Home Remodeling Basics and the Phases of Design Process with Concept Planning

Home remodeling really boils down to one thing, and that is concept of design. Design is both a process and an end product. The design process is a series of techniques used to create new ideas and to define the project.

The end product of this process is a finished design, the crux of home remodeling. Its first stage is a concept plan, which shows the general arrangement of space and how different elements of the design relate to one another. A working plan takes the concept plan one step farther and indicates the exact sizes, shapes, and materials to be used. The working plan, usually in blueprint form, is used by the building department and contractors for permits, estimates, and actual construction.

It is vital you develop the aforementioned concept plan for your remodeling, for it is the very heartbeat of your success. If you hire a professional designer, he or she can do this for you. During your first meeting the designer will ask numerous questions about your needs and goals. Your responsibility will be to communicate as clearly as possible what you have in mind. If you develop your own concept plan, you should still seek professional consultation and feedback.

So you are asking yourself, should you hire a designer? If your job is a major remodeling, or if you aren't entirely pleased with your concept plan, you should definitely consider hiring a professional designer- an architect, building designer, kitchen designer, or draftsman. The many advantages of hiring a professional far outweigh the cost of services. The designer's experience can pay off in several ways: saving money on materials; simplifying construction procedures; preparing contract materials for the contractor; making sure the project meets local codes and zoning ordinances; and most important, creating an efficient and pleasing arrangement of space.

Too often the first cost-cutting move in a remodeling project is to dispense with the designer's services. In many instances this is a serious mistake. The designer's responsibility is to provide the best possible design for the amount of money you have to spend. Even if your project is small or you prefer to handle the design yourself, you should have a professional designer review your concept plan. A few simple changes or suggestions at this point could save you hundreds of dollars and a lot of disappointment in the future.

So what of the design process itself? The techniques used in the design process are divided into three stages of activity: research, create, and critique. During the design process you will be going back and forth between these phases in a continuing cycle.

Research is first. This is the preliminary stage of all design. Research is simply a matter of gathering all the information you can find that pertains to your particular remodeling. For example, your research includes reading remodeling designs, studying product catalogs and brochures, inspecting the condition of your home, and mapping out a floor plan. It also includes a basic understanding of construction.

Create is second. In the second phase, all the research you've assembled is put to use. Some of this information has an obvious, direct application to your project. Much of your research, however, is only raw material that you as the designer will transform into something totally new. Your creativity will develop new ideas and new solutions. Some of these ideas will be good, some not so good, but in this part of the process that doesn't matter. The essential task is to create as many different ideas, sketches, and plans as possible.

Critiquing comes last. In this final stage, you evaluate the ideas and plans generated in phase two. This involves a conscious sorting and selecting process. You discard poor ideas and refine those which show some promise. In phase two your thinking is imaginative, fanciful, and free-wheeling; in phase three it is conservative, rational, and pragmatic. In combination, these two stages of the design process provide a natural check and balance.

This check and balance is what you need to start basic home remodeling with your previous concept planning.