When interior designer Robin Schwadron of R Titus Designs opened a space in the heart of Oak Park in 2023, one of the benefits of the combined studio and storefront was the ability to host community events.
Over the years, she’s hosted mahjong nights, styling classes and even a homecoming dress swap, but some of her favorite events are bringing industry professionals to the studio to talk to homeowners who are contemplating doing work on their homes.
On Sept. 30, she’s joining forces with two locals — architect Christina Townsend and general contractor Matt Jacknow — for a panel that will cover how collaboration among the fields of architecture, design and construction can be helpful in any renovation project.
Jacknow says there are real benefits to working with a team made up of an architect, designer and general contractor from the beginning of a project. He says, “The three of us are solving different pieces of the same problem. The architect is solving for space and structure, the designer is solving for how the house looks and lives, and I’m solving for how it actually gets built, what it costs and how long it takes.”
Schwadron says that as designer she thinks it pays off to start a project with all three roles because it helps set budget expectations. “A homeowner can get pricing for projects or ideas, but they do not have a full plan, and when they go to price out the full plan, the budget is way over what they expected or planned for. Once the client has the full plan, then all parties can price accurately,” she says.
For Townsend, bringing in a team from the get-go is helpful for cohesiveness and defining roles. She sees some overlap between an architect and designer in that both start with floor plans and initial design concepts. She points out that an architect is often a key piece of the puzzle when a project requires permits.
While acknowledging that not every permit requires a set of architectural plans, she says, “Almost all renovations require a permit.” Even when a full set of architectural drawings aren’t required, she says, “A contractor will still need drawings from an architect or interior designer to work from. That’s why it’s important for homeowners to hire a professional familiar with the permitting process and its specific requirements, so they have proper guidance from the start.”
Jacknow says this points to another reason to start a project with qualified professionals.
“The single most common heartbreak in this business is a homeowner falling in love with a set of drawings they can’t afford to build. That doesn’t happen when a contractor has been putting numbers to the work while it’s being drawn.”
The architect and general contractor also work hand-in-hand when evaluating the home. Jacknow says the older homes that populate his territory of Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park have a lot hiding behind their plaster.
“What’s inside those walls matters as much as what’s on the paper,” he says. “If I’ve walked a house early, I can tell the architect where the bearing walls actually are, where the balloon framing is going to complicate a floor opening, where the old plumbing stack or the ductwork is going to fight the plan. That’s a cheap conversation in March. It’s an expensive change order in September.”
Townsend says it pays off financially and logistically to bring everyone on board from the start. “Sometimes, a client decides to bring on a separate interior designer after permit drawings are already underway, which requires revisions to permitting documents and added fees … Other times, a contractor isn’t consulted early enough to be part of the conversation. A contractor can offer a lot of valuable strategies, especially if clients need to stay home during construction or if they’re working on a tight budget.”
For Jacknow, it always makes sense to get an architect involved in a project if it involves changes to the structure, footprint or roofline; for additions, dormers or attic conversions or moving a staircase; and for whole house remodels. He says, “On historic homes, an architect is worth it even when the work is modest, because getting proportion, rooflines and window and trim details right on a 1905 house is the difference between an addition that disappears and one you can spot from the sidewalk.”
He says designers earn their fees “any time there’s a long list of selections that have to hang together — finishes, cabinetry, tile, lighting hardware. That’s most kitchen and whole house projects.”
Schwadron echoes their advice and notes that bringing in a designer after an architect and general contractor are already underway can add up to unwanted issues. She says if an interior designer is brought in late, “There will be change orders. This could alter the budget or make a difference in the original quotes from the contractor, plus, there could be added time.”
Schwadron says at the end of the day, she hopes the Sept. 30 event will give local homeowners perspective on the renovation process so that they can make the best-educated investment for their home.
People interested in attending the event at R Titus Designs, 143 S. Oak Park Ave., can register here: https://www.rtitusdesigns.com/happenings
The event takes place on Sept. 30 from 6:30- 8:30 p.m.