The Discovery Consultation is Step 2 in our proven client experience process. This is where we dive deep into understanding your project motivations, lifestyle needs, design inspirations, and investment parameters. It's a comprehensive conversation that helps us understand not just what you want to build, but why you want to build it and how it should function for your family's unique lifestyle.
During this crucial phase, we'll explore four key areas:
Project Motivations - We'll discuss what isn't currently working in your space
Lifestyle Needs - We'll understand how your family uses spaces and what functionality you need
Design Inspirations - You'll share your aesthetic preferences and style inspirati ns with us
Project Parameters - We'll discuss your architectural context, flow requiremen s, investment comfort level, and timeline expectations
The Discovery Consultation typically takes 90-120 minutes. We believe in taking the time necessary to truly understand your vision, needs, and goals. This isn't rushed—it's a thorough exploration that forms the foundation for everything that follows in your project.
The consultation can take place at your home, in our design center, or virtually, depending on your preference and project type. For remodeling projects, we often prefer to meet at your current home so we can see the existing space and better understand the architectural context and flow you mentioned.
To make the most of our time together, consider preparing:
- Inspiration materials - Photos, magazine clippings, Pinterest boards, or any visual references that capture your style
- Lifestyle information - How you currently use your spaces and what frustrates you about them
- Functional needs - Specific requirements like storage needs, entertaining habits, work- from-home spaces
- Timeline thoughts - When you'd ideally like to start and complete the project
- Investment considerations - Your comfort level for project investment (we'll explore this sensitively)
- Family input - Make sure all decision-makers have shared their thoughts with you
Yes, we strongly recommend that all primary decision-makers attend the Discovery Consultation. This ensures everyone's needs, preferences, and concerns are understood from the beginning, which leads to better outcomes and smoother decision-making throughout the project.
Absolutely. We'll be documenting everything we discuss to ensure nothing is missed. These notes become the foundation for your Budgetary Guidance (Step 3) and inform all subsequent phases of your project. You're welcome to take notes as well, and we encourage questions throughout our conversation.
This happens more often than you might think! Our experienced team is skilled at facilitating conversations that help families find common ground. We'll help identify shared priorities and work through different preferences to find solutions that satisfy everyone's most important needs.
That's perfectly normal and exactly why we have this Discovery Consultation! Many of our clients start with a general sense that something isn't working or a desire for change, but aren't sure about specifics. Our process is designed to help you discover and articulate your vision through guided conversation and thoughtful questions.
Yes, we'll explore your investment parameters as part of understanding your project scope. However, this isn't about getting an exact number—it's about understanding your comfort level and expectations so we can tailor our recommendations appropriately. The detailed budget conversation happens in Step 3 (Budgetary Guidance).
Following our Discovery Consultation, we move to Step 3: Budgetary Guidance. Using everything we learned about your project motivations, lifestyle needs, design inspirations, and parameters, we'll create a comprehensive Budgetary Guidance Worksheet with tailored investment ranges that align with your aspirations.
The Discovery Consultation is complimentary and is included as part of our client experience process. We view this as an essential investment in understanding your project and ensuring we can deliver the transformation you envision.
While we hope to earn your business, we understand that not every consultation leads to a project. If we determine that we're not the right fit for each other, or if your project isn't ready to move forward, we'll be honest about that. Our goal is successful projects, which requires the right fit between client and contractor.
Everything we discuss during the Discovery Consultation becomes part of your project documentation that follows you through every phase. Your dedicated design team and project manager will reference these notes throughout the process to ensure your vision stays front and center from design through completion.
Of course! The Discovery Consultation captures your thoughts at this moment in time. As we move through the design process and you see plans and renderings, your preferences may evolve. Our process is designed to accommodate refinements while keeping you informed of any budget or timeline impacts.
The Competitive Interview (Step 1) was about getting to know each other— ur process, your
expectations, and mutual fit. The Discovery Consultation goes much deeper into your specific project, focusing on the why, what, and how of your remodeling goals. It's where we transition from "getting to know you" to "planning your project."
Our Discovery Consultation is based on 45 years of experience understanding that successful projects start with truly understanding our clients' motivations, not just their wish lists. We explore the deeper reasons behind your remodeling desires, which allows us to create solutions that exceed your expectations while staying within your comfort zone for investment and timeline.