Renovation 101: Looking into a Home’s Bones

Our signature service is a FREE assessment of a home you’re looking to renovate

Imagine the scene: A family with four little ones under seven are moving to the area. They’ve looked and looked again at multiple properties, and have finally fallen in love…with three of them! Each one is close to perfect, but they all require a few projects completed before they’re just right for the family’s needs.

They have their own Big Ideas List, which includes items like an expanded laundry/mud room, a master bath redo to include a steam shower and oversized tub, the possible removal and rearranging of a few walls, sliding glass doors, a pool accessorized with a pool house, and, of course, an in-ground trampoline. If there was room for a raised garden and chicken coop, that would be awesome, too.

This is a where Debowsky Design Group steps in.

We love big ideas. Big surprises? Not so much. That’s why as part of our commitment to integrity and to our clients, we offer a valuable service to advise home buyers on the verge of purchasing a property or planning a renovation in the near future. We accompany them on property walk-throughs, review their Big Ideas List, and determine which concepts are fantastic and feasible, and which may be a total flop. We also make our suggestions as to how to affordably and legally maximize the potential of each home.

See, we’re not only experts in architectural possibilities and customized interior design concepts, we’re also specialists in South Florida’s municipal zoning regulations and land use restrictions. A property that may seem perfect in theory, with just a few additions and subtractions, can suddenly equal unexpected, exorbitant costs, as well as scratched plans and crushed dreams.

Real estate is a big investment, and we want you to get it right. Here are the steps we take to make sure that happens:

We perform a Site Analysis of your new neighborhood and home site, including complex and ever-changing zoning restrictions, geotechnical issues, solar climate, and potential views. This isn’t a particularly sexy part of the job, but it’s crucial. We know how to merge your dreams with all those restrictive regulations.
We arrange a mutually convenient time to meet at the prospective home, and that’s when the fun really begins. Starting at the front steps, we take it all in: façade options, architectural possibilities, and a lot of design suggestions. Be sure to bring your notepad and Big Ideas List. We’ll bring our own, too.
We’ll ask questions like, “How do you envision spending time in this room?” and “Tell us more about an average weekend for your family.” We’re not being nosy; we just prefer to anticipate your needs.
We understand you’ve got a budget, and we want to ensure you stay close to those numbers. This is why we wholeheartedly believe in offering our Architectural Assessment at no cost. We’ll walk you through the most affordable decisions you can make, as well as ways to minimize costs and construction delays.

There’s got to be a hitch, you might be thinking. But we’ll pinky-swear you all day that it is totally complimentary. Debowsky Design Group was founded on the concept that we should all love where we live, and we mean it. We would rather have happy and informed clients living among us in our community, than homeowners with unrealistic expectations living in a home that doesn’t match their dreams.

We like to turn big ideas into reality, while keeping surprises to a minimum. As architects and interior designers, we definitely have a soft spot for surprises – but only when they take the form of unexpected sale prices, early deliveries, seamless construction progress, and parties that include champagne.

Looking at properties now? You may need our complimentary Architectural Assessment. Give us a call, and we’ll meet you there.