When you are ready to undertake a major remodel or addition to your Portland home, you will be faced with a choice of approaches to take: hire an architect or designer to draw up the plans, and then find a builder to execute them (design-bid-build); or contract with a design-build company, such as COOPER Design Build, which will provide full-service remodeling from design to completion of the job.

These are two competing approaches in the construction industry, and it’s important to understand the difference. If you have ever wondered, “What is design-build?” or you’d simply like to know the benefits of hiring a design-build company, we have plenty of answers for you.

What Is a Full-Service Design-BUILD COMPANY?

A full-service design-build company offers you the comfort and convenience of designating one team to handle your remodeling project, from start to finish. One of the major problems with the design-bid-build process is that the architect or designer is separated from the building team. It might seem like a great idea at first, especially if you’ve got a complicated plan in mind. But once the design is complete, you have to find a remodeling team willing and able to meet the terms of the design. It is harder than you might think, which is why construction is largely abandoning the design-bid-build approach.

When you hire a full-service design firm, your designer and building team are involved from the beginning. The designers can discover everything you want about the space and build a design that solves all your problems. With a design-build contract and your final approval, the company can start the construction process with no worries about delays or communication difficulties between different professionals.

To learn more about our approach to remodeling a home, download our eBook.

It seems like everyone these days has a smart home. If you’re starting to feel left out, you should know that making a smart home isn’t as complicated as you might think. The latest systems integrate seamlessly so that you don’t have to spend all your time with tech support to figure it out. If you’re thinking about remodeling your home in Portland, OR and you wonder how smart technology might fit in, we’ve got a few ideas for you to consider.

The process of customizing your home usually starts with dreams about your ideal house. Along the way, you will make decisions about what features are most important and what you can afford in the end. Of course, in many cases, you may want to build an addition. Additions give you more space to spread out, to conveniently house guests or family members, or to support a home business. Although accessory dwelling units are all the rage at the moment, you may benefit from any home addition that fits your needs. Here are a few things you should know about these types of home additions.

If you have the means to undertake a high-end remodel of your Portland, Oregon, home, take plenty of time to dream about the luxuries you might include. And then start prioritizing your list of features to determine which ones will be essential to your remodel. Of course, everyone’s list will be different, based on lifestyle, family situation, interests, and budget. Here are some features that will appear on most lists, and some more extreme choices that won’t be for everyone.

Everything you need to know about remodeling your kitchen in Portland in one place.

What IS The Ask Cooper Anything Q&A Series?

We asked our community to anonymously send us any questions they had regarding remodeling, interior design, or general home improvement. 

If you want to live in your dream home, but don’t want to move, then a whole house remodel the perfect solution. Whole home remodels meet your present needs and desires while also increasing the value of your home, setting you up for success down the road. Although this project can pay off big time through the years, it is rather time consuming. To keep your stress levels low, it’s important to know just what to expect and how long it will likely take.

Here’s a look at how long you should expect your whole home remodel to take. 

When homeowners first start thinking about a larger home renovation project like a whole home remodel, they need to decide whether they will hire a design-build firm or or hire an architect/designer separately from their contractor. There are reasons to consider each approach, so it’s worth investigating both before you make a choice. This blog post compares the two options and aims to provide clarity as to which option is best for you. 

Going on a drive through Portland’s neighborhoods is like taking an architectural trip back through time. You can swing from homes that are large and stately to styles that are much more modest and efficient. Each type has its own history relative to the city. These nine have stood the test of time to take their places as the most popular in Portland.

Sometimes, the best project for your home isn’t something for your use only. Building a space that someone else can live in is one of the hottest trends in home improvements. Increasing the living space and possibly adding a separate unit for rental income improves your use of the property and can give you a tidy return on your investment as well. The trick is that you have to make sure you do it correctly. If you’re debating adding an ADU to your property, here are a few things you should know before you start.