Virtual Technology for Home Renovations during COVID-19

Home Sweet Home 

Like a lot of us, you might be finding yourself spending a lot more time at home right now. Whether you are busy taking care of the kids, working from home, or this is just business as usual, you may start noticing areas of your home that need a little TLC. Maybe a new home office is in order? A media and game room for family activities? Or maybe it’s finally time for a better functioning kitchen? 

Spring is here and just like any other year, it’s the perfect time to start planning a home renovation. But with the world facing a lot of unknowns, you might be questioning how that can happen.

Red House is open for business – and we are here to help guide you through any of your home improvement dreams. With our Dream2Build process, you can get started on your next home design project from the comfort of your own home – while staying safe and following local guidelines.

Home renovation projects can often take weeks or even months of designing, planning, and ordering supplies before construction teams begin work in your home. With Red House, our Design and Plan phases can all start now – so that when things return to normal, we have a head start. 

In the midst of this pandemic, our communities are faced with unprecedented challenges – the Red House team is right there with you. Our mission right now is to protect and care for our clients and our team while continuing to offer the high-quality service you expect. Life may be different for a little while, but one thing remains more important than ever – your home and how it enhances your life. That’s what drives us. Many homeowners find the design phase of renovations to be fun! It’s interactive and a great way to stay creative and busy during this time of isolation. 

Here is how Red House Uses Virtual Technology for Home Renovations:

Call today to share with us your hopes and dreams

Call and ask for Liz! Talk about your home, share your desires and your practical needs. Liz will help guide you through the beginning stages of our process. If it feels like a good fit, you can set up a walk-through consultation.

Set up a virtual walk-thru

Right now, Rhode Island is in a relatively good place with the COVID-19 pandemic. At Red House, we have adjusted our operations to be safe and respectful for our team and our clients’ health.

We still offer in-person walk-throughs for those that are interested. Our founder, Justin, will visit your home in-person, following hand-washing and social distancing strictly, and expertly evaluate your home and project.

Alternatively, we can offer a virtual walk-through. Our goal is to be as accommodating and accessible as possible during this time. A virtual walk-through is easy! We use Google Hangouts, but can adapt to whatever platform you are most comfortable with – Facetime, Skype, Zoom – just let us know. We can also give you a quick tutorial on how to use Google Hangouts if you would like to learn. 

With a virtual walk-through, you can give us a tour of your space from the convenience of your personal device. We can guide you through your home and advise you just as we would in-person.

Start the Design Process

Once a walk-through is complete and our proposal is approved, we can begin the design process! Create Ideabooks on Houzz, share inspirational photos with us, or ask and answer questions with our design team. We use an app called BuilderTrend, simply download it to your preferred device and access daily logs, plans, photographs, and messages with the team. Everything organized in one place for your convenience. Your vision can come alive without the need to leave your home.

Virtual design meetings 

Our design process is broken up into 2 phases:

Phase 1: Design the Layout (8-12 weeks)

You have 3-4 virtual meetings with a dedicated Lead Designer to discuss your inspiration, go over options, and finalize plans. With Google Hangouts you can share a screen with your Designer – see our presentation right on your device, look over plans and renderings, and approve your design.

Phase 2 – Choose Interior selections (4-12 weeks)

Our Selection Coordinators will help guide you through the interior design process. Choose fixtures, cabinets, and finishes. Pick paint color, wallpaper, and windows! This part of the design process can be a lot of fun. Your selections are organized in BuildTrend for you to access as you need. Our Selection Coordinator will present you with choices expertly curated to your inspiration and budget, or you can take the reins and do some hunting on your own. We are here to help in whatever way you need. 

Plan (4 weeks)

Before the build phase of our process begins, there are several important internal tasks that need to be completed. This behind-the-scenes planning is great to get done during this period of isolation. Our team will order your selections (when possible), obtain permits, and create a preliminary schedule. This usually takes about 4 weeks and is vital to making sure that your operation runs smoothly when it is time for us to take apart your home and start your project.

Finally, that brings us to the start of the build! As you can see there is still plenty of work that can be done to get your project started – using virtual technology for home renovations. As of now, many of our projects are still moving forward. We are observing CDC best practices and working with our clients and incredible staff to ensure everyone is comfortable and feeling safe. With the help of virtual meetings and technical support, you can stay safe and sound while we help you create your perfect space.

We Make What is Important to You, Important to Us

We will continue to monitor the progress of this situation and handle all of our projects with care.  Please read our promise to care for our clients and our team during this challenging time. At Red House, our goal is to Enhance Lives – and we know that this can be more important than ever in times like these. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or would like to explore our process!