Bring New Life to Your Existing Space.

Renovation Design

Are you planning to renovate your existing home or need to expand your current living space? Our talented designers can work with you to make your renovation dreams a reality. Whether you are trying to modernize on a small budget or want a full re-design of your existing home, we are here to help. We strive to bring new life to existing spaces while making it look like it was always there.

Step One

Discovery Meeting

At Residential Design Inc., renovation projects begin with the submission of our Request an Estimate form, which allows our team to learn more about you, your project, and your unique needs. This step provides us with essential insight into your initial vision, goals, and overall project scope. After reviewing your submission, we assess your project and match you with the most suitable designer and establish timelines. Once this is complete, we schedule a complimentary 45-minute Discovery Meeting. During this meeting, we introduce our team, outline our process, and review our company standards to ensure clarity and alignment from the start. We also take time to explore your vision in greater detail, answer initial questions, and gather any remaining information needed to define the project direction and prepare an accurate estimate. You are welcome to share inspiration materials such as sketches, Pinterest boards, images, or photos of your property to help us better understand your style and vision.

Step Two

Site Measure & As-Builts

Once the estimate is approved, we schedule a site visit to take accurate measurements and document existing conditions of your home. This step ensures we have a precise understanding of the current structure before design begins. From this information, we develop detailed as-built drawings that accurately represent the existing home and site conditions. These drawings form the essential foundation for reimagining your space and moving confidently to the Design Kick-Off Meeting!

Step Three

Design Kick-Off Meeting

Once the as-built drawings are complete, we hold your Design Kick-Off Meeting. This session builds on the Discovery Meeting and focuses on your full wish list, priorities, and overall design direction. Your inspiration and ideas are now developed in context with the existing structure, allowing us to begin shaping clear design intent. This meeting ensures full alignment before detailed design work begins and establishes the foundation for layout development.

Step Four

Floor Plan Design

We begin by translating your goals into functional and well-considered floor plan concepts. This is where design exploration and development take shape. Guided by the direction established in the Design Kick-Off Meeting, we develop and refine layout options tailored to your needs, property, and budget. These concepts evolve into a fully resolved floor plan, with careful attention to flow, functionality, and spatial relationships. Once developed, we present the proposed floor plan, review the design direction together, and gather your feedback. Any necessary revisions are completed to refine and finalize the layout before proceeding to the next stage.

Step Five

Exterior Design

If your project includes additions or exterior upgrades, we develop the architectural exterior design based on your selected style direction, including 2D elevations that define the overall form and character of your home. At this stage, our Interior Design Team may also be engaged as an optional service. They can provide 3D colour renderings to support visualization and decision-making, as well as assist with interior and exterior finish selections and material coordination to ensure a cohesive overall design.

FAQ

How long does the full drawing process take?

This often depends on how quickly we can get feedback from the client when we send the design drawings for review. Typically, the whole process takes approximately 2 months to complete.

Is a building permit required for a renovation

Yes, a building permit should be obtained for any project that requires moving of interior wall partition or adding window or door openings, etc. Ultimately, you should refer to your local bylaws for confirmation on what types of projects require a building permit.

Do you include material takeoffs?

No, we do not include material takeoffs with our drawings as construction costs and materials vary widely from region to region. It also depends on how much trim detail you include and the type of finishing you choose. We suggest you speak to contractors in your area to get an estimate of the costs of construction.

Can we make changes during the design process?

Yes, we encourage you to make as many changes as necessary during the design process. This is the phase that changes should be made, as they can take significantly more time to make once we have proceeding into the construction drawing phase.

What if demolition uncovers something that wasn't on the plans?

We make designing a custom home easy, and it all starts with getting to know you
and your needs for your future home. During this first meeting, you’ll have the
opportunity to share the thoughts and planning you’ve already invested into your
project, and together we’ll build on that with ideas for how we can bring it all together.
You’re welcome to bring sketches, Pinterest boards, or photos of your
property—anything that helps us understand your vision. The more information you
share, the better we can design a plan that is truly personalized for you.Renovation projects will always include some unknowns, so this is a very common occurrence. Experienced renovation contractors understand that there may be some surprises when working on an existing structure and are able to adapt to these unforeseen things. If changes are required on the plans, we will work with the contractor to solve the problem. Unforeseen changes like these will be billed by the hour, as they cannot be predicted or estimated for.

Do you provide construction estimating

No, we do not provide construction estimating. Contractors would be the best people to estimate the project as costs can vary widely depending on your location.

Bring New Life to Your Existing Space.

Renovation Design