We recently purchased a home that had been flooded during Harvey. The previous owner removed all damage and did the remedial work and so now we pretty much have a clean slate to work with including all new flooring, cabinetry, finishings, etc. We are going to remove the fireplace and knock out a wall between the formal dining room and living room. We will most likely also raise some ceilings and re-arrange the lay-out in the master bathroom. This is going to be a complete remodel and a major project.
My thoughts are to first work with a home designer and decide exactly what we want to do and to try and decide as much as possible up front. We would then produce a Request for Proposal type of document that I could provide to several contractors to obtain competitive bids. What type of designer help should I seek? I don't necessarily believe that I need an architect, but maybe we do. Is this what an interior designer / interior decorator does? I know some of the remodeling companies offer design services, but my concern is that once I go through the process to have them develop the design, I would pretty much be locked into using them for the actual remodeling.
With respect, I am not interested in opinions on the integrity of the home or repeat flooding or the remedial work done post-flood or anything of that nature. The home had 15" of water in it. The water was there for around 2 days and we have records / pictures of the remedial work that was done immediately after the water receded. The home is 50 years old and had never flooded prior to water being released from the dams. We completed very thorough due diligence during the inspection period and we feel very content on both the structural integrity of the home as well as the price we paid for it. I am really only looking for feedback on the remodeling process.
Thanks for any feedback you all may have!
My thoughts are to first work with a home designer and decide exactly what we want to do and to try and decide as much as possible up front. We would then produce a Request for Proposal type of document that I could provide to several contractors to obtain competitive bids. What type of designer help should I seek? I don't necessarily believe that I need an architect, but maybe we do. Is this what an interior designer / interior decorator does? I know some of the remodeling companies offer design services, but my concern is that once I go through the process to have them develop the design, I would pretty much be locked into using them for the actual remodeling.
With respect, I am not interested in opinions on the integrity of the home or repeat flooding or the remedial work done post-flood or anything of that nature. The home had 15" of water in it. The water was there for around 2 days and we have records / pictures of the remedial work that was done immediately after the water receded. The home is 50 years old and had never flooded prior to water being released from the dams. We completed very thorough due diligence during the inspection period and we feel very content on both the structural integrity of the home as well as the price we paid for it. I am really only looking for feedback on the remodeling process.
Thanks for any feedback you all may have!