We're getting ready to renovate in Austin! But where to start?

January 25, 2015 10:27 AM

We bought a small three bedroom/one bathroom house (about 1,050 sq. feet) in Austin about a year and a half ago and we're looking to do a significant upgrade in several months, upwards of $100,000.

We've got ideas of what we want to do--add two bedrooms, a bathroom, and reconfigure the living/kitchen area. The tricky part is that our lot is relatively small, so we'd like to start speaking with folks soon to figure out what options we have to best use the space we have for the renovations (whether to build up or out in a particular direction). Have folks had good experiences with particular architects and/or contractors in Austin? We're also looking for some guidance on whether to start with an architect or a contractor.

posted by vakker to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

The first thing you might want to do is call your Planning & Development review department and see what the zoning will allow. There may be restrictions on building up, or over, if you plan on adding to your current footprint.

Once you get that information, it will impact the types of design you'll be able to do.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:35 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Ruthless Bunny is right about zoning, but as a central Austin homeowner who's dealt with city zoning before, you might want to find an architect or contractor *first.* A good one will help you navigate the city regulations. Unfortunately, I don't have any good recs, but I'm sure others do.

Just FYI, this is kind of a touchy subject in some Austin neighborhoods right now -- building bigger houses on small lots. I don't know if you're new to Austin or just new to this house, but be prepared to have to kind of tread carefully around neighbor's concerns. My neighborhood email list is constantly aflame with people getting wound up about this subject.
posted by pantarei70 at 12:42 PM on January 25, 2015 [4 favorites]

Another consideration is pricing your house out of the norm for its neighborhood. If you ever have to sell, it might be difficult to recoup your upgrades. But I applaud your courage in planning to renovate a house that you are living in.
posted by Cranberry at 1:02 PM on January 25, 2015

The conventional wisdom I have heard is that if you want it good and relatively on-time rather than cheap and largely in the hands of cruel fate, hire an architect and let them manage the contractor. You'll do this maybe a couple times in your life, they do it every day.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:36 PM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

I am biased because I work in architecture, but if you are not experienced with construction, between a contractor and an architect, hire an architect. You don't have to go all in with them at once, you could just do a feasibility study to see what you can do and go from there. But with the scope you're talking about, I think you would want a design professional. Also know that in a typical contract the architect will protect your interests with the contractor - their job is to make sure the design you agreed to gets built correctly. Expect to pay about 10-15% of the construction cost in design fees. You can go to the local AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter HERE and search around for someone whose work catches your eye.
posted by annie o at 8:59 PM on February 1, 2015