What to Know Before You Renovate
The Decisions Worth Making Before the Contractor Arrives
Fun fact: one of the most expensive times to make a design decision is when a contractor is standing in the room waiting for an answer.
Renovations involve hundreds of interconnected decisions, and many that appear insignificant early in the process affect something much larger later. The location of an outlet may determine where furniture can sit. Vanity dimensions influence lighting and mirror placement. Flooring transitions affect cabinetry and how you move through a space. A chandelier needs to be considered alongside the table beneath it, not selected after the electrical box has already been installed.
So, when should you hire an interior designer for a renovation? Ideally, before construction begins. Bringing a designer into the process early allows furniture layouts, lighting, cabinetry, plumbing, flooring and finishes to be considered together, before those decisions become expensive or difficult to change.
Before demolition, I want the big picture established: floor plans, furniture layouts, cabinetry, flooring, lighting, plumbing, major finishes and the relationship between adjoining rooms. Furniture may seem like something that can wait until construction is complete, but furniture planning often determines electrical placement, circulation and scale. The construction documents and the finished room should be telling the same story.
Budget priorities should also be established early. The latest Houzz renovation research found that 37% of homeowners who established an initial budget ultimately exceeded it; choosing higher-end products and expanding the project's scope were among the reasons. That doesn't necessarily mean something went wrong. Sometimes seeing a project come together makes it clear where an upgrade is worthwhile. But identifying priorities early allows those decisions to be intentional rather than reactive.
The same applies to lead times. Custom cabinetry, stone, plumbing, decorative lighting, upholstery and window treatments don't necessarily operate on a contractor's construction schedule. A beautifully designed project requires those timelines to be considered together so that one missing decision doesn't hold up five others.
A successful luxury home renovation isn't simply a collection of beautiful selections. It's a carefully coordinated sequence of decisions. The earlier we establish the vision, the more confidently everyone, from homeowner to designer to contractor, can work toward the same finished result.
Learn more about our full-service renovation and new construction interior design services.
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About the Author
Abby Fitzgerald is the Principal Designer behind Fitz Haus Interior Design, a luxury residential interior design studio based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Serving clients throughout Harrisburg, Hershey, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Lancaster, York and the surrounding Central Pennsylvania region, Abby specializes in full-service renovations, new construction and whole-home furnishing projects. Her work is known for its thoughtful mix of classic and contemporary influences, natural materials, custom details and highly functional spaces tailored to the families who live in them.