From first visit to final walkthrough

We come to the house and measure. Budget on 60 to 90 minutes. Joist direction, the location of the plumbing stack, ceiling heights, and where daylight falls all determine what a layout can do, and none of them can be assessed from photographs.

• Measurements of the existing space
• What the room needs to do day to day
• What the structure allows and what it rules out
• A budget range, before any drawings

No cost, no obligation.

The layout is settled first: circulation, storage, and where fixtures land. Materials are chosen once the plan is fixed, so selections are made against a floor plan that is not going to move.

• Layout options, with the trade-offs of each
• Cabinetry, counters, tile, fixtures, and lighting chosen as one palette
• Appliance and plumbing placement checked against real clearances
• Long-lead items identified and ordered early

You receive a line-by-line scope of work stating what is included, what is excluded, which figures are allowances, and what would trigger a change order. Signing it makes that document the contract.

Financing is available and is covered at this stage.

We prepare and file the permit applications and attend the inspections. Every North Shore village runs its own review on its own timeline, so we confirm a start date once approvals are in hand rather than before.

• Permit applications prepared and filed
• Inspections scheduled and attended
• Materials ordered and staged before demolition
• Start date confirmed against actual approvals

Carpentry, tile, and finish work is done by our own crew. Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC go to licensed specialists we have worked with for years.

• Dust barriers and protected walkways before demolition
• Site cleaned at the end of each working day
• Bathrooms: 3 to 6 weeks — 2 to 3 for a cosmetic refresh, 5 to 6 for a full gut with layout changes
• Kitchens: 6 to 10 weeks — 10 to 14 for a full gut with structural work

Most families stay in the house throughout. For kitchen projects we set up a temporary cooking area before demolition starts.

We walk the finished room with you and write a punch list together. The project is complete when that list is closed out. The workmanship warranty then runs three years, with manufacturer warranties on materials and appliances applying separately.