Kitchen and Bath Design Fees & Policy's

Purpose: Kitchen and Bath Design and entire home space planning fees are charged separately from our construction work for two reasons. First, the design process takes place before we sign a contract for any construction work. This timing and process allows the client to get to know us and we get to know them before we each commit to one another for a prolonged project of substantial and mutual financial responsibility. Second, it protects us and our time spent to help clients solve their problem should the client decide to have a third party implement the design, or postpone, or cancel the project.

Kitchen and Bath Design Process: Many design professionals, in our opinion, design for themselves. They will draw up one set of plans then try to sell the client on the fact that their kitchen and bath design is the only solution that will solve the clients problem. Their favorite phrase is "Trust me, you will like it". We find that phrase and mode of operation very distasteful.

Our way of doing design is to begin with a spatial analysis in which we do simple sketches on architectural tracing paper. With these sketches we create three or more unique possible solutions which we then sit down and discuss analytically with the client to determine what ideas work and which ones do not, for that particular client.

Sometimes our client will select one of the original plans. But most often the final kitchen and bath remodeling plan becomes a synthesis of various ideas, that were presented within each of the original or subsequent sketches. This process takes some time, but as we always tell clients, "it is far less costly to make changes with a pencil and eraser than it is with wood, concrete, and stone."

We have found that with this type of analysis done during the design process, the client knows why they are doing what they have chosen. This knowledge makes them more confident during the construction phase, with little or no second guessing themselves, or us. The end result is a client that is extremely happy with the finished project instead of one that is wondering if they did the right thing or made the most out of what was available to them.

Kitchen and Bath Design Rates: Design fee's are billed at $100.00 per hour, with a two hour minimum for the first in home meeting and evaluation. We give each client a general idea of how many hours (high and low) we expect the design part of the process to consume prior to beginning design services beyond the initial visit. *See exceptions

This ballpark estimate of time is based on past projects of similar size and scope. It factors in time for clients to chose between options, but does not figure in clients making major changes to the scope of work mid stream or clients being unable to make decisions.

*Exceptions: For repeat customers and or referrals from past clients, the 2 hour minimum and any fees for the first in home meeting are waived. This first meeting becomes a free evaluation for those clients. We also waive this initial fee to Angie's List members.

Conclusion: This design process for which the fees are charged, ends when the final solution is selected and the information is loaded into our computer to generate a 3D model for review and final tweaks by the client. Kitchen and Bath Remodeling plans, Construction plans and documents are not part of this design process. The construction plans and permits and their cost is part of the construction contract. See below for construction contract details.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling & Construction Contract, Specifications, & Pricing

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Pricing: All work to be performed is detailed, itemized and priced based on our estimates of cost of materials and our labor. We include our margins for profit and overhead in all itemizations.

Fixed Price Contract vs. Cost Plus: Our contract financial basis is fixed price not cost plus.

Cost plus, has become the industry standard for custom work. We have a moral objection to cost plus contracts. In our opinion cost plus offers no reason for a contractor to get a project done within budget. To the contrary, it is to the contractors benefit for the contract to come in over budget with as many change orders as possible. Cost plus is like handing a contractor your check book. Our clients have confidence in us, but we do not want that kind of responsibility.

All our kitchen and bath remodeling contracts are done on a fixed price contract. Our contracts and specs are very clear. We accept the risk and responsibility to get the project done well and make a profit. The only extra costs we welcome is when our clients ask us to do additional work beyond the scope of our original contract.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Plans & Permits: Any project which includes major structural alterations or addition to a home requires a permit with plans which must meet specific requirements by the local building authority. These plans will become part of our contractual agreement, but are only part of the plans we need to make the mutual agreement between client and contractor clear and specific for both parties. Created for all our projects are kitchen and bath remodeling plans which will include cabinet, alteration, electrical, and mechanical details which are not required by building authorities, but compliment the description of scope and details of work graphically, which when combined with our contract and specifications creates documentation of all parties responsibilities in the relationship.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Contract: Our contract is written in English, not legalese. It is designed to clearly list all responsibilities of all parties regarding financial matters, liability issues, and all responsibilities relating to our bi-lateral agreement. I have been complimented by many of my clients in the legal profession regarding how fair and easy to understand our agreement is. Some have gone so far as to say that it is too friendly to my clients. We disagree. We believe that free trade must be based on a win-win relationship with clear and balanced responsibilities between consenting parties.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Specifications: Our specifications are detailed and itemized to follow the same format as our estimate. They are so detailed that we list the number of, location, model number, and color of all light bulbs and fixtures. These specifications, combined with our plans are what give us the confidence that we can make a profit on a fixed price contract. They also, in combination with our reputation, act to give our clients confidence that they will get what they contracted for and then some.

Change Orders: There are two categories of work that fall into the term change orders. The most common on our projects is adding additional work above and beyond the original scope of work. The second is tearing out and replacing work that has already been done under the original contract. This second category rarely takes place on our projects.

Adding more work beyond the original scope of work contracted for is something that is a positive experience for both client and contractor. It means the client is happy with the original work and comfortable enough with the contractor to ask him to disrupt their lives a little longer to accomplish a grander project. For additional work very small in nature we generally just charge time and material. For additions larger in scope, we typically give a firm price quote just as we did with the original contract.

Changing work that has already been completed, is a painful process for all parties involved. It has been our experience over the last 30+ years that our attention to detail and communication during the design and construction process of our projects has almost eliminated this type of change.

Repairs: We do contract with clients to do repair work. Like dry rot removal and repair. Many repairs are impossible to ascertain the complete context of work required until we tear things apart. In those situations and those only, do we perform work on a time and material basis.