Homeowners remodel for a number of reasons. Some consider a whole home remodel to boost their property’s resale value. Others want to update the function and aesthetics of their home to better suit their current lifestyle. Many of our clients work with us on a whole home remodel, so they can age in place safely, comfortably and independently. At Vanderbeken Remodel, we specialize in whole home remodels. Our team has over forty years of home remodeling experience. As such, our Snohomish County design/build team knows how to keep your project on budget and within its original timeline. To avoid delays and minimize your whole home remodel timeline, our remodeling team prefers to work on multiple spaces at once. Below is a complete description of our whole home remodeling process -- from the initial consultation through the final walkthrough. After reading this post, you might still have questions about what your project’s whole home remodel timeline could look like. If so, please reach out to Vanderbeken Remodel. We are happy to discuss your goals, budget and timeline.
What are the Phases of a Whole Home Remodeling Project
Every whole home remodeling project is different. However, most projects follow a similar trajectory that starts with an initial consultation and ends with a final walkthrough. Our team goes one step further. After your Snohomish County whole home remodel is complete, we provide both a 90-day walkthrough and a 12-month walkthrough. In general, we break down the whole home remodel timeline into seven distinct phases. These seven phases of the typical whole home remodel timeline are described in detail below.
Getting to Know You Over Phone and Email
First, we communicate with prospective clients through a phone interview. In the phone interview, our Client Care Coordinator gathers basic information about your property (i.e. address, length of time in your home, if you live in our service area, what is currently not working for you in your home and what are the top priorities for your Snohomish County whole home remodel.)
Next, our Client Care Coordinator emails you our Pre-Consultation Survey to fill out before we meet with you for our initial consultation. This gives us a bit more information about your home, your goals, your budget and your preferred timeline. Having this type of information on file before meeting with us allows us to better direct you through the initial client consultation.
Timeline Tip: Due to increased demand for whole home remodeling, the timeframe for scheduling an initial consultation with VanderBeken Remodel is often 2-4 weeks out.
In-Person Consultation
Before the design process, we will meet together at our office in Marysville, WA to determine the main priorities of your whole home remodel and to ascertain whether (or not) we would be a good fit to work together. We also use the initial consultation to get a better understanding of your lifestyle, aesthetic and what your family needs from this remodeling project. This meeting will help us determine
whether or not we are a good fit for each
other. If the answer is yes, we will move into the design phase.
Timeline Tip: We have more clients than we have designers, so the timeframe for scheduling this first design assessment meeting can be between 2-3 weeks out.
Design Phase
During the design phase, we scope out your whole home remodeling project. For those unfamiliar with the term, Rebekah Zaveloff explains scope of work in a recent article for Houzz. Zaveloff writes that the scope of work is “the basic parameters of a project.” This includes the timeline, budget and extent of your project. It also includes the team who will execute your whole home remodeling project. At this point we provide access to BuilderTrend, our online client portal. Drawings, agreements and payments can be accessed through this portal.
Team members typically include an architect/structural engineer, interior designer, project developer, project manager and trade partners like plumbers and electricians.
At Vanderbeken Remodel, our design phase is broken down into five parts, which are: the design assessment, design agreement, design feasibility (where we present conceptual drawings and discuss the feasibility of the remodel), an “open house” for specialty trade partners to walk through the space and ask any pertinent questions, and a specifications binder (detailing out the scope of work) presented at the project proposal meeting along with your fixed investment price (which also includes the proposed project timeline and payment schedule).
What to Expect During the Design Phase of Your Whole Home Remodel
First, we work with the client to ideate specific details of the project. This is an extension of the initial consultation. Next, we compose a design agreement outlining a design/proposal fee for the project.
Third, our Snohomish County design/build team of remodelers with engineers, designers and subcontractors work to develop conceptual drawings, design development drawings and production drawings. Part of the preconstruction phase of every remodeling project, these documents are needed to apply for and secure permits from your local planning department.
Next, we host an “open house” where specialty trade partners can view the project site and get necessary information from our project manager about your whole home remodel. Our project proposal – the final phase of our design process – provides each client with a detailed scope of work report, specifications binder (including as built drawings, new floorplan, 3D renderings, selections and detailed description of the scope of work) along with a fixed investment price.
We provide a firm, fixed investment price that is only subject to change if the client requests changes to the original agreement. Our fixed-price method is the best way to eliminate unpleasant surprises; your costs will not change unless the scope of the project changes. Once the design phase is complete, we move into the production phase.
Timeline Tip: Due to the magnitude of a whole home remodel, the design process can take a while. Depending on how quick you are to respond to your designer’s questions regarding plans and selections the design process with VanderBeken Remodel can range from 8-12 weeks, or longer based on the decision making process.
Production Phase
After the design phase, we move into the production phase of the whole home remodel. Clients will continue to access BuilderTrend to read daily entries describing the progress made on their whole home remodel. The BuilderTrend portal also provides homeowners with real-time calendar updates and stores a complete collection of all contracts and other paperwork related to the project.
During the production phase, our team will complete any demolition and construction necessary as well as sourcing all products needed for your project. Your assigned project manager will meet with you weekly and oversee specialty trade partners to keep the project on track. If any delays occur, they will update you accordingly. The reality of remodeling is, despite all the planning in the world, delays happen. In our post-2020 lockdown world, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are an ongoing reality. The good news is, when you work with VanderBeken Remodel we manage the project from start to finish and take on the stress of all the unknowns, so you don’t have to.
Completion Phase
The completion phase–sometimes called the "implementation phase"– is when we finalize aesthetic details (i.e. install knobs, coordinate the installation of homeowner purchased appliances, hang mirrors, etc.) If structural changes were made to the space, we might also commission an inspection during this phase.
Walkthrough and Final Reveal
Once all details have been finalized, our team conducts a walkthrough of the space. We also provide complimentary 90-day and 1-year walkthroughs after the project wraps up to ensure you can enjoy your remodeled home for years to come!
How Long Does a Whole Home Remodel Take in Snohomish County, WA?
Kitchen remodels typically take about three to four months and depending on the size and scope, bathroom remodels take often take comparable amounts of time. As you can imagine, renovating an entire home involves all the steps listed above – multiplied by each room that needs renovating, often landing in the eight to ten month (+/-) time span. This is why our team renovates several spaces at once to reduce your overall cost and shrink your timeline. Bathroom and kitchen renovations can occur almost simultaneously, and our subcontractors can work where they are needed. Carpentry, new flooring, and paint in other areas of the home can be done at the same time.
But how long does it take to remodel a whole home in Snohomish County? Our team works on several spaces at once. However, most whole home remodels still take a bit longer than the typical kitchen or bathroom remodel. Whole home remodels can take anywhere from a few months to a year. This all depends on the scope of your project. A whole home remodel involving minor updates to help homeowners age in place will take less time than a complete structural overhaul.
Curious what a whole home remodel might cost? Our Home Remodeling Cost Guide should give you a good idea of what to expect.
Partner with VanderBeken Remodel for Your Whole Home Remodel
Embarking on a whole home remodel can be complicated, stressful and expensive. Working with the right Snohomish County design/build remodeler removes any guesswork from the equation. As Brett Martin notes in an article for House Beautiful, "a lot of it comes down to communication." The right remodeler will keep you informed at every stage of the process. They will make sure you know when demolition, construction and installation will occur. Our team works with you from the very beginning to ensure the project goes smoothly -- keeping on track and within budget. Go ahead and book an introductory phone call with our Client Care Coordinator today to get started on your whole home remodel, or explore our completed home remodels.
