How Much Time Does it Take to Design & Renovate Your Home?
During COVID, in the Seattle area, especially Vashon Island, construction timelines are as nebulous as our near-constant cloud cover.
Creating accurate timelines has been extremely challenging due to supply chain issues with lumber materials, window manufacturing, tile shipments, and the like. In addition, most of the general contractors on Vashon Island are booked out for at least a year, complicating renovation planning even further.
Working directly with a designer and listening to input from a general contractor is the best way to establish the most accurate timeline. So today, I’m sharing helpful tips for turning around your next renovation project...
Phase 1: Planning
Your project can’t move forward without creating a robust plan. A designer helps you establish a home's overall look and feel before designing the remodel. A solid plan ensures that your home has a cohesive aesthetic that you can base all your design decisions on, making sure the design flows throughout the entire house.
How Long It Can Take: A complete home remodel design can take several months, even up to a year. The timeline can vary depending on how quickly you make decisions and the number of revisions you make to your design.
Having a GC available for quick meetings is extremely helpful even if they can't start the project for over a year. They can answer important questions, like determining if a wall is load-bearing, which can significantly influence your design. Establish a great relationship with a GC so they can come and answer questions while you are in the design phase.
Phase 2: Procurement
Designing over the last two years during COVID has changed how we operate here at Harpole Home. We now complete the design work and then try to specify and order all materials before the GC can start. That way, the GC can hit the ground running when their schedule is free to start the remodel, with all materials on hand.
How Long It Can Take: Material lead times are ALL OVER THE PLACE. For example, custom window sizes and doors take 3-6 months. Tiles can take 6-12 weeks. Things like quartz countertop installation goes a lot faster, so I am specifying quartz in every kitchen remodel.
Phase 3: Construction
When the GC can finally start, they will have all of the completed construction documents supplied by Harpole Home. At this phase in the project, Harpole Home's involvement is project oversight - site visits checking on projects and answering questions.
How Long It Can Take: Construction phase timelines all depend upon the GC. If they have a large crew of subcontractors, the timeline is shorter. If it's just one person, construction will take longer. For example, if you are remodeling your kitchen, you can expect a completed project in a couple of months with a single person working. On the other hand, if your GC has a crew, it can be done in a matter of weeks.
Phase 4: Installation
If your design project includes furnishings and accessories, then you need to order them at the same time as the windows, fixtures, and finishes. The same supply issues apply to the furniture as it does with windows and doors. It's a long lead time. The project's final phase includes bringing in all the new furniture and accessories and styling your new place to perfection!
Then, the big reveal!
How Long It Can Take: With furniture stored in a warehouse, this phase just takes a couple of days.
Your Next Step
Remodeling a home in real life is definitely not like the timelines on HGTV remodeling shows. First, it takes time to establish a look and feel appropriate to your home, lifestyle, phase of life, and personal style.
Then booking a GC takes a considerable amount of time. It's just the new reality of life during COVID. But going through all of these steps and working on your patience will ensure a beautifully remodeled home!
Ready for a home that supports your happiest life? Let's talk and see what we can create together.
Xoxo,
Angie
