Assessment & Design
Sometimes the first work is figuring out what the work is.
A paid, limited-scope agreement to investigate, measure, and design — so repair and renovation pricing is based on findings rather than guesses.
What an assessment agreement is
Not a free estimate — a paid pre-project.
For most projects, a free estimate visit is enough — we walk the house, understand the scope, and deliver a rough investment band that starts the conversation. But for projects with unknowns behind the walls, complex layout questions, or accessibility and aging-in-place considerations, doing that work for free would either shortchange the client (rushed, inaccurate) or the contractor (unsustainable). An assessment agreement is a paid, limited-scope contract that lets us do the diagnostic and design work properly, and delivers a real scope and price at the end.
Scope
What an assessment or design consulting engagement covers
Site investigation
Opening walls, pulling sections of subfloor, crawl-space inspection, moisture readings, thermal-imaging where called for. Findings documented with photos and delivered as a written report.
Measured drawings
As-built floor plans and elevations of the existing house or the portion under investigation. Delivered as a PDF and — for larger projects — as a Revit or AutoCAD file that our design team then uses for the renovation drawings.
Scope & feasibility
For projects where the question isn't 'how much' but 'is this even possible' — ADU zoning, structural addition feasibility, waterfront-lot regulations, historic overlay constraints. The engagement ends with a written go/no-go with reasoning.
Design services
Concept design, then developed design, then construction drawings — sequenced as separate phases so the client can stop after any phase without committing to build. Includes selections guidance and vendor coordination.
Selections guidance
For clients doing part of the design work themselves but wanting professional review of finish selections — cabinetry, tile, plumbing, lighting — a short consulting engagement to red-line their selections against durability, cost, and cohesion.
Second-opinion & scope-review
Reviewing another contractor's scope of work and estimate for reasonableness before the client signs it. Confidential, delivered as written notes.
How we do it
How an assessment engagement moves
01. Discovery call
A short call — usually 20 minutes — to determine whether an assessment agreement is the right instrument and what its scope should be. Some projects don't need one; we say so.
02. Assessment agreement signed
Written scope of the assessment, deliverables, and fee. Deposit collected.
03. Investigation & drawing
Walks, measurements, exploratory openings if applicable, and drawings produced.
04. Written findings delivered
A report with photos, drawings, options, and — where the client wants to move forward — a rough investment band for the recommended scope.
05. Roll into a build contract
If the client moves forward, a portion of the assessment fee typically credits toward the renovation contract. If they don't, they keep the drawings and findings; no obligation.
Representative work
Kinds of assessment work we run regularly
These are generic scope examples drawn from work we have completed across Hampton Roads. Specific homeowner details are withheld to respect client privacy.
Example scope
Whole-home renovation feasibility
Older home with question marks throughout — layout, systems, structural. Assessment engagement produced measured drawings of the existing house, a scope-and-priority document identifying what needs to move first, and a rough investment band for a whole-home program spread across two or three years.
Example scope
Structural addition zoning & feasibility
Client wanted a rear kitchen and family-room addition. Assessment engagement verified setbacks, established the existing foundation's condition, and confirmed no easement or covenant issues before design started.
Example scope
Aging-in-place primary suite study
Client wanted a curbless walk-in shower and roll-under vanity in their existing primary bath. Assessment engagement confirmed feasibility, delivered measured drawings, and identified an unexpected drain-relocation cost that would have been a change order otherwise.
Example scope
Insurance-claim scope review
Homeowner's insurance carrier had produced a repair scope after storm damage that was materially short. Assessment engagement produced a written independent scope and the supporting Xactimate line-items that the homeowner then used to negotiate the claim upward.
Common questions
Assessment & design FAQ
Are all projects required to go through an assessment agreement?
No — most renovation projects don't need one. A free estimate visit and a rough band starts the conversation, and the fixed-scope contract that follows selections closes the loop. Assessment agreements exist for projects with unknowns behind the walls, structural or zoning questions, or complex accessibility considerations.
What does an assessment agreement cost?
Depends on scope. A limited subfloor investigation and repair estimate is a few hundred dollars. Measured drawings of an entire house is a few thousand. A full feasibility study for a structural addition — including zoning research and engineer consultation — is more. We quote each engagement specifically before signing.
What if we don't move forward after the assessment?
You keep everything — the drawings, the report, the findings. No obligation. Some clients use our assessment work with a different contractor; that's their right.
Does the assessment fee credit toward a build?
Usually a portion does — commonly the design fee credits toward the construction contract when the client moves forward with us. Diagnostic and investigation fees don't credit — that work has been done regardless.
How is this different from hiring an architect?
For projects that need a licensed architect — historic overlays, structural additions requiring stamped drawings, coastal permits — we bring one in and coordinate their scope alongside ours. For projects that don't need one, in-house design saves the client time and coordination overhead.