Why hire an independent residential designer instead of a builder’s in-house designer?

The biggest reason is simple: you can competitively bid your project.

With an independent set of plans, you can send the same project to several builders and compare actual construction costs. On a major renovation or new home, those bids can vary by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

An “in-house designer” may sound like a savings, but you should ask: Who is actually designing your house? What does their work look like? Will you work directly with that person? How much time will they spend developing and revising your design?

There may be nothing wrong with the person doing the drawings. The bigger issue is that in-house design is often part of the builder’s sales process. The builder may control the plans and your ability to use them elsewhere, effectively tying the design to that builder before you have had the opportunity to competitively bid the construction.

With Fine Line Design, we work for you, not the builder. You work directly and collaboratively with the people designing your home. Our business and reputation are built on the quality of the design and the experience you have working with us. When the plans are complete, you can take that set to the builders of your choice and compare pricing.

Saving a little on design can become very expensive if it eliminates your ability to competitively bid the construction.