Six Professionals to Hire for Your Home Remodel Project

As a municipal land use planner, I often provide homeowners advice on who they should hire to complete a home remodeling project. There are six professionals that can provide unique advice or services that will help you with the design, permitting and construction required for your project. You might have grand plans on what you want to do to your home to make it your dream house. May it be interior renovations or adding on that master bedroom suite, you will likely find the whole process overwhelming. Hire these professionals to help.

Land Surveyor
A land surveyor is a person who can draw an accurate map of your property. This map (or survey) will tell you where the buildings, driveways, porches, patios, etc are located on your property in relation to each other and your property lines. Often times when you want to building something outside or your home like a garage or a swimming pool or if you want to make an addition to your home, you will need a survey of the property when applying for permits.

Civil Engineer
A civil engineer will help you design how your property will look outside of your home. The civil engineer will produce a site plan for you which will show the locations of buildings, driveways, etc. but will also show the location of underground utilities like sewer lines, septic system and drainage systems. A civil engineer will also design the topography of the property, or grading so that storm water will be directed to the best possible places.

Architect
An architect will can help you design structural changes you want to make to your home and help organize layouts of your spaces. The architect will produce detailed drawings of what you want built. These architectural plans are needed for permitting as well as determining the cost your renovations and will be used by your contractors when they go to build.

Land Use Attorney
A land use attorney will help you with any legal issues that might arise from your project such as dealing contracts or other legal documents, interpreting your legal rights to construct or settle any disputes with your neighbors you’re the permitting agency

Planning Consultant
A planning consultant can provide you valuable advice about how to deal with complex zoning issues such as nonconforming buildings, historic buildings, and complying with flood plain management issues. A planning consultant can also help you build in a way that will be in harmony with the character of your neighborhood.

General Contractor
A general contractor will not only help determine how much your project will cost you but will also be responsible for construction. Your general contractor can oversee all subcontractors such as plumbers, framers and electricians and will make sure that your remodeling project is built according to plan.