Before you Begin a Kitchen & Bath Renovation...

Insight and advice from Houston-based Interior Designer, Nancy Charbonneau, Allied ASID of Charbonneau Interiors & Builder, Bill Hughes, Inc.

With 20+ years of renovation experience, our team has learned a thing or two about designing a successful project! And while two decades worth of stories (good, bad, and ugly) could fill a book, we wanted to share 3 pieces of advice that we feel are the foundation for a successful renovation project.

Before & After: the Kitchen from our Meadowbrook Renovation project with Bill Hughes, Inc.

AND... as a bonus, we wanted to give you a peek inside a current master bath renovation project in The Woodlands, Texas with one of our trusted build partners!

We talked with Trent Hughes of Bill Hughes, Inc. about how they manage their job sites, what you can expect when living in your home during a major renovation, and why a successful partnership between interior designer + general contractor is KEY to success.

If you're thinking of a renovation project in 2023, or are looking to interview General Contractors for your renovation project, this is for you!

Take a tour of what one of our active renovation job site looks like, and find the full interview at the end of this post!

LESSON #1: THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS

Living in your home during a major kitchen & bath renovation isn't for the faint of heart, but with the right team around you, it's not impossible. When it comes to interviewing Builders and General Contractors, be sure to ask about what their typical job site looks like.

How often do they clean? What precautions do they take to manage dust and debris? How will their daily work affect with your daily life? While some precautions may be an additional expense, in our 20+ years of experience, it is always worth it... do not underestimate the value of the quality of your life!

Before & After: the Master Bath from our Watertree Renovation project with Bill Hughes, Inc.

LESSON #2: MANAGING EXPECTATIONS IS KEY

Just like any other service, not all Interior Designers, General Contractors, or Builders are the same — every renovation team you interview will have a different approach to renovation and remodel projects, and knowing which experience you're getting on the front-end is critical to success... and your sanity! So, ask to see previous work and dive deep into what is being promised. Sometimes, you'll be able to talk with previous clients about their experiences, too. We highly recommend our own potential clients do this!

the Kitchen from our Fairway Transitional Renovation project with Bill Hughes, Inc.

LESSON #3: TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Renovation projects take a village! With most projects, you'll have Interior Designers, Contractors, Subcontractors, Architects... and making sure your team is cohesive and collaborative can be tricky to figure out on the front-end.

Our biggest piece of advice we tell clients is to trust referrals and recommendations. We have a list of our favorite partners to work with that we share with clients because we are confident in our ability to collaborate seamlessly with them — and at the end of the day, this cohesion can end up saving you a bit of money and time.

Oftentimes, this is because we know how other vendors and partners work, and are able to blend seamlessly into their process. Ultimately, the client wins because of this and gets a better creative product because of it!

Before & After: the Kitchen from our Watertree Renovation project with Bill Hughes, Inc.

TOUR ONE OF OUR JOB SITES & HEAR MORE FROM BILL HUGHES, INC.

If you're thinking of a renovation project in 2023, or are looking to interview General Contractors for your renovation project, this is for you! We talked with Trent Hughes of Bill Hughes, Inc. about how they manage their job sites, what you can expect when living in your home during a major renovation, and why a successful partnership between interior designer + general contractor is KEY to success.

Have more questions, curious for more, or planning your own renovation in 2023? As the leading design firm in North Houston with the only in-studio workroom in our area, we would love to talk more about your dreams for your home. We've just opened our spring calendar for projects, and our professional, licensed designers would love to meet you. Let's get started!