Do you need a designer for your kitchen or bathroom remodel?
Most of our clients skip the designer and put that money into the build. Eric explains when a designer earns their fee, and what to have decided before you go without one.
Get a price for your projectA designer is one of the easiest line items to add to a remodel and one of the easiest to regret. Some projects genuinely need one. Most kitchens and bathrooms we build don't — the homeowner already knows what they like, and the money is better spent on the cabinets and tile themselves.
Who doesn't need a designer
If you can answer three questions today, you can probably skip one: which cabinet door and color, which countertop, and which tile. Those three choices set the look of almost any kitchen or bathroom. Everything else — hardware, faucet finish, lighting — follows from them.
When those are settled, we build exactly what you picked, and you keep the design fee.
When a designer earns the fee
- You're changing the layout. Moving walls, relocating the sink or range, or turning a tub into a walk-in shower. A good layout is worth paying for, because it is the one thing you cannot swap out later.
- You're remodeling more than one room. Several rooms at once need to look like one house, not three separate projects.
- You can't picture the finished room. If every tile sample looks good and none looks right, a designer shortens months of deciding into a few meetings.
What to decide before you go without one
- Cabinet door style and color
- Countertop material and edge
- Floor, backsplash and shower tile
- Plumbing fixture finish (brushed brass, matte black, polished nickel…)
- Cabinet hardware
- Lighting: recessed, under-cabinet, pendants or sconces
Bring these to the walkthrough. Selections drive the price, so the more of them you have settled, the tighter the range we can give you before we leave.
What design help costs with us
On whole-home remodels, design and material selection are part of our scope. On a kitchen it's optional: in our estimator, choosing "I'd like a design professional" adds about $10,000. Run it both ways to see what it means for your project. For a bathroom, ask Eric at the walkthrough.
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Questions people also ask
Can my contractor help with design?
With us, yes. Design and material selection are included on whole-home remodels. On a kitchen it's an option you can add, and our estimator shows what it adds before you commit. For bathrooms, Eric will talk it through at the walkthrough.
Is a kitchen designer the same as an interior designer?
Not quite. A kitchen and bath designer focuses on layout, cabinetry and fixtures. An interior designer usually covers furnishings, color and décor across the house. For a remodel, layout and cabinetry are what matter most.
When should a designer get involved?
Before you get a final price. Your selections set the number, so design decisions made after the quote usually turn into change orders.