Remodeling Advice -- When to find an Architect/Contractor, Before or After Purchase

[Anonymous]

Thank you all to the lovely women who advised me on how to live with 8 foot ceilings. I have hope now! So thanks to you, we are definitely putting in a offer on the home. However, the seller needs to consult his family, who are co-owners. So, we have a month to wait for a reply....babies, travel, etc.

Meanwhile, this house is going to need work! My question is: Do we find a contractor/architect now BEFORE we actually own the house? Or, do we wait until AFTER it's under contract? Will architects look at a house before it's been bought to offer opinions on whether it's something that is worth renovating?

I'm inclined to start searching now because a) we're in a $4k/month rental and the quicker I can get the ball rolling, the better. b) If we don't buy this house, we will be another -- and in our price range for N Arlington (~$1MM), whatever we buy will need work -- so I'll use the person regardless of whether this deal goes through or note. c) on the off chance that the work we think it needs is more than our budget (I'm assuming it's a medium, not big job), I'd like to know before we do the contract. HOwever, I hesitate to reach out now because I want whoever we talk with to take us seriously, and I'm not sure if the fact the home's not yet under contract would preclude that.

How would you approach and architect/contractor/design/builder?

Also, any suggestions on above for N Arlington? Work that needs to be done includes new kitchen, tearing down walls, tearing out small windows and replacing with floor to ceiling ones. My tastes run to modern, but I'll settle for transitional as modern just doesn't fit the neighborhood.(I'm not brave enough to have the only house on the block with high-gloss white lacquered kitchen )

[Anonymous]

I would definitely get a contractor in to get a quick look with you before you purchase the home. They will come out for free and give you a ballpark number. That is, obviously, just a ballpark number but much better than no information at all.

[Anonymous]

Before. An architect will do a walk through with you and give you a sense and even schematic drawings (can be drawn in a few hours). Definitely worth it if there's work to be done and you have the time.

[Anonymous]

Before. I know a number of architects who have worked with clients and then all three (or four), the client, the agent, and the architect all look at homes together.

[Anonymous]

Live in the house for 6mos-1yr before you start major reno. Once you've lived in it you'll truly get a sense for the best way to set up the space for your family. I was faced with the same dilemma - we bought a house with great bones but it needed a lot of work inside (hideous kitchen etc). We did the basics before moving in (fresh paint, tear out carpet, refinish hardwoods) but held off on the rest and I'm glad we did because I was able to really identify all of the things down to the minutiae that needed to change...like where to move walls, flow patterns etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all to the lovely women who advised me on how to live with 8 foot ceilings. I have hope now! So thanks to you, we are definitely putting in a offer on the home. However, the seller needs to consult his family, who are co-owners. So, we have a month to wait for a reply....babies, travel, etc.Meanwhile, this house is going to need work! My question is: Do we find a contractor/architect now BEFORE we actually own the house? Or, do we wait until AFTER it's under contract? Will architects look at a house before it's been bought to offer opinions on whether it's something that is worth renovating?

I'm inclined to start searching now because a) we're in a $4k/month rental and the quicker I can get the ball rolling, the better. b) If we don't buy this house, we will be another -- and in our price range for N Arlington (~$1MM), whatever we buy will need work -- so I'll use the person regardless of whether this deal goes through or note. c) on the off chance that the work we think it needs is more than our budget (I'm assuming it's a medium, not big job), I'd like to know before we do the contract. HOwever, I hesitate to reach out now because I want whoever we talk with to take us seriously, and I'm not sure if the fact the home's not yet under contract would preclude that.

How would you approach and architect/contractor/design/builder?

Also, any suggestions on above for N Arlington? Work that needs to be done includes new kitchen, tearing down walls, tearing out small windows and replacing with floor to ceiling ones. My tastes run to modern, but I'll settle for transitional as modern just doesn't fit the neighborhood.(I'm not brave enough to have the only house on the block with high-gloss white lacquered kitchen )

sorry, this has nothing to do with your question, but I was too curious. you say that you are putting an offer and have to wait ONE MONTH for the answer? because the seller needs to consutl with family members who are co-owners? If this is correct, it looks like there is something wrong here. I live in DC and when we put an offer on our house, one of the two co-owners was vacationing in Alaska. . this is why we have to wait an entire day for the answer. my parents live in Euorpe, and when they sold our home in that country , with thier three kids living in three different countries and two continents, gave an answer in a couple op days. there is simply no excuse to make you wait for a month for an answer, if this is the case it does not sound like a serious seller

[Anonymous]

I am an architect and I have to say I love it when I get the chance to work with a client before they buy. Part of what we offer is to help you see the potential of a house, and if we know what you're looking for, we can help you 'talent spot' for it. It's easier for us to give you what you want when there is more to choose from.

[Anonymous]

So, we have a month to wait for a reply....babies, travel, etc.

Agent here who would also like clarification on this.

RE actual question: before.

[Anonymous]

I'm a designer, not an architect, but I wanted to add that I've been to many walk-throughs and inspections with clients before they purchase a home. Sometimes multiple times. The agents/owners are typically really accommodating about it.