Your home · 10 guides
Interior Designer: problems and fixes, explained by Jan
Jan Revels is the only interior designer member of BNI Preston Center. These guides are written for a Dallas–Fort Worth reader who has the problem right now: what is happening, what to check, when to call, and what it costs.
- What an interior designer costs in Dallas, and how the fee is actually built There is no single price for an interior designer, because the fee follows the scope and the way the designer charges. Here is how each fee model works, what it leaves out and what drives the total. The short answer: the fee follows the scope and the modelFive ways designers get paidWhat a design fee usually covers, and what it does notWhere the money in a project really goes
- The bathroom remodel mistakes that show up years later, and how to avoid them The bathroom that fails early almost never fails because of the tile someone picked. It fails because of what is behind the tile, under the floor and above the ceiling. Here is what to get right. Most failures hide behind the tileMistake one: treating tile and grout as the waterproofingMistake two: a fan that only makes noiseMistake three: designing to the code minimum
- Renovating one room at a time: how to phase a whole house without regretting phase one Phasing keeps a house livable and the cash flow manageable. It fails only when rooms are done one after another with no plan connecting them. Here is how to phase it properly. Yes, if one plan connects every phaseWhat a master plan is, and why it comes firstDecisions to lock in before phase oneWhat can safely wait its turn
- Renovating an older Park Cities house: what hides in the walls and who issues the permit Older Park Cities houses have the proportions and character people move there for, and wiring, plumbing and framing that predate modern life. Here is what to investigate, budget and permit before the first wall opens. Investigate first, then design, then budgetTwo towns, one city, three sets of rulesWhat tends to hide behind the plasterThe checks worth doing before you commit
- Is an interior designer worth it for your house, or can you manage on your own? Some projects do not need a designer at all. Others will cost far more without one. Here is how to tell which kind you have, from a designer who will tell you when you do not need her. It depends on what is changing, and I will tell you when it is not worth itWhere a designer actually saves moneyThe costs of doing it yourself that nobody adds upWhere Dallas homeowners most often get stuck
- How long a remodel really takes, from the first drawing to the final punch list Construction is only the last part of a remodel. Design, selections and lead times decide most of the schedule, and the biggest delay is the one you control. Construction is only the last thirdThe three phases every project moves throughTypical ranges by projectLead times set the floor under your schedule
- Hiring a designer for the plans only and running the remodel with your own builder Plenty of homeowners already have a builder they trust and only need the design settled. It works well, as long as everyone knows who decides what. Here is how to set it up. Yes, and it works well when the split is written downWhat a plans-and-selections engagement includesWhat you take on when the designer steps backDecide who gives the builder instructions
- Design-build or a separate designer and contractor: which one fits your remodel? Both models can produce a beautiful room. They differ in who carries the risk when the drawing and the house disagree, how you learn the cost and how much managing you end up doing. The real difference is who owns the surprisesHow each model runs, side by sideWhere the split model tends to break downA typical surprise, handled two ways
- Before you hire an interior designer: the questions that separate good from merely stylish A portfolio shows taste. It does not show whether the designer can draw a buildable plan, handle a damaged delivery or stand up to a contractor. These are the questions that do. Ask about the process, not the picturesDo your homework before the first interviewWhere good candidates come fromQuestions about money and paperwork
- Your kitchen remodel keeps stalling: why most problems start before the wall comes down Most remodels do not go wrong on the job site. They go wrong months earlier, when nobody drew the kitchen before someone priced it. Here is how to plan a Park Cities or North Dallas kitchen so the build is the easy part. The contractor is asking questions you cannot answer yetWhy kitchens are the hardest room to remodel without a planWhat to work out before you call anyoneWhen it is time to bring in a designer, and when to wait