What Renovation Mistakes Do Designers Help to Avoid?

Designers Help During Renovations

It’s a common misconception that a Designer is only good at selecting colours and attractive furniture. 

A Designer is a professional whose main goal is to improve their client’s home by optimizing its functionality, safety, and visual appeal. Most important in their mind is to design the home all the while considering the needs and preferences of their clients. 

In our experience, professional design has proven to be a key element to the success of any project. A renovation project that starts with a solid design plan will ultimately run more smoothly and efficiently. A good designer will help homeowners avoid mistakes and keep the project organized from start to finish. 

 

The following are ways in which a Designer ensures your project is a success:

 

Overlooking functionality

Good designers ensure that the renovated space is both beautiful and functional.

A good designer creates a space that maximizes functionality and is unmistakably yours. A space where every square inch is utilized to fit your personal needs.

In addition to being expensive, renovations can take a lot out of you emotionally, physically, and mentally as well. It only makes sense to ensure the end result is visually pleasing if you’ve decided to take on all of the risks associated with renovating.

In pursuit of beauty, it can be easy to overlook functionality, however having an experienced designer on your side will keep you on track and grounded in reality. Designers know how much space you need inside the shower, the minimum shoulder room when you are using a toilet, and the distance between your kitchen island and fridge door. They know right away if space will be cramped or wasted.

 

Getting To Know You to Find a Personalized Solution (Finding the right recipe)

A question we hear often is – how do we know your designer has similar tastes to ours?

Well, we are pretty sure our designers’ tastes are very different from most people’s. Their tastes can be extravagant. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be designers.

A skilled Designer must get into your head to understand how you think and feel. It is the designer’s job to understand YOUR tastes to provide you with the best design solutions.

A good Designer understands that this is your home, and it needs to meet your budget, and your specific needs. A Designer will spend time getting to know you to fully understand why your home is not working for you, and what matters to you most before offering any design solutions. 

 

Keeping the Peace

Oftentimes, a Designer must find solutions that work for several people at the same time. For instance, a married couple. Each may have their own priorities or taste.  A CMHC study concluded that 19% of couples consider divorce at the end of a renovation project. 

A good Designer will act as a liaison between everyone involved, hearing what matters to each person involved, and finding unique solutions that meet the needs of all parties.

 

Visualization

Designers are people from a different planet. They have the unique ability to visualize how a space can look before any work is done, and before any money is spent. 

They can visualize the space in different dimensions, allowing them to see the potential for functional layouts that perhaps the homeowner had not thought of, or even thought possible. 

To share this vision with you, they will create a 3d sketch rendering to give a tangible look at what every inch of the space will look like when it’s done. 

This allows you to actually see the end result before making a decision , allowing you to make clear, thoughtful decisions before committing to construction.

Knowing and seeing the end result before making a commitment will ensure that the end result will not be a disappointment. You will get exactly what you envisioned.

 

Spending – Avoiding over or under spending

A designer will keep a close eye on the different components of the project and their costs through the duration of the project, keeping your priorities in mind.

At first thought, saving money sounds like it could be the right answer, but purchases and decisions made regarding a home renovation are ones that will remain with you long term. 

Underspending in some areas could end up costing you more money and headache in the long run if the work or fixture does not stand up to the test of time. The designer will help to determine the areas where money can be saved, and where it makes sense to invest more, getting you the best long term value for your budget.

 

Selecting Materials

A Designer works with many homeowners, suppliers, and manufactures day after day, year after year. Because of this, they will know detailed differences in materials. Each product and fixture has its pros and cons. With their extensive knowledge, a designer will help you to make educated decisions so that the fixtures and finishes chosen will be ideal for your specific needs. 

A good example would be a homeowner who has found a brand name Kitchen faucet at a good price from a well known store – sounds ideal, right?

With their history of researching and working with different products, a designer can tell you that they have tried to work with this product in the past, and found that because of this faucet’s height, the water is likely to bounce from the sink, and splash all over your countertop.

Or maybe you’ve found a beautiful tile on sale. The designer may look at the tile and note that while it’s a beautiful tile, its type becomes very slippery when wet, and likely to be a safety concern. Not to mention, if we were to install this tile, we would need to create wider grout joints, which would also be a headache to clean!

Designers can educate you on the different fixtures and elements to help you make informed decisions that work for you. This will avoid costly, difficult, and sometimes impossible changes to rectify issues resulting from bad choices after construction. 

Because of their unique abilities designers may often select an inexpensive material that will look posh in coordination with fixtures and surroundings. 

We have seen too many cases where homeowners take on the design role and select expensive materials and fixtures that are unfit for each other.

 

Purchasing & Handling Materials

Imagine having to call or email the supplier or better yet having to visit in person a supplier to order dozens & dozens of materials and fixtures necessary for your project, anything from kitchen door handles to bathtubs, faucets, mirrors, light fixtures, tile, etc. Not only will you need to order the right amount, type & make but also have it delivered at the right time. Imagine something not arriving on time, in one piece or the wrong quantity? You will need a full time job to sort this out! Here’s why you should let the designer handle the materials.

 

Adequacy of Lighting

There is so much more to lighting than choosing a nice fixture. Adequate lighting can make or break a room. 

It can be a tough balance between over and under lighting a room. 

A designer will ensure the lighting choices will be warm, welcoming, and adequate for the space, minimizing dark corners and over-lit areas. 

 

Coordination of the Project – Avoiding Scheduling Nightmares and Stress

Coordinating all those involved in a renovation project is time consuming and stressful. A project that is not organized and coordinated properly will not just be confusing and stressful, but it will also add more costs and delays. 

