There’s a couple in Red Bank, let’s say, with a 1960s kitchen they’ve been tolerating for ten years. The cabinets sag, the one outlet near the stove only works if you jiggle the plug, and the Pinterest board is up to 400 pins. They’re finally ready. Then the advice starts. A neighbor says to hire one company for the whole thing and be done with it. A cousin says no way, get a designer first, then have three contractors bid on the plans. Both of them sound sure of themselves.
Honestly, neither one is wrong. They’re describing two different ways to run a remodel. With design-build, a single company designs the kitchen and builds it under one contract, so there’s one team to call and one party on the hook if something goes wrong. With the traditional approach, usually called design-bid-build, you hire the designer first and then send the finished plans out to contractors, which gives you more choice of builder but leaves you coordinating between the two.
Kitchen Remodeling in Monmouth County, NJ
A lot of Monmouth County homeowners land somewhere in between, working with a design firm that also manages the project and lines up the installation.
How the two compare
| Design-build | Traditional | |
| How many contracts | One, for design and construction together | One with the designer, another with the builder |
| Who answers for problems | The one company | Depends on whether it’s a design issue or a build issue |
| Choosing a builder | Built into the team | You pick from the contractors who bid |
| What you’re doing day to day | Making decisions and signing off | Keeping the designer and builder on the same page |
| When the builder weighs in | During design | After the plans are done |
So what is design-build, exactly?
It gets used pretty loosely, so here’s the straight version. One entity holds a single contract covering both the design and the construction. The Design-Build Institute of America, which is the industry group behind the method, says that entity can be a contractor, a designer, or a partnership of the two, as long as it’s one contract. The appeal is pretty simple. If the new cabinets don’t fit the opening, there’s nobody else to blame.
There’s a practical upside, too. When the people who’ll build the kitchen are in the room while it’s being drawn, they can tell you early that the island you love will need a beam moved or a vent rerouted. Better to hear that at the drawing stage than after demo.
And the traditional way?
You hire a designer or architect, go back and forth until the plans are finished, and then hand those plans to contractors to bid on. The nice part is that everyone’s looking at the same drawings, so you’re comparing contractors on equal footing and you get to pick.
The less nice part is that you become the middleman. The designer and the builder each answer to you, not to each other. So when a contractor says the plans call for something that won’t work, guess who sorts it out? Some people like being that hands-on. Others discover, about three weeks in, while they’re microwaving dinner in the laundry room, that they’d rather not be.
Where Chelsea fits
Here’s how we work, since it isn’t exactly either one. Chelsea Kitchen & Bath Design is a design studio first. You sit down with a designer at the first meeting and keep working with them right through the end, and you’re part of every design decision along the way. Through our Kitchen Project Management service, we take on the coordination from the first sketch to the final install: products, timelines, contractors, all of it. We even check the products over when they’re delivered.
What we don’t do is the installation itself. That’s handled by a sister company we work with, and they support the job after it’s in. If you’ve already got an architect or builder you trust, we’re happy to work alongside them. So you get the main thing people like about design-build, one team keeping things moving, without losing a dedicated designer or the option to bring your own people.
How long does it take?
Longer than most people hope, either way. For a full kitchen with custom cabinets, we tell clients to plan on about four to six months from start to finish, since custom cabinets are built to fit your room. The traditional route can tack on a few extra weeks at the front while the plans go out and the bids come back. Kitchen Remodel Timeline: What NJ Homeowners Should Expect walks through each stage.
Before you sign with anyone
New Jersey has some rules that apply no matter which approach you choose. According to Monmouth County Consumer Affairs, home improvement contractors have to be registered with the state, and towns won’t issue construction permits to ones that aren’t. Most home improvement work needs a written contract that lists the contractor’s legal name, business address and registration number, the start and finish dates and a description of the job. You should also get a notice giving you three business days to cancel for any reason. And contractors are required to carry liability insurance, so ask to see it.
After that, look at the actual work. Flip through our Custom Kitchen Gallery, read what people have said on our Testimonials page, and ask for references. If you’re thinking about resale down the road, How Does A New Kitchen Increase the Home Value? is a good read.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between design-build and traditional remodeling?
Design-build puts the design and construction under one company and one contract. With the traditional approach, you hire a designer first and then bring in a separate contractor through bidding.
Which approach is less stressful for homeowners?
For most people, design-build or a managed design approach, since one team coordinates the work. The traditional route gives you more say in picking the builder but puts you in the middle.
How long does a kitchen remodel take in New Jersey?
About four to six months for a full kitchen with custom cabinets.
What should a NJ home improvement contract include?
The contractor’s legal name, business address and registration number, the start and completion dates, a description of the work, and a notice of your right to cancel within three business days.
Planning a kitchen remodel in Monmouth County? Stop by Chelsea Kitchen & Bath Design at 14 Bridgewater Drive in Oceanport, weekdays from 9 to 4 or by appointment, or call 732-542-1500. Take a look at our Kitchen Remodeling and Kitchen Cabinets services, or contact us.