Interior designers are skilled professionals who understand the art and science of redesigning a home. If it is time to build an addition, finish your basement, remodel your bathroom, remodel your kitchen, or replace your flooring, the thought of hiring one has crossed your mind. Although you don’t absolutely need an interior designer to renovate your home, we would never discourage anyone from hiring one. Their services come with a lot of advantages. Their expertise can save you a lot of time and money and prevent decision fatigue.
What’s the Difference Between Hiring a Designer or an Architect?
Designers are trained to design the interior of a home. Like architects and contractors, they are experienced in dealing with building codes, planning for functionality of a space, and pulling permits. They know how to manage remodeling projects for busy homeowners. Designers focus on the aesthetics of a home. But not decor.
Architects are trained extensively in the structure, and exterior of all types of buildings. They are experts in design theory, structural engineering, and project management. They can design any type of building, not just a home. With that said, if you are not remodeling the exterior or your home, or altering the structure, an architect is not necessary. However, most architects are also designers. But for most homeowners, hiring an architect is an unnecessary expense. If you wanted an architect to oversee all of your project, it would add 5-10% to the cost of your home remodel.
Architects are especially useful if you are building an addition onto an old home. They have a great understanding of old structures, and could help make the old aesthetic seamlessly blend into the new construction. An architect is very skilled at coming up with creative solutions to complex building design problems. In addition, an architect can foresee many problems that other professionals can’t until they are in the construction process. This can potentially save homeowners a considerable amount of money on their renovation project. If you are planning on expanding your home in a big way, you may need an architect on your team.
If you hired them both, the designer would create an interior design that fits within the plans that the architect draws up. However, designers are not architects.
Is an Interior Designer The Same as an Interior Decorator?
Interior designers are not interior decorators. A designer helps you put together the aesthetic of the room itself. An interior decorator helps you fill that room with beautiful furniture and furnishings. An interior designer would help you choose the perfect subway tile for your custom backsplash. An interior decorator would help you choose the perfect shower curtain, window curtains, and artwork to place in your new bathroom.
Do I Need to Hire an Interior Designer Before I Remodel?
The answer is no. We have helped design thousands of kitchens, bathrooms, and basements with thousands of homeowners who are thrilled with the design and the finished product of our work. But if you are looking to create a room, or a home, that really stands out, and you don’t have the time or energy to make every decision yourself, you should call a designer. They will ensure that your remodel goes smoothly, and with a lot less energy from you. Designers can be making decisions based on your tastes while you are working or spending time with your family. Your designer may deal with contractors, local permit offices, and everyone else involved in your remodeling project to take those tasks off of your plate. For a busy professional, hiring a designer or architect may be the best choice. But keep in mind that their influence is going to be a part of your home for a very long time. If you want your home remodel to be totally your own, to reflect your choices alone, you’ll have to do all of the leg work yourself.
Interior designers are not trained in architecture, engineering, or theory, but they are experts at understanding people’s behaviors and lifestyle. This knowledge allows them to create the most beautiful and functional interiors possible. An experienced designer will consider things that the average homeowner would not think of. An interior designers plans will be reviewed by a structural engineer to ensure that they are sound.
How Can an Interior Designer Save You Money?
The most important question to ask yourself before hiring a designer or architect is: Can you fit it into your budget?
If so, by all means. We have worked with many interior designers to transform homes into functional works of art. Designers often save homeowners money by identifying problems in advance. A homeowners may want to create a partial wall between their kitchen and dining room where there isn’t one presently. If the contractor isn’t fully informed, the doorway might be designed too narrow to fit the dining table back into the room after the renovation. Then you have to call your contractor back in to fix it, and pay for a back charge. Designers help to avoid these back charges because they know exactly what to look for in each room to prevent them.
But don’t forget that when you hire a designer, you are sacrificing some agency. If you truly want your home to reflect you as a person, you should be in charge of the design. With some help from your friendly local contractor. Unfortunately, we have to limit homeowner’s plans for their homes to reality. The laws of physics won’t allow for every creative idea that a homeowners has, and it’s our job to find a compromise between the dream, and what is physically possible.
The Takeaway
You don’t need to hire a designer or architect for a home remodel, but depending on your individual needs, it may be very beneficial. It will be an added cost, but it can save other unforeseen costs, and it can add a layer of beauty to your home that can’t be had any other way.
Do you need to remodel or renovate your home in Southern Indiana? Don’t hesitate to call us here at Flooring Masters & Professional Remodelers. We provide you with the best options for perfect floors and other renovations. Schedule a free estimate today!