A Designer has experience in coordinating all those involved in completing a renovation project. This includes the contractors, suppliers, and other professionals. Even with the best of intentions, there are so many ways a project can fall off the rails. A designer with knowledge and experience will know how best to avoid and minimize these issues, keeping your project on time and on budget. 

 

Our Design Process is an integral part of making us the #renovatoryoucancounton. It is our promise. Contact us to learn more and speak to our team today.

 

Our Design Process 

Before and After photos of projects our Designers have completed 

What our Happy Clients are saying about our work

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Before we lift a hammer, you’ll receive a detailed construction schedule that outlines exactly what will happen each day in your home. This transparency ensures you know exactly what to expect and when so you can plan your life around the reno accordingly. 

Our project managers provide weekly updates, address any questions or concerns, and ensure everything proceeds according to plan.

Your project is led by a dedicated supervisor who is on-site every single day from start to finish. Unlike some contractors who juggle multiple projects simultaneously, our supervisors focus solely on your renovation, ensuring your project receives their undivided attention.  This dedication translates into a smoother workflow, fewer errors, and a higher-quality finished product.

Our in-house team of skilled tradespeople is the backbone of our renovation process.  They are not only experts in their respective fields, but they also take immense pride in their work.  They treat your home with the utmost respect, keeping it clean, using only the finest materials and following the highest construction standards. This commitment to quality craftsmanship ensures a beautifully executed renovation that will stand the test of time.

We are renowned for consistently finishing projects on time or even ahead of schedule. This is a rarity in the renovation industry, where delays are all too common.  By meticulously planning every detail upfront and having a dedicated team focused solely on your project, we can avoid unforeseen obstacles and keep your renovation on track.

Go here to see our complete Renovation Process

Renovate

Your renovation journey should be exciting, not stressful. Thanks to our detailed planning and skilled tradespeople, there are no surprises at the end—just pure joy. Our clients are often overwhelmed with happiness during the final walkthrough, and we’ve even witnessed a few happy tears! Many tell us they actually enjoyed the renovation process and will miss our team! 

Even after your renovation is complete, our commitment to your satisfaction continues. We offer a 2-year warranty on all our work and take it very seriously. Every non-urgent warranty request is addressed within two business days. This ensures that any issues are resolved quickly and efficiently so you can continue to enjoy your beautiful new space without a worry in the world.

Our clients often return to us for future projects because they know we’re there for them long after the job is done. We love hearing from them, even if it’s just for a minor repair—it’s a chance to show you how much we care. 

We aim to “wow” you with our service so you’ll confidently recommend us to your friends, family, and colleagues.

We understand how hard it can be to find reliable help for small jobs, so we go the extra mile for our clients. While we don’t offer these services to the general public, we’ll gladly help you with anything your home needs, even after the warranty expires—whether it’s mounting a picture or fixing a leaky faucet. 

Our goal is for you to enjoy the process, love the result, and have complete peace of mind knowing we’re just a phone call away.

Five years after we remodeled her Thornhill home, one of our wonderful clients told us, “Every day, I come home from work, and I can’t believe this is my house!”  That’s the feeling we strive for with every project.

We want you to feel that same joy and pride in your home now and for years to come.

See for yourself what other homeowners are saying about Sosna – renovation testimonials

Quote

Estimating renovation projects inherently involves some guesswork, but we take steps to minimize it as much as possible. Here’s how:

Crystal-clear Design Drawings: Our meticulous drawings go beyond basic sketches and floor plans. They include precise measurements, elevations, sections, and details with specifications for materials and finishes and clear layouts for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems. This level of detail allows us to calculate material quantities and labor hours more accurately.

Upfront Material & Fixture Selection: We work with you to select all materials and fixtures – tiles, flooring, cabinets, countertops, accessories down to the door knobs on your cabinetry – before finalizing the quote. This eliminates the need to estimate costs based on allowances, reducing the potential for surprises later.

Thorough Inspections: Before finalizing the quote, we thoroughly inspect your home’s structure, plumbing and HVAC systems, and electrical wiring. This uncovers potential unseen issues that could impact the project scope, cost, and design. By identifying these issues upfront, we can factor them into the quote, avoiding unexpected cost overruns during construction.

Only after we complete all the above-mentioned steps do we provide a fixed-price quote that we guarantee will not change during construction.

Design

It all starts with a simple, no-pressure conversation – a phone call or Zoom chat. We believe in finding the right fit for both of us. Not every project or homeowner is the right fit for every contractor, and not every house is feasible to renovate. We want to quickly understand your vision, budget, and priorities, and see if we can add value to your project. If not, we’ll happily refer you to a company that might be a better match. If it seems like a good fit, we’ll schedule a free in-home consultation to discuss your project in more detail. This is our opportunity to exchange ideas, share our expertise, and offer honest advice on how best to bring your vision to life.

Consult

As the saying goes, “An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.”  We take this philosophy to heart at Sosna. Our designers and construction experts collaborate and work closely with you to create highly detailed plans and renderings, leaving no detail to chance.  We meticulously consider every element of your project, from layout and materials to lighting and fixtures. 

Our designers educate you on the pros and cons of every element or fixture, helping you make the right decisions.

This upfront investment in planning ensures a smooth and seamless renovation experience, free of surprises and last-minute changes.

Go here to see our Design Steps

29 Questions Homeowners should ask
to avoid common mistakes when selecting a renovator
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