How much would you pay ?

[erosenst]

Can you do something like Ikea instead?

That's part of the issue - there's a fair amount of electrical work, replacing a pocket door with a swinging door, taking out a garden tub, redoing the floor, making a 'too small' shower bigger (etc) that makes this a pricier project - but also why we want to do sooner than later.

[westwoodmom04]

I would not want to invest too much in finishes now if you plan to rent it out for the next five years as you likely will have to redo it again then. You will inevitably have some renters that do damage.

[roobee]

Another vote in favor of waiting.

The reasons I would choose to wait have to to with having renters in your home and the current price premium on construction and materials.

I'd also put it off because tastes and trends can change. If you do it now your bathroom will be 5 years old in five years, but if you wait you'll have a brand new bathroom in 2025! That's how I talk myself into waiting to replace my old car, my old kitchen and my old bathrooms.

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[erosenst]

I would not want to invest too much in finishes now if you plan to rent it out for the next five years as you likely will have to redo it again then. You will inevitably have some renters that do damage.

Sorry - I wasn’t clear. Five years from when we bought it. Realistically two one month renters after we do it - and we know one takes immaculate care of our things.


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[westwoodmom04]

Sorry - I wasn’t clear. Five years from when we bought it. Realistically two one month renters after we do it - and we know one takes immaculate care of our things.


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Ok, that makes more sense.

[westwoodmom04]

Sorry - I wasn’t clear. Five years from when we bought it. Realistically two one month renters after we do it - and we know one takes immaculate care of our things.


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Ok, that makes more sense.

[westwoodmom04]

Sorry - I wasn’t clear. Five years from when we bought it. Realistically two one month renters after we do it - and we know one takes immaculate care of our things.


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Ok, that makes more sense.

[HannaAddict]

The red flag isn’t that she wants to be paid. It’s not sending an invoice or having the pricing discussion ahead of time.



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It sounded like they were still negotiating the project. Most don’t send an invoice right away. I don’t know the timing, but I wouldn’t expect an invoice or having plans in hand, right away especially if deciding whether to use the contractor.


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[HannaAddict]

I guess I misunderstood. I’ve never picked out finishes ever before knowing I was going to use an interior designer (as in trained and licensed not a “designer” who just works with a builder. Finishes are not at the start but sort of classes of finishes are - Ann Sacks tile vs subway tile sourced from home store etc. Even doing a large remodel, with detailed specs, the actual selecting tiles etc. came much later. This sounds very casual and not what I’ve experienced in the bid part of the process. I’ve provided ideas via Pinterest style board of what I like, for them to get an interior designer familiar with looks I like, but we wouldn’t be pulling samples at that stage. I thought she was doing CAD work and an architectural design for you, not paint chips and tile with what sounds like general ideas. Luxury level vs moderate vs. builder grade finishes are the general tiers, with final cost based on actual products selected.


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[erosenst]

I guess I misunderstood. I’ve never picked out finishes ever before knowing I was going to use an interior designer (as in trained and licensed not a “designer” who just works with a builder. Finishes are not at the start but sort of classes of finishes are - Ann Sacks tile vs subway tile sourced from home store etc. Even doing a large remodel, with detailed specs, the actual selecting tiles etc. came much later. This sounds very casual and not what I’ve experienced in the bid part of the process. I’ve provided ideas via Pinterest style board of what I like, for them to get an interior designer familiar with looks I like, but we wouldn’t be pulling samples at that stage. I thought she was doing CAD work and an architectural design for you, not paint chips and tile with what sounds like general ideas. Luxury level vs moderate vs. builder grade finishes are the general tiers, with final cost based on actual products selected.

Right - this was somewhere in between. I think she was trying to 'sell' me on the services she provides, and wanted to make sure I picked out with her etc. DH wanted me to fly back down there to do all that; I didn't want to for all sorts of reasons (travel during COVID, expense, time it would take etc). To make both of them happy (?) I suggested I meet with her while we were still there over winter break. She was also very concerned about how this would price out (adding to my concern of the type of work she's used to doing) - she usually bids at $2.50 a sq ft allowance for tile, for example. The "CAD work" was a general layout that fits the space - but no electrical/plumbing/lighting etc. We are providing fixtures (DH can get through his business).

I would say I picked out 'maybe upper mid range/moderate' (guessing since you mentioned Ann Sacks you would agree!) - $3.60 sq ft for shower tile, low end quartz, $11 sq ft for decorative shower floor, frameless glass shower surround.

I think you also nailed some of the issue - she's trying to position herself as providing what a licensed interior designer would, and she's not. Which gets back to - yeah, the 2.5 hours was 'extra', but I'm not paying $500 an hour for that. The rest I find to be 'part of cost of doing business and bidding'.