How to Plan for a Major Home Remodeling Project

Planning a major remodeling project, such as a whole house remodel or a home addition, in 2025 looks a little different than it did just a few years ago. Homeowners today are more intentional than ever—balancing aesthetics, function, and sustainability as they reimagine their living spaces.

Before breaking ground, there are many steps to take, and you must find an experienced home remodeling team you trust to bring your vision to life. 

Here is a helpful list of to-dos when planning a major house remodeling project: 

1. Create Your Home Remodeling Wishlist

To help keep your thoughts organized and your budget in check, start by organizing your home remodeling wishlist in two ways. 

First, consider each area of your house that needs attention and brainstorm – keep a running list of things you don’t like and preliminary ideas on what you might like. This initial attempt can be specific or quite general. You may enjoy collecting photos – a picture is worth a thousand words! Here are some helpful resources for finding home design inspiration, or visit our Projects for ideas on transforming your home.    

Second, rewrite your wish list in three sections: 1) must-haves, 2) nice to haves, and 3) if money were no object. The third item might seem humorous – and it is – but it also helps keep a sense of perspective about the possibilities. Next, bounce this list off the professionals you are meeting, and add their perspectives to your own.

2. Set Your Home Remodeling Budget

Setting a budget for remodeling your home is probably one of the most confounding pieces of the process. 

Start by considering the funds you have available, have access to, and feel comfortable investing in a significant home renovation project. Know that it is common to significantly underestimate what a home remodeling project might cost.  

So next, be ready to talk budget with your home remodeling professional and modify your expectations based on their feedback. It can be a multi-step process to arrive at a budget and design that both suit your needs.  

In our experience, independent architects are largely disconnected from knowledge of construction costs. 

Design/build remodelers are uniquely suited to assist homeowners in establishing and adhering to budgets. Because they not only design but also estimate and produce the work, they are intimately knowledgeable about the costs and vicissitudes of remodeling and can more easily anticipate and explain pitfalls.   

Design/build firms are also motivated to produce the entire project and focused on helping homeowners make informed design and budget decisions all along the way. 

So how much does a home remodeling project in Northern Virginia cost? Make sure you’re familiar with cost drivers and key considerations when budgeting your project. 

3. Determine Design/Build or Architect/Contractor as Your Home Remodeling Team

A well-designed home remodel will be a pleasure for years to come. Finely done work enhances your quality of life and property values, while a poorly designed project can become an embarrassment and even detract from value. 

You’ll find that there are several types of home remodeling business structures to evaluate:  

Architect/Contractor

Home remodelers (aka contractors or builders) typically do not have in-house design capabilities, and therefore an independent designer or architect would need to be hired. The drawback of this approach is that it can elevate costs.

Architects can become enamored with the design process and can “over-design,” not understanding construction costs and budgets. It is common for the designed project to be significantly above the construction budget, which, consequently, must be redesigned or scrapped late in the game.  Homeowners often find themselves starting over with a new design and a new designer. 

If you go this route, hire an experienced architect whose main business is in residential remodeling, as other architectural specialties (such as new homes or commercial buildings) do not give an architect the skill set required for the intricacies of home remodeling.

The right residential architect, however, can be a huge asset since they have far more training and understand structural complexities much better than many “designers,” for whom there are limited, less rigorous, or even no training programs.  

Design/Build

True design/build firms work integrally, having both architect and builder under one roof and one business structure. An integrated design/build team also has a defined process. This facilitates the flow of information and fleetness of decision-making. The benefits of a design/build firm for your home remodeling project are multi-faceted.

Design/build firms have a good handle on and better control over timelines than independent architects and builders. They can also help homeowners make decisions and selections informed by aesthetics, budget, and availability. 

Note that many who call themselves design/build have neither an architect nor a designer on staff but merely collaborate with an independent one – or even none at all. Ideally, find a design/build firm with a registered architect on staff.

Commonwealth Home Design is one of only a very few design/build firms founded by an architect. This sets us apart and has ensured our almost 40-year longevity serving Northern Virginia, Bethesda, and Washington Metro areas.

The last option is regrettably necessary to mention: not having a skilled architect involved at all. We’ve encountered many projects over our decades of service that have been poorly designed, to the detriment of the project – even of the whole structure – and certainly to the detriment of the homeowner. Enough said…

**For the rest of this article, we will describe the remaining steps of the process based on working with a design/build firm.**

4. Hire a Reputable Design/Build Home Remodeling Team

Longevity matters in the home remodeling industry. Talk to design/build home remodeling companies that have been in business for decades. The few that you will find have vast experience and established practices that facilitate a smoother process and better results. 

