Our Process for Full Design & Construction Management
1. Discovery Call
Everything starts with a quick 20-minute phone conversation to discuss your vision and our process. It's a chance for me to hear what you have been dreaming about, what's not working about your current space, and what you're hoping to accomplish — and for you to get a feel for me, as well.
If it sounds like we're a good fit, the next step is booking an in-home consultation, where I come to your space in person, dig into your goals, your style, and your potential budget range and we start turning these ideas into a real plan. Good design starts with knowing each other and having a solid plan. After the in home meeting, you will receive a formal estimate based on your home projects.
2. In Home Consultation
I schedule a date and time to meet at your home so we can walk the home together, talk through how you live in it day to day, and get clear on your goals, your style direction, and your budget range, along with investment expectations. By the end of our meeting, I'll understand the full scope of what you are aiming to accomplish — which is exactly what I need to build an accurate, honest estimate for your home project. You'll receive that formal estimate after our meeting, via email.
To be clear on what this meeting is: it's a working consultation focused on understanding your project and giving you direction — not a design session. The actual design work, including layouts, selections, and renderings, begins once you've formally hired my services (that's Step 3).
This in home consultation is a flat $300 fee. Here's why: it's dedicated, one-on-one time where I bring professional eyes and years of experience to your specific space from the moment I walk in — spotting what's possible, asking the questions that matter, and giving you real, useful direction you can trust. That focus and expertise is the value of the meeting, and the fee reflects it. The fee also covers the time spent working on your formal estimate breakdown. After you receive the estimate, if you decide to move forward with hiring White Oak Interiors to design and manage your renovation, the $300 is then applied toward your project.
3. Design Vision & Concept
After the estimate is accepted by the clients, we send our client agreement where all parties agree to the scope overall of work that will be performed by White Oak. From there, we collect full payment upfront for our design and construction management services.
We then begin to work alongside our clients to develop the overall vision for your space —measurements, layouts, material options/selections, finishes, mood-boards and 3D renderings that let you see the design before any orders are placed or any construction begins. I want to understand how you actually live in your home, so the design fits your real life. I bring the options and the expertise; you make the final calls, and nothing moves forward until it feels right for you.
4. Planning & Sourcing
Once the design is all set, I handle the details that put the design ideas into action: sourcing all materials, ordering all materials ahead of schedule, building out the construction timeline, and coordinating the schedule with our vetted trusted network of contractors and trade professionals.
Our clients will have a clear plan and a realistic timeline, before any demo or construction work begins. The typical timeline for the design vision and planning phases together will take roughly 3-5months, keep in mind exact timing will vary based on the full scope of each project.
5. Build & Construction Oversight
This is where having me in your corner truly pays off — and where "full-service" stops being a phrase and becomes the day-to-day reality of your project. Once construction begins, I take ownership of all the moving parts so you don't have to. I will schedule out all professional trades and timelines, making site visits, I will be solving problems before they become yours, and keeping every moving part on track. You stay informed without ever having to chase anyone down or referee the details.
I build and manage the construction schedule from demolition through final install, sequencing every trade — framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, flooring, tile, cabinetry, countertops, paint, and finish carpentry — so each one shows up at the right time and the work flows without costly gaps or do-overs. Through all of it, I'm your single point of contact: you reach out to me, and I manage everyone else.
Behind the scenes, I'm tracking every material and order, staying ahead of lead times, confirming measurements, and reviewing drawings so what gets built matches exactly what we designed. I'm on-site regularly — checking progress, holding the work to my standards, and making sure no detail drifts from the plan. And when surprises come up, because in a renovation they will, I solve them before they ever reach you, and I'll always bring you into any decision that touches the budget, timeline, or the design.
Through every step, I'm protecting two things at once: your investment and your vision. I keep the budget honest and the timeline realistic, I flag anything that needs your input early rather than late, and I hold the line on the quality and the design we set out to create. You get to stay informed and excited about your home — without chasing anyone down, refereeing the details, or losing a single night's sleep over it. That's my job — and I take real pride in doing it well.
6. The Final Reveal
Construction completion is the moment it's all been building towards. When the work wraps, I bring everything home — the final styling, the small finishing touches, and a walkthrough of the spaces we set out to create together. After months of plans and decisions, you finally get to step into a home that feels finished and beautiful, a home that works for the way you live, and is unmistakably yours.
Handing over a completed home is, hands down, my favorite part of every project. My clients are consistently blown away — not just by the final reveal, but also how smoothly the whole process unfolded along the way. Our entire team works tirelessly to create a home our clients love to spend time in, having a home you love to spend time in, is worth the entire process of renovating or building your dream home.
7. Investment
Every project is unique, but here's a sense of where things typically will fall for full-service projects— design, materials, construction, trades, and project management, handled start to finish. Wherever your project lands, you'll always get the truth from me on budget, investment expectations, especially as a designer who treats your investment like it's her own.
Kitchens — starting from $140,000+
Master Bathrooms —starting from $80,000+
Basements — starting from $120,000+
Whole-home — from $200,000-$400,000+
Furniture, decor, and styling a home, is a separate design fee, quoted based on the number of rooms that will be redesigned.
8. Quality
I'll be honest with you — clients can always find a cheaper designer or renovation company. In my experience, when price becomes the priority, quality is what quietly gets lost. I take great pride in all of my work because my name is on every aspect, of every project I do.
The trades and craftsmen I've chosen to partner with are the best at what they do. They're meticulous, they truly care, and they take real pride in their work — and that shows up in every finish, in all the details, and will be seen for years to come, as you live in your home.
These high standards are the purpose behind why I created White Oak Interiors. Quality work matters, quality costs more, and it's worth it to know the job was done right the first time. We strive to deliver excellence in everything we do, and help our clients avoid all the pitfalls and costly mistakes along the way. When you're ready to talk through your project, let's start the conversation!! We can’t wait to help you transform your home into a place you will love!