The Yellow Door Design Co. is a full service design + build firm. You may be wondering what exactly that means, so we are here to explain all the details! A design + build firm is a business that completes all aspects of your home renovation from the initial design concept to the completion of the project. In other words, we do it all! We consider ourselves to be a one stop shop, so you can enjoy a seamless and stress free renovation. We understand how intimidating some renovations can be which is why we complete all the back and front end work so you just have to decide what you do and don’t like! Our top priority is ensuring that we design, communicate, and execute your renovation to the highest standards and truly make your home dreams come true.

Let’s Break It Down

Here’s a more detailed explanation of exactly how our process works to create a seamless and stress free renovation.

Initial Phone Call

We start every project with an initial phone call. This usually takes about 30 minutes and is an opportunity for you to tell us exactly what you are looking for within your renovation. We talk through all your wants and needs. This also allows us to walk you through our process and what the next steps are.

Initial In Home Consult

After the phone call, we work with you to schedule an initial in home consultation. We come to your home and walk through the entire scope of work you are wanting to complete. Some clients have an exact vision of what they want and others are not so sure – either way this is totally okay! We are here to work with you to create the spaces of your dreams. During this consult, we further discuss your wants/needs, take photos of the space, talk budget, and get a better idea of the spaces we’ll be designing.

Itemized List

Once we have a better idea of your space and style, we create what is called an itemized list. This is the building block for your home renovation and allows everyone to be on the same page. It is a very detailed list that encompasses everything within the scope of the project – this includes everything from electrical rework to some new decor items throughout. We break it down by room, so you can see all that will go into each space. Once this list is looked over and approved by you, we start on the design agreement.

Design Agreement

The design agreement (DA) is built based on the contents of the itemized list. We work with our local crews and vendors to create a target budget range for your project. This is an all encompassing budget for your home renovation. We also create a budget range for each room within the scope of the work, so you are able to see the price breakdown. We create this target budget range to ensure that we stay within the specified budget and don’t come back requesting more money mid project. We do have a DA fee, and this is based on the scope of work within the project. This allows us to start on all the backend work for your project. 

Design Process

After the DA has been approved and signed, we begin working through the design process. Depending on the scope of the project, this typically takes us 2-4 weeks to complete. In this time frame, we source out all items within the design (from countertops and cabinets to lights to hardware to all furnishings, decor, and everything in between), get 3D renderings, create design boards, and order any swatches and samples. We then present all of this to you, and you get to decide what you do and don’t like! Once you have selected around 80-90% of everything in the scope of the project, we move on to the next step.

Trade Walkthrough

After almost all the elements of the design have been selected, we schedule a date to come to your home with our crews for a trade walkthrough. This is about a 30 minute process for our trades to have an in person look at the spaces and produce a final quote for the scope of the work. 

Source Sheet

After the trade walkthrough, we work with you to finalize all the items within the design. Once all the items are finalized, we create a source sheet that allows us all to be on the same page. This  makes it easy for us to keep track of lead times and stay within the budget.

Final Quote & Contract

Once everything has been finalized and the crews have completed the walkthrough, we are able to provide you with a final quote and contract. Since everything has already been selected, we will know the exact price of all materials and labor costs. This allows our final quote to be extremely accurate and within the original target budget range. If you decide to move forward with our company to complete the project, you will be reimbursed for the original design agreement fee. 

Order Materials

Once the contract is signed and the draw payment schedule has been initiated, we then begin to order all the materials for your project. We do this on the backend, so you don’t have to worry. We keep track of lead times, deal with customer service/returns if necessary, and use our trade discounts for your advantage. 

Job Schedule

This step occurs simultaneously with ordering materials. We work with our crews to create a seamless timeline for your project. We communicate with them to ensure the project is up and running within a timely manner and completed in a corresponding time frame. All of this is communicated to you throughout the entire time your project is running. We frequently check in on site to make sure the project is up to the highest standards and quality of work (which we know it always is – we have the best crews!)

Finishing Touches 

After the entire scope of work has been finished, our design team comes back in to complete the finishing touches. We decorate each area within the project to reflect your personal style to really make every space feel like home. We believe the magic is within the details which is why we focus on the highest quality of work and attention to detail in everything we do. At the end of the day, we want your home to feel truly unique and custom to fit your personal style.

Want to work with us?

Fill out our questionnaire to schedule the initial phone consult!