Your First Whole-House, Addition or ADU Consultation: What to Bring and What Happens

A whole-house remodel, an addition or an ADU starts with one conversation in your home. It is where we learn what you want, see the house and lot as they really are, and agree on what happens next. A little preparation makes that visit far more useful, and makes the estimate that follows more accurate. Here is what to bring, what we cover and what comes after.

Before the visit: what to gather

None of this is required to book, but each item answers a question we would otherwise have to come back for.

At the visit: what we talk about

JDI's consultation covers five things: your vision, your budget, your timeline, your design ideas and your goals for the project. On a whole-house, addition or ADU project, that usually turns into these questions:

• Why now? Worn-out rooms, a layout that does not work, a growing family, a parent moving in, plans to stay for the long term.
• What has to change, and what can stay? Keeping kitchens and bathrooms where the plumbing already runs is a big cost lever.
• How big is the project, really? One floor or the whole house, an addition, a separate unit, systems such as electrical and heating.
• All at once or in phases? See all at once or room by room for the trade-offs.
• Where will you live during the work? Our page on living at home during a remodel covers what decides it.
• Which rules apply to your address? City of Vancouver, another city, or unincorporated Clark County; Washington or Oregon.

We also walk the house: the rooms you want to change, and where we can reach them, the attic, crawlspace, electrical panel and mechanical equipment. In a house built before 1978, we will talk about testing for lead paint, and about the asbestos survey the Southwest Clean Air Agency requires before most renovation work, because both affect cost and schedule.

Questions you should ask us

A consultation goes both ways. Good questions for any contractor at this stage:

• Who will design the project, and who will run it once construction starts?
• How do you price design, and what do I receive if I stop after design?
• Who pulls the permits and meets the inspectors?
• How are hidden problems found during demolition handled and priced?
• What does your warranty cover, and for how long?
• Can I see finished projects like mine and talk to past clients?

Our checklist on how to choose a whole-house remodeler has the rest, including how to look up a contractor's registration.

After the visit: what happens next

JDI's process has three steps, and the consultation is the first.

1. Consultation and estimate. Whether you have a design ready or are working with a designer, JDI provides a detailed estimate for the project. Every JDI project has a written, line-item estimate, signed before work begins, so the scope and the price are on paper.
2. Design. Once you sign a design agreement, our design team meets with you on priorities and style, develops layout plans and finish selections, and checks everything against the budget. Then materials are ordered, construction is scheduled and the permits are applied for.
3. Construction. It starts with a pre-construction meeting. A dedicated project manager becomes your main contact, you get access to a client portal with updates, photos and daily reports, and the project ends with a final walkthrough and the documents for your 5-year written workmanship warranty.

JDI pulls the permits the work requires in Vancouver, Portland, Clark County and Multnomah County. Plumbing work is done by separate licensed plumbing contractors and electrical work by licensed electrical contractors, coordinated by our team. The full sequence is on our process page.

Want a number before anyone visits?

The whole-home cost calculator shows JDI's published planning ranges for your home size, finish level and add-ons. It is a range, not a quote, but it is a useful anchor for the budget conversation. For photos of finished work, see our whole-home projects.

When a consultation with us is not the right next step

If you are planning a single kitchen or bathroom, start with our kitchen or bathroom guide. If your plans are already drawn by an architect and you want several builders to bid them, ask for a bid on the plan set rather than a design consultation. And if your lot is rural and on septic, ask the county what an addition or a second unit would need before you design anything.

Next step

Ready to set up a visit? Request a consultation and tell us a little about the house and the project, or call us at (360) 309-9571.