You have many, many choices when it comes to choosing a company to renovate your home. But the best option is partnering with a Design-Build firm. These unique building companies combine the best of form and function to ensure a beautiful and practical end result.

Together, letโ€™s explore what a design-build firm does and what benefits it offers to homeowners over other remodeling partners.

What is a Design-Build Firm?

A design-build firm is a home remodeling company that has both interior designers and building contractors on staff. This means that they offer design services in addition to actually making the design a reality. For homeowners, this is a massive convenience. It means that you donโ€™t have to juggle a designer from one place and builders from another and attempt to bridge the gap of communication – instead, everyone is working together and on the exact same page.

Itโ€™s important to know: interior design is MORE than just decor. When you watch home design shows, the designer is seemingly pulled in at the very last step – theyโ€™re in charge of choosing pillows, placing furniture, etc. While that works on a 30 minute TV episode, thatโ€™s not how design operates in real life.

Instead, an interior designer in real life is more like a little bit architect, a little bit engineer, a little bit organizer: theyโ€™re someone who ensures that a space works practically. Not just that it looks good!

Benefits of Working with a Design-Build Company

Have an Eye for Function and Practicality

First and foremost, a good designer is focused on function. We all want our homes to look great of course, but a home is also a living space. That means that the top priority is making sure the space works and works well. This isnโ€™t a static showroom with perfectly poised props – this is a real home, with people and often pets!

A design-build firm is involved in every step of the renovation process, ensuring that each aspect of the design, from light fixtures to flooring, meets the family’s needs. This comprehensive involvement ensures that every detail works for the family.

Because the interior designers at a design-build firm work alongside builders, it also means that any potential problems are recognized and resolved early on in the process. Working collaboratively instead of reactionary speeds up the entire renovation process.

Ensure Your Furniture Compliments Your Space

Contrary to what you might see on TV, it’s common that a designer will use the furniture and items you already have in your home entirely in the redesign, without any new purchases at all. This means that when you work with a design-build firm, they will ensure that the furniture you already have will fit within your new space. Both in the literal sense – making sure youโ€™re not constantly bumping into an awkwardly-placed corner – and in the aesthetic sense of ensuring that everything feels cohesive – even if it wasn’t all purchased at the same time and with the same design in mind.

Synthesize Ideas into a Clear Plan

With any home design project, youโ€™re going to have a lot of ideas floating around. A project involving partners will inevitably involve different preferences and ideas. Even a project for a solo homeowner can often run into the same issue – itโ€™s extremely common (and easy!) to want two different things that are difficult to co-exist. And this is all before you add in outsider opinions, budget restrictions, and practicality.

One of the biggest benefits of working with a design-build team is that they are experts at collecting and synthesizing endless ideas into one cohesive plan that works for everyone. Thatโ€™s a simple sentence on paper, but if youโ€™ve ever undertaken any project ever – you know thatโ€™s a lot easier said than done! It can be especially difficult when youโ€™re so close to the project. This is your home, after all – you have to live with the end result. Working with an experienced team will help ensure that all voices are heard, but without stalling and stressing over every decision.


a cover for the home remodeling guide from Titus ContractingFree Home Remodeling Guide:

Interior Designer, Architect, or Contractor: What’s the Difference and Why it Matters

If youโ€™re planning a home renovation, youโ€™ll need a licensed contractor in your corner.

Someone to bring your plans to life, handle necessary permits, and ensure everythingโ€™s up to code.

But do you need an interior designer for a home remodel?

What types of building projects require an architect?

Learn more about the role of a general contractor and what you can expect.

Get the Guide


Titus Contracting is a full-service remodeling company offering commercial and residential construction. We have an office in Burnsville, Minnesota and work throughout the Twin Cities.