How to Build the Ultimate Team for Your Home Renovation

What Team for What Project?

We all know that if you want to make it to the big leagues, you need a great team. But if you want to knock a home renovation out of the park, it’s not enough just to have one pinch hitter.
The size of your renovation team depends on the nature and specifics of the project.

Not everyone has to be on the roster before the first phase, but it is important to stack the benches before they are needed. Nobody likes a delay of game preventing move-in or clean-up.

Drafting Your Dream Team Managers

Generally speaking, either a contractor or possibly a project manager is the primary point of contact between the owner and the renovation team. A contractor oversees all the construction work, manages the other workers on the project, and makes sure everything gets done on-time and within budget.

A project manager might also fill that role, helping to coordinate between the team members to ensure that the design plan is executed as planned. They communicate the design specs, coordinate schedules, plus manage milestones and delivery dates to make sure everything is done efficiently and effectively.

Whether the project demands a contractor or a project manager, they will work with you to develop and manage plans, cost estimates, and budgets.

Structural Design Players

If the renovation requires major structural changes, an architect will need to be brought in early. They will draw up plans and get all the necessary permits to make sure everything is safe and up to code.

For smaller projects, an engineer can usually assess the structural integrity of the space and ensure proper structural support. Whichever route you end up going, they will provide plans, permits, and specs to make sure everything is safe and sturdy.

Interior Designer’s Team Role

Once the scope of the renovation is established, the interior designer helps with the aesthetics. We develop an interior design plan—helping you pick out colors, styles, materials, and fixtures that will bring your vision to life. If needed, we can help with furniture, layout, decor, and lighting.

We work with the architect or engineer to make sure the interior design elements are consistent with the structural plans. This is crucial when it comes to the functionality of the interior. We work together to figure out room layouts, traffic flow, and materials to create the desired look and feel of the space.

The interior designer and architect collaborate to ensure that the finishes—like flooring and wall coverings—match the overall design and architectural style. They also provide input on finishes and fixtures in areas that require specific structural requirements, like load-bearing walls.

Our main goal as the interior designer is to make sure that the design plan comes to life while staying within the budget and timeline, and also ensuring that it’s technically feasible.

This means that we need to work closely with everyone on the team to make sure we’re all on the same page and aligned with the project goals.

Specialty Interior Team Members

Skilled tradespeople like electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians make sure the final product is well-lit, properly-plumbed, warm/cool, and up to code. The more specialized the project, the more specialized the tradespeople will need to be. They can tackle projects like heated floors, elaborate tiling, and custom cabinets that can really increase property values.

If you have a skilled project in mind, but aren’t sure who to hire, the contractor or project manager should have local contacts from previous projects.

Tradespeople are a critical part of the team. We work directly with them to make sure the design is properly executed, and they give us direction on lighting, electrical and plumbing fixtures, and other important details to achieve the design vision.

How Does JCI Work With Your Team?

JCI’s interior design team prioritizes being team players. It’s crucial that all team members can work together cohesively towards the same goal with the client’s needs in mind. We can’t have any “silos” or individuals working separately.

Collaboration should always be at the forefront, and no one should try to bypass others to make their element of the project shine. All members of the team are equally essential.

Ready to start building your home renovation dream team? Let’s chat.