How Our Design-Build Process Works
Straight answers about how professional remodeling actually works — from a Fort Worth general contractor with 500+ projects since 2009.
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- Fixed-Price Contracts
Birdseye runs six phases: consultation and walkthrough, design and selections, engineering and permitting, a fixed-price contract, construction with staged inspections, and final walkthrough with punch list. Design, engineering, permitting, and construction all sit inside one contract, and the price is set before demolition begins.
Phase 1 — Consultation and walkthrough
We come to the house, look at what exists, and talk about what is not working. This is where the real constraints surface: where the plumbing runs, whether a wall is load-bearing, what the foundation has already done, what the HOA will allow. We give an honest budget range at this stage — not a number designed to win the job.
Phase 2 — Design and selections
Drawings develop alongside pricing rather than ahead of it. That is the core of design-build: when the builder is at the table while the design is being made, cost feedback arrives while changes are still cheap.
Selections happen here too — tile, cabinetry, countertops, fixtures, flooring, hardware. Front-loading these is what makes a fixed price possible later, and it is why our design phase is thorough rather than fast.
Phase 3 — Engineering and permitting
Anything structural goes to a licensed engineer for stamped drawings. We submit to the city, carry the plans through review, respond to comments, and pull the permits. If there is an HOA architectural review, we prepare that submittal in parallel rather than discovering it later.
Phase 4 — The fixed-price contract
One written scope, one number, before demolition. Not a cost-plus estimate that grows. The contract names the materials, states the allowances in dollars, ties payments to completed milestones, sets start and completion dates, and defines the change order process.
Changes after signing are documented and signed before they are built. Nobody discovers a cost on the final invoice.
Phase 5 — Construction
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Protection and demolition | Dust control, floor protection, work zone established |
| Structural and rough-in | Framing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC |
| Rough inspections | City inspections before anything is covered |
| Waterproofing | Inspected before any tile is installed |
| Insulation, drywall, tile | The room takes shape |
| Cabinetry, counters, finish carpentry | Millwork and trim |
| Fixtures, paint, final inspection | Completion |
We run in-house crews on the core trades, which is the main reason the schedule holds and quality stays consistent across a long project.
Phase 6 — Walkthrough and punch list
We walk the project with you and write down everything — a sticking door, a paint touch-up, a cabinet adjustment. That list gets completed before the final payment, which is exactly the incentive structure it should be. Final inspection closes the permit, and you receive the documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the whole process take?
A bathroom typically runs three to six weeks of construction, a kitchen six to ten, and a whole-home renovation four to ten months. Add two to six weeks of design and selections and three to eight weeks of permitting ahead of construction.
Do I pay separately for design?
No. Design, engineering, permitting, and construction are inside one contract. There is no separate designer invoice and no gap between the drawing and the build for a problem to fall into.
What happens if something unexpected is found during demolition?
It gets documented, priced, and put in front of you as a written change order before the work happens. Concealed conditions are the one legitimate reason a fixed price moves, and they should never appear as a surprise on a final invoice.
Can I make changes after construction starts?
Yes, through a signed change order covering scope, cost, and any schedule impact. Changes made after a trade has completed its work cost more than the same change made during design, which is why the selections phase matters.
Do you handle HOA architectural approval?
Yes. We prepare the architectural review submittal during design and run it in parallel with city permitting, because HOA committees meet on their own schedule and waiting for the next meeting is the most common avoidable delay.
Let’s price your project
A free walkthrough and a fixed-price scope for your exact project — no pressure, no guesswork. Serving Haslet, North Fort Worth, Northlake, Westlake, Justin, Roanoke, Keller, Southlake, Trophy Club, Colleyville, and North Richland Hills.
Request a Free EstimateCall (817) 800-6920