Seek referrals from friends, neighbors, and family. Do your research and ask questions! A skilled home remodeling firm welcomes questions. Here’s a great resource to aid in this process: 12 Essential Questions to Ask Your Home Remodeling Firm.

5. Understand Your Home Remodeling Timeline

Do you have a deadline—and is it reasonable? Whether you’re planning your remodel to be ready for a special event, a specific season, or a long-term life change like a growing family or aging in place, timing is everything.

You’ll want expert guidance from your design-build team to understand how much time your project’s design, preparation, and construction will realistically require. Much of the schedule depends on the scope of work and selections. Materials and labor can also affect schedules, especially for custom cabinetry, windows, or specialty finishes that may have extended lead times.

In 2025, it’s also important to account for local permitting timelines. While many Northern Virginia jurisdictions have stabilized post-pandemic, some are still experiencing delays due to staffing or demand. Your remodeling partner should have up-to-date knowledge of each municipality’s permitting process and build extra time into your project schedule to avoid surprises.

Another often overlooked factor? Decision-making. The faster you make selections—and the faster your design and construction team responds—the smoother and quicker your remodel will move forward.

6. Embrace the Home Remodeling Design Process

The design process starts with interviewing you, the homeowner, extensively to uncover as many of your preferences as possible.  

Your existing house is measured by architectural staff, and as-built drawings of the affected areas are produced.  

An architect then brainstorms and sketches, generating many possibilities and narrowing them down to solutions that come as close to your budget as possible while also incorporating as many of your wish list items as possible.  

An estimator then creates a more accurate ballpark. A meeting with the homeowner is then held to discuss both the initial design and budget. This meeting is usually fun, eye-opening, and revealing. Necessary modifications to the budget and design are made as a result of this discussion.

As the design process develops, more attention is given to intricate assemblies such as kitchen design, bathroom design, built-ins, fireplaces, etc.  

Finally, selections are made on items such as windows, cabinets, fixtures, appliances, tile, lighting, hardware, and exteriors such as the front door, windows, porches, decks, walkways, driveway, and outdoor lighting. 

7. Know Your Construction Agreement

An effective Construction Agreement should contain the following items:

• Specifications that spell out the materials being used;
• Allotments for things you’re choosing, such as appliances, tile, lighting, etc.;
• Contract Drawings showing demolition and new construction, drawn to a specific scale; and
• Construction schedule.

Unfortunately, many companies skip or skimp on this important aspect of the home remodeling project. 

8. Understand the Permitting Process

Your chosen home remodeling firm should help you navigate the permitting process, which can be complicated and rife with surprises. The permitting process typically requires building permits from your governing jurisdiction but can, and often does, involve one or more of the following:

• Zoning restrictions, easements, building setback limits, height limits – these come into play whenever the exterior of the house is being expanded, such as with additions, whole house remodeling projects, second story additions, in-law suites, master suites, and decks and screened porches. A copy of your plat or survey from when you bought the house will be required. Sometimes a new plat (survey) will be necessary.
• Neighborhood bylaws – some neighborhoods have additional restrictions and can even require a formal board review process. 
• Land management restrictions – this includes wetlands, grading and limits of disturbance.
• Health Department involvement – whenever a well or septic field is present, a review by the Health Department is required. Though relatively uncommon in the Washington Metro area, well and septic systems can introduce additional complications, so discuss this with your home remodeling team.

9. Organizing and Living During Your Home Remodeling Project

While your design/build firm completes the process outlined above, now’s your time to:

1. Plan ahead for life during renovation – some families find another place to stay or plan extended vacations or trips to other family members’ homes while the remodeling takes place. Others choose to stay put and weather the inconveniences of living in a house that has been turned into a work zone. Discuss this with your home remodeling team and make an informed decision about what works for both you and them.
2. Declutter and pack – now is a great time to evaluate your belongings, pull things out of closets and drawers, and donate, donate, donate! Once your house is fresh and new, you’ll want your things to suit your home’s beautiful new spaces!

Breaking ground and watching your remodeling project take shape in real time comes next. Finally, upon completion of the entire project, you’ll feel relief and pleasure – and it will be time to move back in and start enjoying a new quality of life!

Always remember, when it comes to remodeling your home, EXPERIENCE MATTERS! Commonwealth Home Design has been designing and remodeling homes for nearly 40 years, creating proven, effective, and efficient processes that consistently lead to remarkable results.

Let’s talk about your major home remodeling needs today so we can help turn your dreams into reality!