling and solving problems in real homes across Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, San Clemente, and throughout South Orange County. That experience doesn't eliminate every problem. It does mean we've seen a lot of them before.

And that's valuable before you make the decision — not after.

The right remodeling company should be your guide

A remodel can become overwhelming very quickly when the homeowner is expected to figure everything out themselves.

There are too many decisions. Too many people involved. Too many things that affect something else. And too many opportunities to make an expensive decision without realizing its consequences.

The right company should make the process clearer. Not because remodeling is simple. Because you've hired someone who understands what comes next.

That's how I look at my role.

I'm not here just to give you ideas. I'm here to help you make the right decisions, understand the consequences, and then build what we've decided together.