The 5 Stones Approach
What Is Design-Build?
A more organized, transparent way to remodel your home.
Design-build brings planning, design, budgeting, selections, procurement, and construction together under one coordinated team.
Instead of designing a project in one place and discovering the actual cost later, the design and budget are developed together. At 5 Stones Renovation, we use this process so the project we price is the same project you expect us to build.
What Design-Build Changes
One Team
One point of responsibility from concept through completion.
Budget With Design
Design decisions and pricing are developed together.
Decisions First
Major selections are made before construction begins.
Clearer Scope
Plans and specifications define what is included.
Better Communication
The design and construction team stay connected.
Fewer Surprises
More unknowns are resolved before walls are opened.
Our goal is not to create the cheapest estimate on paper. Our goal is to develop the right project, document it clearly, price it honestly, and then build it with exceptional craftsmanship.
Planning Before Commitment
Why We Plan Before We Price
Every remodeling project begins with unknowns. The question is whether those unknowns are resolved before or after construction begins.
During planning and design, changes can usually be explored on paper with relatively little cost or disruption. Once materials have been ordered or construction has begun, those same changes may require additional labor, replacement materials, schedule adjustments, and change orders.
Our goal is to make the important decisions while they are still easier and less expensive to change.
Two Ways to Start a Remodeling Project
Option 1
Estimate First
- •A free estimate is prepared from limited information.
- •Pricing relies on assumptions, allowances, and incomplete selections.
- •Important details remain unresolved when the client is asked to commit.
- •The total can change later through change orders, compromises, or both.
The estimate may look complete, but the project is not fully defined.
Option 2 — Our Approach
Design-Build Planning First
- ✓A defined upfront investment funds the planning and design work.
- ✓Plans, scope, selections, and trade input are developed before construction.
- ✓The proposal is based on real decisions rather than placeholder allowances.
- ✓You can review the complete project before making a construction commitment.
You make the larger commitment after you understand what you are buying.
From Ideas to a Buildable Plan
What the Design Agreement May Include
The exact deliverables depend on the size and complexity of the project, but the purpose is always the same: define the work before construction begins.
A ballpark range is useful for early feasibility.
It helps determine whether the project and investment expectations are reasonably aligned. It is not a final construction price.
Existing Conditions Review
Site documentation, measurements, photos, and project constraints.
Scope and Priority Development
Must-haves, preferences, investment goals, and decision criteria.
Concept and Layout Planning
Space planning, drawings, and design direction appropriate to the project.
Selections and Specifications
Fixtures, finishes, cabinetry, tile, flooring, lighting, and other materials.
Trade and Supplier Input
Pricing and constructability feedback from the people who will perform the work.
Detailed Scope and Budget
A clearly defined proposal based on the approved design and selected materials.
Schedule and Procurement Planning
Lead times, ordering strategy, sequencing, and preliminary schedule development.
Permit and Engineering Coordination
Coordination as needed. Third-party professional fees may be separate.
The result is a project you can evaluate before making the larger construction commitment.
You should have a clearer scope, defined selections, coordinated trade input, a realistic budget, and a plan for moving into construction.
Curious what happens after the Design Agreement? See our full path to construction, from discovery call to final walkthrough.
Is the Design Fee an Extra Cost?
Design is professional work that creates the information required to build accurately.
The fee supports planning, documentation, selections, estimating, and coordination. It is separate from construction unless your Design Agreement specifically states that some or all of the fee will be credited.
Design-build cannot eliminate every concealed condition behind walls, but it greatly reduces the avoidable surprises caused by incomplete plans, allowances, and last-minute decisions.
The Question Is Simple
When would you prefer to know what you are getting and what it is expected to cost?
Before construction begins, or after demolition has already started?
That is the value of Design-Build.
Thoughtful planning. Honest pricing. Exceptional craftsmanship.
Ready to plan your project the right way?
Schedule a free in-home consultation to start the conversation.
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