It is an awkwardly personal experience to work on a remodel. I’m not often tasked to work with the clients, so I don’t get to know my patrons personally. But I’ve measured my share of homes. This is an utterly invasive exercise. We go through their entire house, every room, every closet – there is nothing hidden by the time you leave.
After taking in all this raw data, the draftsman then commences a silent struggle with the original designers and builders. As we draw up the building, the puzzle comes together, teasing out the logic of its forebears, forcing them to give up their details and secrets. This exercise is an intimate chat with history, made with silent arguments. By the time we’re done, an understanding has been made with the past and a vision of the present condition has been agreed upon.
Unfortunately, the actual design of the remodel is often the least personal aspect of the project. This remodel will most likely be the most expensive modification of the largest purchase of the client’s life. So the design is often focused on what the homeowners can recoup when they sell the house. Not very personal. Awkward. But that’s the cost of living in a market driven world.