Whether you’ve remodeled before or this is your first time, there are bound to be questions that arise as you’re thinking about your project. Our McLennan team wants to equip you with the information you need to feel confident and excited about your remodel. In this post we’ll share answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from our clients.
Here at McLennan Contracting we specialize in interior home remodeling. This includes kitchen, bathroom, and basement remodels, as well as whole home remodeling.
We are happy to help with anything from a simple refresh, which could be freshening up paint or updating hardware, to a full remodel.
Whether you’re in need of a single room update, or a complete overhaul of your existing layout and finishes, our team is here to serve you.
Our service area includes most communities within the borders of Lancaster County, PA. As a general rule, we limit our services to homes that are located within a 30-minute drive of our office.
This works best for our Design-Build process because it minimizes travel time for our team and enables us to work with our trusted trade partners and suppliers.
A few of our more popular areas in Lancaster County are Lititz, Manheim Township, Manheim, Leola, Landisville, and Millersville.
If your home is a bit outside this service area, don’t hesitate to reach out. Depending on our team’s availability, we might be able to accommodate you, so it never hurts to ask!
Design-build is a method of project delivery that’s proven to result in more efficient and cost-effective construction projects. It’s also the fastest-growing method of remodeling project delivery in North America.
In the Design-Build model, the homeowner works with a team that is responsible for project planning, management, and construction. Combining all of these services under one roof makes it easier for the client to communicate with a single point of contact and have an enjoyable experience built on a solid relationship.
At the heart of the Design-Build model is a strong emphasis on upfront planning. This is referred to as the Design phase, which is all about nailing down your project details. A good design allows you to know exactly what’s included in your project—right down to the final finishes—before construction starts, setting you up for a smooth, low-stress remodeling experience.
This can be a hard question to answer. No two projects, homes, or clients are identical. All of the moving factors impact the final project price.
Factors that can affect cost are layout, accessibility, and materials. All of these are figured out during the pre-project planning phase, where you can get a better idea of how much your project will cost.
There is so much that goes into a kitchen remodel; mechanicals, accessibility, code requirements, project scope, and project finishes. All of these can determine your kitchen's final cost.
A kitchen refresh can cost anywhere from $20,000-$60,000.
A midrange kitchen can cost anywhere from $65,000-$120,000.
A high-end kitchen remodel usually starts around $160,000.
The average bathroom remodel cost can vary immensely. The age of the home can be a big contributing factor to a bathroom remodel due to all the mechanicals and plumbing factors that go into it. Cleanliness, water damage, mold, and asbestos are also common factors in bathrooms that contribute to the cost.
Unfortunately, a common misconception is that the smaller the bathroom the smaller the cost, but that is not always the case. Like any other project, it all comes down to the individual factors at play.
An average bathroom remodel generally ranges between $29,000-$90,000.
A high-end bathroom can start at $120,000.
Just like kitchens and bathrooms, the cost of a basement remodel can vary. A lot depends on what you want to do with the space and what the existing conditions are. A basement can be anything from finished storage to a complete guest suite.
The average cost of a finished storage basement can be between $27,000-$50,000.
The average home gym or rec room basement can cost between $45,000-$75,000.
The basement entertainment zone averages between $75,000-$150,000.
A basement guest suite that might incorporate a bathroom and entertainment area can range from $100,000 to $200,000.
Your choices, space, and selections all help to determine the final cost of your remodeling project.
At its most basic definition, design means figuring out the details of a project. In that sense, every remodeling project needs some level of design. The question is, will the design happen at the beginning—before construction—or will it happen throughout the project.
Starting into the construction of a project without nailing down the details can add stress and frustration to the remodeling process. That’s why at McLennan, we work through the project details at the beginning. We want your remodel to be as smooth, efficient, and low-stress as possible.
Even though all projects need some level of design, the length of the design phase varies depending on the complexity of the project. Obviously a simple kitchen refresh will have fewer details to nail down than a whole home remodel, but the scope of the project isn’t the only factor. The design timeline is also impacted by the homeowner’s decision-making style. Some homeowners like to take their time exploring options, while others are quick to check decisions off their list. Our goal is to help guide you through the decision-making process with momentum, so the finished product is exactly what you hoped for.
For projects that involve reworking a layout or moving structural or mechanical elements, Preliminary Design (sometimes called Conceptual Design or Feasibility Study) is an essential first step. It allows us to create a feasible design concept that meets your needs and accounts for any limitations or considerations unique to your existing structural or code requirements. This sets the groundwork for the next stage (the really fun part)—making the aesthetic decisions!
Remodeling project timelines are also dependent on a variety of factors, such as the client's availability and decision-making during design, lead times of special order products, and production schedule backlog. For that reason, it's hard to answer this question until we have worked through the pre-project planning phase.
That being said, the average project development/design phase takes our clients between 4 and 12 weeks. Larger, whole-home projects that require more time and detail can take up to 6+ months to complete the design phase.
Between design and construction there is a pre-production period while we prepare your project schedule, confirm the availability of materials and trade partners, and get all the necessary permits in place. This process can take 4-8 weeks.
Once construction begins, the average kitchen, bathroom, or basement project can take 4 to 8 weeks. More complex and in-depth projects can take around 3 months to complete.
The average customer journey, from beginning of the process to completion, can take anywhere from 2.5 months to 8 months.
There are three key things that can be done to speed things up.
One of the strengths of the Design-Build model is that it allows us to customize product selections to your style. Every person's vibe is unique, and our goal is to make sure your project is a reflection of you. So instead of having predefined selections, we help you select items that fit the vision and cost range you’re looking for. This approach gives you freedom to pursue any style you choose, and make intentional choices about your project budget.
There’s no getting around the fact that planning a remodel requires a commitment of time and energy. We understand that life is full, so we do our best to accommodate your schedule.
We also try to honor McLennan’s core value of providing a healthy work-rest balance for our team. This means some design meetings can be scheduled during non-traditional hours, but those opportunities will be limited. And some appointments—particularly showroom visits—will need to be held during traditional workday hours.
Bottom line: the best design schedule is built on the flexibility of all parties.
The Design-Build process is intended to nail down all the details of your project up front. This makes the production phase of your project more efficient, cost-effective, and predictable. However, we want you to have the flexibility to make adjustments even after the contract is signed.
We do this through our change order process. We write up the adjustments you’ve requested and any associated costs or credits. Then you have the opportunity to review the change before approving it.
One of the benefits of our planning process is that it minimizes the need for you to be on-site while your project is being built. We do ask you to be present for a pre-project walkthrough with the designer, lead carpenter, and production manager. And if your project involves countertop installation, we also ask you to be present for templating.
Apart from these events, our team is equipped to bring your project to life using the highly detailed scope of work and construction documents created during design.
We offer a variety of payment options to ensure that the process of transforming your home is as stress-free and convenient as possible. For online payments, we accept most major credit cards and ACH bank transfers through a trusted and secure payment platform. We also accept payment by check.
If you're interested in remodel financing options, we partner with Acorn Finance to give you access to convenient home improvement loans and an easy pre-qualification process.
At McLennan Contracting, we understand that your home remodeling project is a significant investment. If you have any questions about our payment options, please feel free to ask. We're here to help make your home remodeling project a success!
If you still have some questions about your remodel, don't hesitate to reach out to talk to an expert. Schedule a call with our project consultant to get those questions answered.