Remodeling vs. New Home Construction: How are they different from each other?

As we talk with potential clients these days we find there are several questions we hear often.
In this article, we will address one of those common questions: Is there a difference between a design-build remodeling contractor and a new home construction contractor?
New home construction builders use architects and/or "stock" plans and new home contractors to build your home. If an architect is involved, he/she usually imposes a personal style onto the design and develops the concept drawings and plans on paper. Most architects are not builders – they can conceptually draw the plans, but it takes a quality builder to see the architect's plans and know if the concepts can be transformed into practical, effective solutions without costly alterations during the project. What works on paper doesn't always convert smoothly to the building process. Also, having more "cooks in the kitchen" can cause confusion, a loss of the client's vision, and unclear communications, all areas which lead to significant disappointment during the process of a remodel or addition.
When done right, remodeling design is thoughtful and complex. Designing a new home easily allows you the opportunity to trade square footage and budget between bathrooms, kitchens and other rooms in your home. If you want a larger kitchen, you can add the square footage to the kitchen and decrease the square footage in your dining room, for instance. Quality remodelers know how to reconfigure rooms to fit in your existing home by utilizing the space to its maximum potential.
Jeff Titus explains, "Many people don't realize that there is a lot more involved in remodeling a home than new construction. When remodeling, there are several factors you need to contend with, such as taking precautions for safety and cleanliness when the home is occupied, working with conditions that are not square or plumb, matching existing materials such as tile, flooring and moldings, and creating designs that will enhance the home as if the new renovation was always there. When moldings need to be matched and suppliers no longer carry the product, Titus Built mills the molding to match the existing detail. When a tile type is no longer sold off the shelf, we contact our suppliers to find a match. It takes years of experience and connections to products and subcontractors to produce fine quality renovations."