FAQs

Whether you’re remodeling or building a new home, you will have many choices to make. Some will be intuitive (do I want a single or double bowl sink?); many will be foreign (should my cabinets be full overlay, inset or frameless?) or just not addressed (specialty lighting or unique outlet placement).

These decisions will affect your enjoyment of the home for years to come. You will be spending a lot of money on the project regardless of whether you work with Lisa Principe Design or not. I help you make good decisions that often cost no more than what you would already spend. I’m trained to plan for the structural, practical and aesthetic elements that, when united, make your home livable and uniquely yours.

When we’re done, the design is yours to keep. You can use it to shop for contractors and know exactly what you’re getting as they are all quoting from the same plan. I have no bias toward certain brands or styles since all I “sell” is design services and your future happiness.

For the space(s) which we collaborate, you will own a fully designed floor plan, elevations and 3D line drawings. It may also include specific finishes and products (a finish schedule) if we’ve allotted time for these selections. These can be used to price construction and/or products, and your chosen contractor will use these to execute the new plan. It does not include engineered drawings (if needed for structural revisions) or permits.

An initial one-hour consultation costs $250. Kitchen remodel and bathroom plans cost $2,500. This books us for a block of up to 10 hours, which is almost always enough time for meetings, an initial design or two, and one major and two minor plan edits. If we do a good job of communicating, we often love the first plan and have time to specify fixtures and finishes. For most of my clients, this time is sufficient. If you want more time, I charge $150/hour. Projects involving additions or small commercial spaces are priced on a per-project basis.

I’m currently running about 2-3 months out for delivery of a full plan. Don’t let that stop you from reaching out to me, though. I save time for initial consultations, and there are many small steps that we take that count toward that full plan.

I have been designing residential spaces for over 20 years, and my experience is a good teacher! We will talk about your remodeling goals and budget and identify your style preferences. My clients are very happy with my finished product and are anxious to get construction started.

Yes, we can make selections for all the materials that will go into your new space. Those often include cabinetry, tile, countertops, paint colors, appliances, plumbing and lighting fixtures, etc. Sometimes, we have time within our design allowance for some of these meetings. Other times we might choose an hourly rate.

The things I don’t specify are “soft furnishings” like furniture, draperies and window treatments, and decorative items. A good way to think of it is that my work would stay with the house if you sold it. Anything you’d pack up in a box and take with you are things I don’t specify.

I have a shortlist of preferred contractors that I know are reputable and do a great job. Once we are done, I can help connect you to them. I don’t have any control over the schedule or pricing; those are things you can discuss with the firm that you choose to work with.

The great part about owning your own home plans and finish schedule is that you are free to use it to interview as many contractors as you would like. They will all be working from the same, very specific plan, which is highly advantageous for you, as the homeowner. It’s also more likely to get you in front of better contractors (who tend to be busy) because you can show them exactly what you want and save them time.

Details! During the construction of your new space(s), your contractor will ask you any number of things related to small details. And if they don’t, you should have hired a different contractor! What size grout joint do you want for your tile? What sheen for paint finishes? How many and location of light switches? Where do you want to mount towel bars and how high? Locations for cabinet hardware? Many people are either not comfortable or too busy to answer these incessant but necessary questions. For many clients, it’s preferred that I interface with their General Contractor on an as needed or scheduled basis to make these decisions on your behalf.

No, my work often involves additions and their surrounding spaces. Most of my work does start with a kitchen or bath, though. I also do small commercial upfits where a higher-than-average level of design is needed. See some of my collaboration work on this site.

My physical geographic area is North Carolina, and the majority of my work is done in the towns of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Durham, Pittsboro and Carrboro. I work on remote projects throughout the country, but do not generally offer project management services. All decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and in the best interest of the client.

Yes, absolutely! Let’s have a brief phone conversation and see if we would like to move forward. I’ll be happy to provide contact information for past clients so you can speak to them directly.