lowndes Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 We are in the early stages of deciding who to hire to expand our Heights home. Basically adding a 2nd story master suite addition and reworking the downstairs a tad. This is our first renovation project. Seems like a lot of the signs I see for renovations in the Heights are design build firms (and from the looks of it they do really nice work). Are there any benefits to going with a architect and then choosing your own general contractor over the design build route? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Full disclosure: I'm an architect. And I'll always say "hire an architect" however... A few questions remain to be asked of you:-age of home-budget-how large is this addition & renovation? 1,000 sq feet? 500 sq feet? 140 sq feet? I would approach this issue with the idea that a design build might work. First, find a contractor or architect (who you like) and ask them about their counterparts, and if they've ever done any design build work. You needn't select "XYZ Design Build of the Heights" because you see alot of their signs up. And a "pretty" exterior and neat looking kitchen is not always conducive to quality. Every newly finished building will look nice and neat on the outside. What we've found - particularly in the Heights - is that many of those "cutesy wootsey" Faux-torian homes are not as great on the inside once you start having to think about "How the heck am I going to LIVE in this?" Livability and cost are key. A good design+build team can keep the budget within the means from the get-go. Rather than say, having to revise plans post-construction bid after all 4 of the contractors come in $200k higher than what you ever imagined spending! We've done some design+build in the past - currently have a town home under construct in Galveston that we worked extensively with the contractor on to keep things within a tight budget. Budget is key, understanding that construction today is expensive. Feel free to message me privately if you want more information, or if you have any specific questions. I'm happy to help, and hopefully get you pointed in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowndes Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share Posted May 28, 2014 Thanks for the message. I just sent you a PM. To answer a few of the questions our house is a 1940s bungalow that is a 2/2. We are looking to expand it to a 3/2 with study and screened in back porch by mainly adding a master suite upstairs (which will include the study). Downstairs we are mainly knocking down a few non load bearing walls and expanding the kitchen backwards and adding the screened porch to the back. My guess is the total new square footage will be right around 1000 square feet. Our hope is to keep this project around $200K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeTX Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Having just attended my first HAHC meeting to voice my opinion on a CoA, I would HIGHLY recommend using a firm that is familiar with ALL the gyrations involved in getting pass this process. I went home that evening and told my husband we would never remodel or do new construction in a historic district cause it was WAY TOO much chaos in the whole process. Saw a lot of worn out folks dealing with this whole process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowndes Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share Posted May 28, 2014 Having just attended my first HAHC meeting to voice my opinion on a CoA, I would HIGHLY recommend using a firm that is familiar with ALL the gyrations involved in getting pass this process. I went home that evening and told my husband we would never remodel or do new construction in a historic district cause it was WAY TOO much chaos in the whole process. Saw a lot of worn out folks dealing with this whole process. Thanks, I have heard the same thing. Fortunately for us we are located about 4 houses outside of the historic district so do not have deal with that. Just the City of Houston is my understanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Then it will be easier for you. Otherwise always hire an architectural firm who is used to historical preservation. I should add - probably quite a few architectural firms would be interested in design+build - just ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Hiring your own GC should be cheaper as long as you get someone who is reputable and does good work. A lot of the design build firms that do a lot of work in the Heights are very expensive. But most will be happy to draw up your plans and then hand it over to your GC. I am actually planning on going with a design build and forking over a bit of a premium, mostly for the piece of mind. GCs are a dime a dozen and come and go with the wind. But the Heights design build firms that do a lot of work in the neighborhood have grown roots and are here to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Design+Build needn't be ONLY firms currently doing work in the Heights. My firm has done design+build (I love using the plus symbol) before and we do not exclusively work in that fashion. Many architects will be able to approached and asked about whether this is something they would consider. Coincidentally I recall a few years ago reading about this very topic, and how architects need to start approaching jobs with this type of service in mind. Oddly enough it was in an AIA publication. By the by, GC's in Houston are so busy right now that no one will be very "cheap." And I just can't say it loud enough -- hire professionals when in doubt. It never ceases to amaze me that people wouldn't ever give second thought to requesting professionals when spending $50k, 100k or more for medical or legal work, yet they scoff at the idea of hiring an architect when spending the same amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I'm not an architect, but I have owned a house built in 1923 for the last 25 years. I agree with everything arche_757 has posted on this thread. All I can add is to talk to some of your neighbors whose remodeling jobs you like to get their comments on how the process went, how they feel about the results, and whether or not they'd recommend whoever did the work. Also, since this is your first project - It is a very stressful thing to do. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but just be aware that there will be surprises along the way, most of which will add money or time (or both) to the project. I have a friend who re-did his own very old house top to bottom while still living there. The only way they maintained their sanity was they had one room they started and finished first, before any other work was done. They called it their oasis, and would retreat to it and repeat over and over, "it will all look like this some day." Second, make sure that all the details of the work are agreed upon, and that you have a firm understanding of the budget, the scope of work, and the schedule - all of which need to be incorporated into your written agreement. Third, my experience is that there are three major components to this kind of project - Money, schedule, and quality. If by the time you finish you hit two out of three, and get somewhere in the neighborhood on the third, you will have done well. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I am an architect also and I have to give a +1 to arche_757's comments (+ I got to use the "+" sign too which I also like ). The design build route can be especially effective if you know what you want and how much you want to spend. I've worked on design+build projects too, although none were private residential, and was especially impressed with the way these projects stayed on time and on budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Builders blame architects for designing things their clients cant afford and architects blame builders for being behind schedule and over-budget. Having just completed a design/build, I will say that we were both behind schedule and over-budget. But in Houston today, its difficult, to find trades who will finish on time and on budget...there is just too much work out there, and if they find a better job, yours will get the back seat while the higher paying job starts driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SumWalk Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 The key to not blowing you remodeling budget is careful planning. As you work on a budget with a builder, ask the firm to supply a breakdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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