What to expect from design-build, step by step

Design-build places design and construction under one coordinated team. For homeowners, that means one process for developing the design, selecting materials, obtaining permits, managing construction, and completing the final walkthrough.

We are Design and Create Builders, a licensed and insured design-build general contractor serving Los Angeles and Orange County, with offices in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa. Our Contractors State License Board (CSLB) license is 1116111, Class B. Our in-house team includes interior designers, architects, project managers, and construction crews.

Here is what to expect from our residential design-build process, from your first estimate request through project completion.

Steps 1 through 3: Estimate, proposal, and measured design

Step 1: Request a free estimate

The process begins when you request a free estimate. A team member personally reviews your submission and calls to discuss your scope, timeline, and budget. There is no obligation.

Share your project goals, property location, priorities, and any known constraints. It also helps to describe what is not working in your current home and what you want the completed space to make possible.

Step 2: Review the proposal and confirm the fit

The proposal stage is your opportunity to understand the planned scope and ask detailed questions. Review the work included, communication process, project responsibilities, and how selections or unexpected conditions will be handled.

You can ask for references, read our reviews and client stories, and visit completed projects. Our finished projects can also help you assess design details and workmanship. Before deciding, use these questions to ask a design-build contractor as a practical checklist.

California contractors must be licensed by the CSLB. Homeowners can look up any license free on the CSLB website, and the CSLB notes that the record also shows bond and workers’ compensation information. For a California home improvement contract, the CSLB states that the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, excluding finance charges.

Step 3: Sign the contract and begin measured design

After the contract is signed, our designer visits the property to take detailed measurements and create interior elevations. These scaled wall views document the placement and relationship of elements such as cabinetry, fixtures, and finishes.

We also produce 3D renderings where they apply. Renderings are created only after contract signing, not before the proposal. Design is included with every project at no extra cost.

“After the homeowner signs the contract, we send our designer to measure everything and start creating interior elevations. Then we have a Zoom call with the homeowner to go over priorities and any layout changes, and that's where they share their Pinterest board and their preferred style of cabinetry.”

Nad, founder of D&C Builders

Steps 4 through 7: Develop and document the plan

Step 4: Join the design call

During a Zoom call, we discuss your priorities, preferred style, functional needs, and potential layout changes. This is also the right time to share your Pinterest board or other inspiration images.

For cabinetry, we discuss the style and configuration that suit the project. We work with semi-custom cabinetry, not fully custom cabinetry. The goal is to define a direction that works visually and practically before final selections are made.

Step 5: Visit showrooms

We take you to supplier showrooms so you can see materials, finishes, fixtures, surfaces, and cabinetry in person. Samples and photographs are useful, but showroom visits make it easier to compare color, scale, texture, and construction details.

“To nail down the design and style, we take them to showrooms to see designs similar to their inspiration board, working toward the look they provided while adding our own input along the way.”

Nad, founder of D&C Builders

If you are planning a specific room, you can learn more about our approach to kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling.

Step 6: Select every material

Every material is selected before construction begins. We prepare a detailed sheet documenting each item so the design and construction teams can work from the same information.

Review the sheet carefully, including product details, finishes, dimensions, and placement. Completing these decisions before construction reduces rushed choices after demolition and gives the team a clear reference during installation.

Step 7: Review the detailed construction schedule

Once the design and selections are ready, we build a detailed construction schedule from demolition through final finish. It lays out the sequence of work and gives you a clear view of what comes next.

“Then we build a very detailed construction schedule from A to Z, demo through final finish. A lot of this work is done in-house, without subcontractors, so the process is controlled by us from beginning to end.”

Nad, founder of D&C Builders

We communicate the project schedule throughout the work. Our scheduling promise is: “On time, guaranteed.”

Steps 8 through 10: Permits, construction, and completion

Step 8: Complete permitting and preconstruction

We manage the building permits for your project. Permit requirements vary by scope and location, so this stage may involve drawings, required documentation, plan review, and preparation for inspections.

Preconstruction also confirms site access, household considerations, selections, and the work sequence, so practical arrangements are settled before physical construction starts. You can review our broader residential construction services for the types of projects we handle.

Step 9: Begin construction with dedicated oversight

A dedicated project manager coordinates construction and provides weekly updates. This person is your main contact for progress, upcoming work, questions, and decisions.

Our interior designer also visits the site during construction to check the work against the approved measurements, specifications, and design. This helps carry the documented design through to installation.

Construction can expose conditions that were hidden during planning. For example, mold may become visible only after a wall is opened. If an unforeseen condition affects the scope, we explain it transparently, price the related change at a fair market rate, and obtain your approval before taking the next step.

“We don't like change orders, and we try to include everything upfront in the initial contract. But if you open a wall and find mold that couldn't have been seen beforehand, that gets handled at a fair market rate and price. Whatever comes up, we communicate it transparently with the homeowner, and we don't take the next step without their approval.”

Nad, founder of D&C Builders

Step 10: Complete the final walkthrough

At the final walkthrough, you inspect the completed work with the team. This is the time to compare the result with the approved design and identify any remaining items that need attention before the project closes.

The walkthrough completes a process that began with your goals and moved through measured design, documented selections, permitting, construction, and design oversight.

What homeowners are responsible for

A coordinated process still requires timely homeowner input. During your project, you should:

• Share inspiration images and explain your functional priorities.
• Review proposed layouts, designs, and material selections carefully.
• Make decisions by the requested approval points.
• Remain available for updates and questions from the project manager.
• Raise concerns promptly so the team can address them at the appropriate stage.

You do not need to manage permits, trades, or construction sequencing. Your main responsibility is to provide clear input and make informed decisions when requested.

Can you stay home during construction?

Whether you can remain at home depends on the project scope and how the work affects utilities, essential rooms, access, and daily routines.

A single kitchen or bathroom remodel is often livable. A full remodel, addition, or new build usually is not. Discuss children, pets, work-from-home needs, and access requirements during preconstruction so you can plan accordingly.

Plan your next step

The full sequence is estimate, proposal, measured design, design call, showroom visits, complete material selections, detailed scheduling, permits and preconstruction, managed construction, and a final walkthrough. If you are comparing delivery methods, read about design-build versus design-bid-build.

When you are ready to discuss your home, request a free consultation. A team member will review your request and call to talk through the scope, timeline, and budget with no obligation.