Condo Renovation Design Process

Despite the challenges outlined above, the actual design process for remodeling a condo is linear and very similar to that of a full home, addition, kitchen or bath remodel. Whether it’s a kitchen condo remodel, bathroom condo remodel or full condo renovation, Four Brothers’ architects and interior designers follow the steps outlined below.

Initial Design Consultation:  This meeting takes place in your condo and is critical in establishing the direction of the project. Visiting with you in your home and having an open conversation allows us to understand your vision for your finished condo. Issues with the current kitchens, baths and floor plans in general are just as important for us to understand as how you want to use the new space. Do you entertain frequently? Are you a passionate chef? Do you desire his and hers bathrooms? These are just a few of the questions our design team will ask. This meeting should be informal and conversational and our team will also run through inspirational images on Houzz and Pintrest.

Schematic Design:  We’ll draft a set of as-built drawings, along with a number of iterations of the proposed design program. These will include floor plans, elevations, three-dimensional renderings and digital storyboards for finish concepts. For spaces that are particularly hard to envision, we’ll give you the option of a virtual walkthrough using our Oculus hardware and software.

Schematic Revisions:  Based on your feedback following the initial schematic meeting, our architects and designers will refine and develop the design package; all of which will be presented at a second schematic design meeting. Typically, within a week of this meeting, clients provide the necessary feedback for us to finalize the conceptual plan. We often combine elements of the various design options that were presented in the first meeting to arrive at the final schematic layout.

Trade Partner Walkthrough:  Once you’ve signed off on the schematic design, Four Brothers will schedule a walkthrough with our trade partners. We’ll spend a good part of a day in your individual condominium and building at large with plumbers, electricians, engineers, and others. These trades women and men comprise a critical part of the Four Brothers construction team so it’s important that we communicate well at an early stage. Trade partner feedback will also allow us to develop accurate project pricing.

Finish Selections:  By this point, we will have a good idea of your aesthetic and will likely have the finishes defined in broad strokes. However, we will now need to begin the process of selecting, pricing, and documenting the specific finishes that will be used in each part of the condo remodel. We will help you prioritize selections by lead time and connect you with appropriate showrooms. Many Four Brothers’ clients finalize the majority of their finish selections in our showroom and office. Others prefer to spend the time to visit tile, counter, and appliance vendors with whom we have existing relationships and negotiated discounts. Yet other clients employee a combination of both strategies.

Construction Documents:  Once finish selections have been finalized, plans will be brought to a level needed to communicate the design intent to our in-house construction team. While some of these drawings are boring and technical, other elements are critical to make sure the final condo renovation is refined and detailed. We’ll need your input from time to time, but our design team will work largely independently at this point.

Condo Permitting in Metro Washington DC

Obtaining a building permit for a condo renovation in Washington, DC, Montgomery County, Arlington, and other surrounding counties is usually straight forward. Unlike permitting an addition or full home remodeling project, there are no zoning, structural or historic considerations. Reconfiguration is largely confined to the interior and the permit can be “walked through” in several hours.

There are exceptions where obtaining the building permit can be more time consuming however. Of note are occasions when the condo building is taller than twelve stories, management is unable to locate the certificate of occupancy, when core-drilling is required to move plumbing lines or when the exterior façade of the condo building is being altered. Four Brothers’ in-house architects and designers are experienced and adept at navigating any of these circumstances.