Renovating a home with great bones or a prime location can be a smart, rewarding investment — especially when guided by an experienced architectural design team. Whether you’re transforming a historic cottage in the Lowcountry or upgrading a mid-century home in Asheville, thoughtful planning is the foundation of a successful renovation.

But before you dive in, there are a few essential things to understand about the renovation design process, timeline, and budget expectations.

1. Renovation Expectations vs. Reality

From our experience, homeowners often approach renovations with different expectations than they do for new custom home projects. Renovations can be just as complex — and sometimes more so — due to the unknowns involved in working with an existing structure.

If you’re considering a renovation, your first step should be a consultation with an architectural designer. This initial phase helps establish the project’s scope, timeline, and design complexity.

2. The Design Timeline: What to Expect

Designing a renovation can take just as long as designing a new home. One of the biggest time investments comes early: creating accurate as-built drawings. Since most homeowners don’t have original plans on hand, we’ll need to measure and document the existing layout. This alone can take 15–20 hours.

Once the as-built drawings are complete, we can begin conceptual design — sketching layouts and visualizing how your space can evolve. From there, concepts are revised and refined collaboratively until a final design is approved.

The final phase involves creating detailed construction drawings for permitting and construction. Depending on the project’s complexity, this phase can span several weeks.

3. Budgeting for Design Services

As a general rule, homeowners should anticipate design services to cost roughly 10% of the total construction budget. Design fees cover everything from as-built documentation to final construction drawings — a critical investment that saves time, money, and stress down the line.

Well-crafted construction drawings reduce ambiguity for your builder and help prevent costly surprises during construction.

4. Why Collaboration Is Critical

Architectural drawings are just one piece of the renovation puzzle. Bringing your builder and interior designer into the conversation early ensures accurate pricing estimates and aligned expectations.

The best results come from a collaborative approach. When your architectural designer, builder, and interior designer are in sync from day one, the project runs more smoothly, and the outcome reflects the full vision for your home — in function, beauty, and craftsmanship.

Planning a Home Renovation?

At C3 Studio, we specialize in custom home renovation design that enhances what already works — and transforms what doesn’t. Whether you’re renovating a mountain home in North Carolina or restoring a historic gem in South Carolina, we bring thoughtful design and seamless coordination to every project.

Ready to start planning your renovation? Contact our team to schedule a consultation.