Where Do I Find a Design?
It is easy to find a design for a new home. There are endless floor plans available on the internet and it is not uncommon for a perspective client to arrive at a builder’s office with several different floor plans that they would like to integrate into a single home. The builder can blend all of these ideas into a new and unique plan that meets the client’s needs. However, if the client cannot find a suitable stock plan or would like a unique design, he should retain an architect to provide the design.
Renovation design is not quite as easy. Your options are to hire a design/build contractor or retain an architect to draw the plans and a contractor to build the project. However, whenever an architect is hired, a contractor should be selected at the same time. That way, as design develops, the contractor can track costs to be certain that the design does not exceed the budget.