Maryland Area Interior Designer/Contractor/Design-Build Firm for $150k Kitchen Reno

[Anonymous]

Hi all! I am in Howard County in a beautiful historic home and looking to gut the kitchen and adjacent “breakfast area” and dining room (load bearing wall in between it and the kitchen) to make a large, fully renovated kitchen. The renovation will probably also result in some improvements made to the also-adjacent family room, to carry new wood floors throughout and upgrade the finishes to match the newly renovated rest of the floor. Maybe add a gas fireplace and built ins, if I get spendier. The kitchen opens up currently to a screened porch and the job may involve opening up that more and possibly some new windows and doors to this porch and another patio. May also choose to improve the exterior area right outside the screened porch and take the opportunity to improve/regrade the driveway. May consider changing out some original windows to new windows in other parts of the home.

Budget for all of this will be $150k+ (depending on what of that list we really do into other areas outside the interior areas that are the focal point, which I imagine would take it closer to $200k).

I really want to get an interior designer/contractor/design-build firm (and not sure which is best for me) that can do high end projects, though my house is 3500 sq feet and value is probably $1.something million. So we aren’t talking about a $2-$3m 6000 sq ft home. But I’m having trouble finding possible contractor names because most in HOCO and that my network might know really don’t do higher end jobs and their portfolio shows a mismatch for what I am wanting. I think I could get someone to come over from MOCO but just don’t know who would be the Goldie Lox fit for this level of a job.

Thanks for any feedback, advice or names!

[Anonymous]

Just find designers you like and submit an inquiry for a build project.

[Anonymous]

How do you isolate local designers that do work that is what you are looking for? I need some recommendations.

[Anonymous]

You will find out 150 doesn't go very far

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you isolate local designers that do work that is what you are looking for? I need some recommendations.

Look on houzz, in magazines, on instagram and maybe Pinterest. Also search dcum.

[Anonymous]

I think you will need to up your budget for the amount of work you’re talking, OP. Cabinets alone will cost you $25,000 plus.

[Anonymous]

Agree that the budget sounds very low for a high end kitchen reno of that scope, unfortunately. Prices have gotten insane. We are in the process of a kitchen renovation that sounds similar to yours and it will end up in the $350k to $400k range total. We started out thinking we'd be able to do it for $150-200k but were quickly disillusioned. Labor and materials have really skyrocketed. :-/

[Anonymous]

Talk to Aidan Design, they are fabulous. https://aidandesign.com/

We just completed a kitchen Reno and had a great experience. The contractor they work with does wood floors and built ins very well at a good rate.

I agree what you are describing with load bearing walls and such might be more $200k range.

[Anonymous]

Jennifer Gilmer

[Anonymous]

150k is barely going to cover half of what you want to do. What you are describing I tell my clients to budget $275k and if they can do $300k that is ideal.

[Anonymous]

Also what is a "Goldie lox"? Some kind of gilded smoked salmon?

[Anonymous]

I really liked their work in my area, Zen renovations in Takoma Park: https://zen-renovations.com/?utm_source=GBP&utm_medium=Organic&utm_campaign=websitelink


They work a lot in Takoma Park Historic district so i think they would know well how to integrate a kitchen reno in a 1+M $ historic home.

Full disclosure: i did a consult with them to renovate my kitchen in my 1.5M home but i didn't go ahead because i didn't have 150k to put in that project (and i didn't realize it would cost that much). But the plan and options looked great

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really liked their work in my area, Zen renovations in Takoma Park: https://zen-renovations.com/?utm_source=GBP&utm_medium=Organic&utm_campaign=websitelink


They work a lot in Takoma Park Historic district so i think they would know well how to integrate a kitchen reno in a 1+M $ historic home.

Full disclosure: i did a consult with them to renovate my kitchen in my 1.5M home but i didn't go ahead because i didn't have 150k to put in that project (and i didn't realize it would cost that much). But the plan and options looked great

Note that a core of their business model is kitchen reno. They have a very useful small showtoom downtown Takoma park. And they give already an idea of pricing here: https://zen-renovations.com/home-renovation-pricing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I am in Howard County in a beautiful historic home and looking to gut the kitchen and adjacent “breakfast area” and dining room (load bearing wall in between it and the kitchen) to make a large, fully renovated kitchen. The renovation will probably also result in some improvements made to the also-adjacent family room, to carry new wood floors throughout and upgrade the finishes to match the newly renovated rest of the floor. Maybe add a gas fireplace and built ins, if I get spendier. The kitchen opens up currently to a screened porch and the job may involve opening up that more and possibly some new windows and doors to this porch and another patio. May also choose to improve the exterior area right outside the screened porch and take the opportunity to improve/regrade the driveway. May consider changing out some original windows to new windows in other parts of the home.

Budget for all of this will be $150k+ (depending on what of that list we really do into other areas outside the interior areas that are the focal point, which I imagine would take it closer to $200k).

I really want to get an interior designer/contractor/design-build firm (and not sure which is best for me) that can do high end projects, though my house is 3500 sq feet and value is probably $1.something million. So we aren’t talking about a $2-$3m 6000 sq ft home. But I’m having trouble finding possible contractor names because most in HOCO and that my network might know really don’t do higher end jobs and their portfolio shows a mismatch for what I am wanting. I think I could get someone to come over from MOCO but just don’t know who would be the Goldie Lox fit for this level of a job.

Thanks for any feedback, advice or names!

Honestly, break job into two parts. There are rip out crews who will gut the area (contractors sub contract it out with mark up anyhow) now question is are you doing engineer on load bearing wall and permits or just have someone do it after rip out.

When I last did a big job at my house I gutted area, had it broom clean and ready to go. High end guys are expensive per hour. they want a clean slate.

BTW that is pre-covid prices you are quoting. That is easily a 250K to 350K job, many more.

[Anonymous]

Agree with others your budget is way off. We are early stages to renovate our kitchen- smaller kitchen, no moving of walls but full gut and contractor quotes are $75K and up.