Happy Monday!
Today we’re featuring a walkthrough of the renovation on Prince Street with our very own designer, Becca.
If you’ve been following our Instagram, you already know this house boasts a wide array of colors and ideas and designs. The real question on everyone’s minds (including our own) is, will this actually work?
I’ll leave the answer to that question up to you. For now, let’s walk through how we renovate a home- and how it may not be impossible for you to renovate your own. 🙂
THE DESIGN/RENOVATION PROCESS
- Look for a home
Obv. we don’t just buy the first junker on the market, because you never know what may be hiding behind those walls or under those floors. We’ve all seen those Fixer Upper episodes where Chip and Jo discover some unexpected expense or mold or something equally horrible and surprising. We always recommend that you consult people you know and people who know homes, before diving into a renovation. Mark my words, you won’t regret it.
2. Walk through the home
Every renovation starts with a team walkthrough. This is where we start discussing the floor plan of the home and potential ideas for the design. This is also where we sometimes encounter empty snake cages and lice. Just saying.
3. Create a budget
After the walkthrough the design team determines what needs to happen to turn the home around. Here’s where the number crunching happens- and where some of our wildest dreams usually die (aka cathedral ceiling and indoor pools and things like that.)
4. Call subcontractors
After some numbers have been crunched, we line up our subcontractors for things such as installing HVAC, drywalling, electric and plumbing. One of our biggest pieces of advice for other fixer uppers is to avoid attempting to do everything yourself. Unless you’re literally a jack of all trades, this can quickly become extremely stressful and potentially costly. For a list of our favorite subcontractors, head to our Affiliates page.
5. Start the Demo and Design
While the crew begins demoing (is that a word?) the house, the design team gets their heads together on the aesthetic and mood of the space. Mackenzie, Becca and I draw inspiration from pinterest, past projects or spaces we’ve seen. Then we create a moodboard to help convey our ideas to the rest of the team. We never copy images, because it’s a huge priority for us to step out of the box everytime we create a home. However we do use pictures and sources as a springboard for our own creativity.
Here’s the moodboard we made for Prince Street:
“If you do nothing unexpected, nothing unexpected happens.”
6. Begin Construction
Once the design has been formulated we track the budget while the guys get all the hard work done at the house. Every Thursday the team meets to discuss how the project is going, how we’re staying within budget and the next week’s plans.
7. Source and Price Check
Becca, Mackenzie and I source light fixtures, kitchen handles, faucets, cupboards, wallpaper, paint and all the other pieces necessary to pull the design together. If we are staging the house, we also work on gathering the furniture we envision for the space.
And then, we all hold our breaths to see if it’s going to turn out.
Often the cycle of the design looks something like the one below. 😉
In the end, each project holds a special place in our hearts. Each one is different, unique and comes from much blood, sweat and tears. Kidding, not kidding.
Enjoy the walkthrough video of Prince Street and keep an eye out for the finale of this little house in Lancaster.
If you’re interested in hiring our team to design or renovate your space, fill out the form here.
If you’re ready to find a home of your own, click the chat button in the corner or the Real Estate tab above to begin.
Sincerely, the Design Team
