A Look Into Our In-House Design Process

Featuring Insight from Our Lead Architectural Designer, Cassidy Schutte

At Homoly Design + Build, we believe designing your dream home is more than choosing finishes and floor plans; it’s about crafting a space that fits your life in a meaningful way. Our in-house architectural design process is personalized, transparent, and collaborative from day one. To give you a closer look, we asked our lead architectural designer, Cassidy, to walk us through what you can expect.

The Initial Design Meeting: Setting the Foundation

Before any plans are drawn or details are selected, the design process begins with a conversation. The initial design meeting is where trust is built, expectations are aligned, and the foundation for the entire home is established. Cassidy calls the initial design meeting “the most important meeting in the entire design process. ” As she explains, “Designing a home is like putting together a puzzle without seeing the picture on the box. At this first meeting, we begin gathering all the pieces—your needs, wants, ideas, and goals for your home.”

Prior to this meeting, clients complete a design survey that helps our team understand vision, room requirements, and architectural preferences. We also ask for inspiration images to better define the aesthetic direction. When we sit down together for the kickoff meeting, the focus shifts from gathering information to connecting the dots. “This is our opportunity to get to know you, your family, your story, and the way you live, ” Cassidy says. “We’ll talk through how you imagine living in each space, from daily routines to special occasions.”

That understanding guides every decision that follows. “Our goal while designing is to try to think like you!” Cassidy explains. “That’s what allows us to design a home that feels not only beautiful and functional, but deeply personal and uniquely yours.”

The Homoly Design Process: Step by Step

Our design journey is structured around key milestones, with a clear process that keeps everything moving forward efficiently. Here’s how it unfolds:

Schematic Design

A few weeks after the design kickoff, we’ll meet for the Design Reveal. “It’s your first look at how your ideas are taking shape, ” says Cassidy. “We’ll walk you through the initial concepts, gather your feedback, and talk through what’s working and where we can refine further.”

After the design reveal, we will meet every couple of weeks to review design progress. During design meetings, we will review plans, elevations, virtual 3D models, hand sketches, etc. These meetings tend to be interactive design sessions where we explore ideas together. You’ll also receive weekly Friday updates to stay informed between meetings.

Preliminary Pricing

Once we’ve firmly established the floor plans and elevations of your home, we hand the plans over to our estimating team to gather preliminary bids from our trade partners. This helps us get a realistic view of the cost and where we can afford to add or subtract from the design.

We’ll review the estimates with you in detail and make any necessary adjustments to the plans before moving into the next phase.

Construction Documents

Once we’ve confirmed that the budget and the design are aligned, we start building out the construction documents. This is the time when we dive into all the little architectural details that will make your home shine. During this phase, you’ll work closely with our interior design team on selections. In the background, the architecture team collaborates with engineers and consultants to flesh out the construction details. This is also the time when we work with the city/jurisdiction to get your home permitted.

Final Pricing

Once the construction documents are complete, we send the plans back out for updated bids. This gives us the most accurate, up-to-date pricing. We then compile everything into a detailed, line-by-line estimate and sit down with you to review it all. At your final pricing meeting, we will introduce you to your construction team so that we can start right away on building your new home!

Why In-House Design Makes All the Difference

With design, estimating, and construction all under one roof, our clients benefit from streamlined communication and faster decision-making. “If there’s a question about budget, construction details, or client selections, we don’t have to wait on emails or pass the issue off to another entity, ” Cassidy explains. “We walk down the hall and get answers immediately.”

This integrated approach not only keeps things moving efficiently but also creates a culture of accountability. Everyone is working toward the same goal, your vision, brought to life.

Cassidy’s Favorite Part of the Process

“I love creating unexpected surprises in our homes. Whether that’s a secret hideaway for the kids, or a special detail you catch only if you’re really paying attention. We often associate luxury homes with big, beautiful spaces. But I think the true beauty of custom homes lies in the little details that reflect the people that live there, ” Cassidy says.

She thrives on uncovering what makes each client unique—routines, family dynamics, holiday traditions, and future dreams—and weaving those insights into purposeful, beautiful spaces. “I love learning these stories and transforming them into architectural features that are both functional and deeply personal."

Start Your Journey

Every custom home we design is built around one thing: you. From the first meeting to the final plans, our in-house design team is here to guide, collaborate, and create something truly exceptional.

Ready to start designing your dream home? We would love to meet with you!