FAQs

Do you have questions about doing a home remodel with Thayer Design Build? Here are the answers to our most commonly-asked questions.

General FAQs

We are a residential design-build company that specializes in home remodels. Our specialties are kitchens, bathrooms, whole homes, and additions. We do not work on apartments or manufactured homes, perform commercial remodeling, or provide handyman work (unless it’s for a past client as part of their aftercare benefit).

Yes. We’ll gladly put you in touch with our past customers who can verify both our work and their experience with Thayer. You can also check out their testimonial videos!

It comes down to scope and values:

  • Scope: We specialize in home remodels and additions. We are not the right fit for commercial projects, new home builds, or handyman services.
  • Values: If you value exceptional service, high-quality craftsmanship, and a process that stays on time and on budget, we’re a great fit. If you’re looking for the lowest-cost option, such as a quick rental property update, we likely aren’t the right match. Our goal, first and foremost, is to help homeowners love their homes again, not to improve rental properties or to prepare a home for sale.

Yes! We start with an initial phone call to determine if it makes sense to move forward. If it does, we offer a free in-home consultation to discuss your remodeling needs. Based on this meeting, we may provide a written estimate.

Absolutely! We’re happy to build from existing plans. Even when homeowners come with a full set of drawings, we often find value in reviewing the details to ensure a smooth build process. This may involve finalizing specifications, value engineering, or addressing other key planning details.

Timelines vary based on the project type and scope, but here’s a general guideline:

While these are typical timelines, unique project factors may affect the duration.

Process and Project Planning

Design-build is a streamlined project delivery method where one team handles both the design and construction phases under a single contract. This approach eliminates the disconnect between architects and builders, reducing delays, miscommunication, and cost overruns.

At Thayer Design Build, we guide you through every step—design, planning, budgeting, and construction—ensuring a seamless process. By working with one dedicated team from start to finish, your project stays on track, on budget, and aligned with your vision.

Our team manages all levels of planning and execution. Your main role is to attend meetings, make design decisions alongside our team, and approve selections in a timely manner so we can keep your project moving forward. The more decisive you are, the smoother the process runs. Paying invoices on schedule also helps keep everything moving forward.

Success in staying on budget and schedule starts with detailed planning. During the design phase, we thoroughly define the project scope, costs, and schedule. By addressing potential challenges upfront, we minimize surprises and ensure a smooth construction phase.

It depends on the scope of work.

Major renovations (such as a whole-home remodel): You’ll likely need to vacate.

Smaller projects (like a single kitchen or bathroom remodel): You can typically remain in your home. We are very accommodating when working in homes that are owner-occupied 

For clients who need temporary housing, we offer The Cloverland Guesthouse, a fully furnished rental available exclusively to our clients during construction.

Yes! As a full-service design-build firm, we take care of everything, including:

  • Creating drawings, scopes of work, and specifications
  • Coordinating engineering, as needed
  • Obtaining permits
  • Managing all required inspections during construction

Our team ensures all work is compliant and up to code, so you don’t have to worry about the details.

Our team handles many issues without needing to involve you—it’s part of our job. If something requires extra work and budget, we’ll discuss options with you, issue a change order, and adjust the schedule, if needed.

During the design phase, clients can expect scheduled in-person meetings complemented by weekly summary updates to keep the process clear and collaborative. Once construction begins, communication continues with daily verbal and written updates that outline what was completed that day and what’s planned for the following day.

Cost & Payments

This is entirely project-specific and can range from $10,000 to $500,000+ depending on scope, timelines, etc. If you’d like to get an idea for project-specific pricing based on our real project numbers, download our cost guide. However, the best way to get accurate cost estimates for your home remodel is to schedule time to talk.

We begin with a ballpark estimate based on a general scope and key assumptions. During design, we plan every detail and gather firm pricing, which allows us to create a fixed-price agreement.

The design phase allows us to identify and understand all the variables, making it possible to offer fixed-price agreements with confidence. We occasionally do time-and-materials (T&M) work for simple handyman tasks, but only as a courtesy for past clients—it’s not something we typically offer to the general public.

It depends on the type of change order. Some are no-cost change orders, simply documenting changes that don’t significantly impact the project budget. Others involve additional costs based on the scope of the work and are paid at the time the change order is approved and initiated.

Materials & Design

Yes, you can- However, we recommend leaning on our professional designers for all design decisions. They’re trained to make selections that align with your vision, budget, and overall design cohesion. It usually leads to a better final result.

Our process is collaborative and supportive. We’ll show you carefully chosen options, offer our recommendations, and help you make confident decisions. If there’s a design choice we think might cause problems, we’ll bring it up more than once to make sure you understand the potential impact before moving forward.

Yes—if your project calls for it. Kitchens, bathrooms, and more complex remodels often include 3D renderings so you can clearly visualize the final outcome before construction begins.

Working with Thayer Design Build

  • Discovery phase: Jared (President)
  • Design phase: Your Project Designer
  • Build phase: Your Project Manager

We have cross-department collaboration throughout and a clear handoff process to ensure nothing slips through the cracks as your project progresses.

We use a mix. Critical work like demolition, framing, finish carpentry, and site management is done by our in-house team. For specialized trades, we work with vetted subcontractors—they can often work efficiently and more cost-effectively because they work within their specialties daily.

We offer a 10-year warranty on all our home remodeling work. That said, we’ve also helped clients beyond the warranty period because we take pride in standing behind our work and caring for our community. We like to refer to ourselves as “your contractor for life!”

We schedule a 90-day walkthrough to check for any issues and ensure everything is performing well. After that, we do annual check-ins throughout the warranty period to keep things running smoothly.

We maintain quality through team reviews, milestone inspections, and strong internal processes:

  • During design, your designer and project developer review everything for accuracy and alignment.
  • Before construction begins, the full team reviews and signs off on the project.
  • During construction, your project manager oversees quality control daily, ensuring subcontractors meet our standards.

We also perform internal inspections before drywall and again at final completion.