The Distinctive Design / Build Process
There's no substitute for experience.
We believe homes should be beautifully designed and built to last. At Distinctive Design / Build / Remodel, we have decades of experience in remodeling and home construction. This experience is the foundation on which we’ve built our unique process for designing and building luxury remodels and custom homes. Our design and construction team collaborates with you to make your custom building experience enjoyable.
Our company manages both the design and the construction of the project which provides continuity throughout the process. This saves you time and money and you can choose how much or how little you want to be involved in the process of building your custom home or remodel.
Already have blueprints? We offer pre-construction services and can help you avoid costly surprises. As you move toward the construction phase we will uncover any feasibility issues and help you make all the decisions necessary to complete your specifications package and construction documents.
Let’s Learn More About Each Other
The first step is to fill out our new client questionnaire. Once we have this information, a member of our team will follow up with more details about how our design / build process can be tailored for your project. If you need help establishing a realistic budget for your project, simply fill out the new client questionnaire and we will send you our handy remodeling costs guide.
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Complimentary Virtual Consultation
We offer complimentary virtual consultations for qualified homeowners in the Charlotte area. Here is what we will cover during your Zoom consultation:
• In-depth Q&A to understand your remodeling needs and explore possibilities.
• Show us the areas of your home you want to transform and share your vision with us.
• Identify the most important factors for you and discuss realistic budget parameters.
• Discuss our design / build process and your next steps.
It’s very important that all decision makers for the project be at this virtual meeting so their ideas can be heard from the start. The virtual meeting typically lasts about 30 minutes and it will be “face to face” for the best possible virtual communication experience – so, please be sure to turn on your camera.
If you’d prefer to have a member of our design / build team come to your home to discuss your project in person, we offer in-home consultations for $250 hour with a two hour minimum. Get started now by filling out our new client questionnaire.
Design & Estimating Phase
Once you’ve retained us for the design and estimating phase of your project, we’ll hand-pick the members of your team. Depending on the scope of your project, the team may include an architect, designer or engineer. Your team will work with you to find the best possible solutions.
We’ll start with a simple conceptual drawing for your project based on the wish list discussed in our meeting. The purpose of the conceptual design is simply to get a few ideas on paper. Then – we want your feedback! Your input helps us establish a realistic budget range and guides the process of fine-tuning the plans, specifications and allowances. Throughout the design process, we will value engineer the project and present you with options to help you keep the project in line with your investment goals.
The final price of your custom home or remodel will vary depending on the level of fixtures and finishes you choose. As we dig deeper into design, we will narrow down the budget range. You will have healthy allowances for custom items so there will be no nasty surprises when it comes time to make your selections.
Final Drawings & Cost to Build
During this phase, we are not only refining the design of your custom home or remodel, but also generating a full set of construction documents in preparation for permitting. Depending on the size and scale of your project, this may include electrical plans, floor and roof truss design, mechanical system design, structural engineering, site plans and more. By the end of this stage, you will have a truly custom-designed home or remodel that’s ready to build.
At this point, we will put together a real price proposal that lays out the cost to build your project. It will include a detailed scope of work with notes about the products and materials to be used. Many times, it will also include some options for you to think about as well as allowances for selection items.
By now, you will have a clear understanding of your project including floor plans, cabinet elevations, finish selections and allowances for items that still need to be selected. The proposal will include a construction timeline as well as a cost and payment schedule. By working with our team from the beginning, we have designed a custom home or remodel to match your vision and your investment goal.
Construction Contract Signed
Once the price has been agreed upon, it’s time for you to sign the construction contract and we will collect a deposit. With this agreement, we will start pre-construction tasks including scheduling, ordering materials and pulling your building permit.
Selections & Finishes
A member of our design team is available on an hourly basis to help you make selections for allowance items at our partner showrooms if you need a discerning eye. Otherwise, we will give you a list of approved vendors where you can select your countertops, plumbing and light fixtures, flooring, etc. If you’d rather have a member of our design team curate samples from the showrooms for you and bring them to you, we can do that as well. It really depends how hands on you want to be during the selection phase and how much time you have to dedicate to this part of the process.
Construction Begins
This is the exciting part as your new home begins to take shape. Your certified project manager will review the specifics of the project with you. The project manager will already be thoroughly familiar with your plans, ideas, goals and specifications. This continuity is a huge advantage and will add to your peace of mind as the building process gets underway. During construction you are an integral part of the build team and we encourage your participation. This will include several on-site meetings to ensure the project is coming together exactly as you envision.
Finalize Selections & Finishes
Throughout construction, you will be working closely with our design team to review your selections before orders are placed. As a custom home or remodel begins to take shape, so does your vision and it is not unusual for changes from the original specifications to be made. This flexibility is a key benefit of working with a custom builder.
As these changes occur, our design team will discuss the feasibility and cost of the changes you want to make. Change Orders will be issued so you can see how they impact your contract price and completion date. There should be no surprises in the end. These changes will also be relayed to the project manager in the field. The team approach throughout the entire building process eliminates confusion and results in a superior finished product.
Project Completion & Warranty Work
Our relationship with you doesn't end after your custom home or remodel is finished. Your project is under warranty, and our Service Manager is available for any questions or concerns you may have. Our goal at Distinctive Design / Build / Remodel is to make the process of building your custom home or remodel as enjoyable and uncomplicated as possible.
