How it works
Process
Most of a successful remodel is decided before anything is demolished. These are the stages those decisions are made in.
A whole-house view
Whether the project is a single kitchen or the entire house, it is planned in the context of the whole home. Older houses are interconnected: moving a wall affects the floor above, a new kitchen affects the plumbing below, and an addition changes how every adjoining room is used. Looking at the house as a whole from the start avoids solving one room at the expense of another, and gives a clear plan for work that may be built over several years.
The stages
- 01
Site visit and survey
The project begins at the house: measurements, photographs and a close look at how it was built and what has changed since. In an older home this is where the real constraints surface, from an awkwardly placed chimney to joists running the wrong direction or a wall that turns out to be load-bearing.
- 02
Space planning
Layout is resolved before finishes. Several arrangements are developed and tested against the plumbing, appliances, circulation and door swings until one works for the way the household lives.
- 03
Design development and visualisation
The chosen plan is developed into drawings and photoreal visualisations, so decisions are made by looking at the finished room rather than reading a floor plan. Adjusting a cabinet run at this stage takes an afternoon; on site it takes considerably more.
- 04
Specification and construction documents
Cabinetry drawings, finishes, fixtures, hardware and the dimensions a fabricator and builder need to price and construct the work. This is the point at which the design becomes something that can be accurately quoted.
- 05
Support during construction
Opening walls in an older house always reveals something unexpected. Stephyn remains available to the client and builder so the decisions that follow are made by the person who understands the original intent.
Phasing a whole-house remodel
Not every remodel is built at once. When the work is staged, the order matters as much as the design.
Plan the whole house first
Even when the work will be built in stages, designing the whole house up front means each phase prepares for the next instead of undoing it.
Work from the outside in
Roof, windows, siding and drainage protect everything inside. Completing the envelope first keeps new interiors safe from the problems an old exterior can cause.
Work from the top down
Plumbing, wiring and ductwork run through the floors and walls below them. Upper-floor work done first avoids disturbing finished rooms underneath.
Keep the systems accessible
Where a later phase will need to reach the mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems, the earlier phases leave a way in.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take?
- That depends on how much of the house is changing and how quickly decisions are made. A kitchen where the walls stay put is a very different project from one where they move, so it is best discussed in terms of your house rather than in general.
- Can a whole-house remodel be done in phases?
- Yes, and it is often the sensible approach for budget or for living in the house during the work. The key is to design the whole plan first, then sequence the construction so each stage protects and prepares for the next.
- What needs to be decided before construction starts?
- Layout, cabinetry, fixtures and finishes should be settled and documented before work begins. Every decision made on paper is one that does not hold up a crew on site.
- How are changes handled once work has started?
- Some change is inevitable in an older house. Because the design is fully documented, the effect of a change on the rest of the project can be seen and priced before it is made, which keeps the scope from drifting unnoticed.
- Do I need an architect as well?
- Sometimes. Work that alters the structure or the footprint of the house usually needs a licensed architect or engineer. That is identified at the start and coordinated, rather than discovered at permitting.
- Do you work with my builder?
- Yes. The aim is a design your builder can price and build from directly. Drawings that look good but cannot be built are not a service.
Have a house in mind?
Start with a conversation about the house, what you would like it to do, and how the work might be staged.
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