what is the best way to find team members

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Ive hope this isnt a stupid question but i will ask anyway lol I have two SFR flips lined up to close in August 2016 and I have a crew that does the rehab but i was wondering how to go about finding a person who can create floor plan layouts and interior design i dont know if all  or any interior designers are also experienced in creating floor plan layouts but that is a person i need on my team and I do not know where to go to find this person who can help me out because both of the houses need new design and floor plan layouts and i could give a good effort in creating my own but  i rather it to be done by a person who can bring professional quality and creativity to the table these arent million dollar homes so im not looking to break the bank and make this some big budget thing its very simple but at the same time they arent in the hood they are middle class neighborhoods with homes about 2000 sq ft a piece  any ideas as where to find a qualified person for this type of work and what is the title of that job

Andrew Brannick · Answer

@Jeff Berg is right with a renovation designer.

An option that has been easily accessible to me is a residential architect (the architects I have worked with also have a background in engineering, I think it makes a big difference). Do not use them to draw new designs to transform the house into the Sistine Chapel, pick their brain to turn the current setup into the desired layout. The architects that I have worked with try to have cost/benefit analysis for changes that they offer. If you don't have any connections to pull the friend card, or get free estimates this might be too expensive.

Jeff Berg · Answer

Hi Patrick,

First off, that's not a stupid question at all, but an intelligent one, and it gets asked quite a lot.

You want a renovation designer, someone who specializes in flips, knows the business, and where to spend money to get the most "bang for the buck." These folks aren't usually easy to find, and as Julia mentioned above, are sometimes talented people who are self-taught through experience.

It depends on what you mean by creating a floor plan. If you just need an open kitchen redesign with a wall removed, most CKDs can easily handle the job, but again, a renovation designer will know how and where to spend the money and when to save it for other things.

If you want to create a total open floor plan with proper traffic patterns and sight lines, an architect has that training, but does he know if the improvement will get the ROI?

Also, a renovation designer will give you that uber-important curb appeal with exterior color, any façade upgrades, plus landscape and hardscape.

After a few decades of viewing rehabs, I can immediately spot the unprofessionally designed finished product, and so can most potential buyers (even though they may not know exactly WHY they don't like it).

If you provide a few pics of the homes you plan on renovating, what your rough plans are, and where the comps come in, I could try to direct you where to find a good building designer that would be specific to your needs.

Julia Blythe · Answer

@Patrick Sanders, for our flips, my husband has a natural talent for changing layouts (no formal training) and I handle the design of the flips, with a some input from my husband.  On one of our current flips, the kitchen is being moved to the opposite side of the house and the former kitchen will now be a master bedroom and bath area.  We have an awesome framing company that is licensed and bonded and we run our plans by them and their engineer that is in house. Be careful with paying for layouts because if your not, you can pay a heavy price for very simple layout changes that may or may not increase the value of your house.  If your not comfortable doing it yourself, I would look into the resources you have around you at your colleges in Nashville.  Vanderbilt and Belmont are two that immediately come into mind and should be starting back soon. Reach out to the heads of the architecture and/or interior design departments at those schools and see if they have students who need practical experience and would help for a lower price-- or perhaps for free for the experience.

The head of the Univ of Memphis Architecture Dept lives down the street from me and he recommended one of his recent graduates years ago to do a CAD drawing of a detailed "As Built" of a 10,000 SF office building we had recently purchased.  He charged $200 versus the $700-$800 I had been quoted.  The only thing he asked was that he be able to include it in his portfolio .... and I happily agreed.  😀

Adrienne Bryson · Answer

You could try your hand at it yourself with RoomSketcher or the like if you have a design in mind and just need the tools to bring it to life.  Or if you want to farm it out entirely you can always go to fiverr or other freelance sites and find someone to help.  They'd only expect to do this one thing, so if you aren't crazy about them or their work you don't have any kind of long term commitment to them.

Mags S. · Answer

try ASID.org, an interior design national organization.  They can meet your needs.

what is the best way to find team members

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