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There's a Cost to Not Knowing

If you aren't partnered with a residential design expert, your project can become an odyssey littered with challenges, many of which may have expensive, long-term consequences.

​By the time most families contact us, they've spent months, if not years, thinking about how to improve their home, or wondering if they should simply move.

​Routinely, homeowners wait to contact us (or anyone, for that matter) because the questions surrounding their home improvement project seem too daunting, tangled, or complex.

​Feeling overwhelmed, homeowners often delay a decision on their project, give up entirely, or, worst of all, proceed without the guidance and insight of an experienced design partner.
DON'T DO THIS ALONE Understanding the implications of design decisions, material selections, mechanical systems, and the intricate sequence of the construction process takes years to master. Unless this is your daily professional responsibility, it's nearly impossible to fully grasp all of the dynamic elements at play in your project.
Residential design and construction is inherently complex with thousands of questions to address and considerations to balance.

To illustrate this point, we often ask homeowners, "If you needed heart surgery, would you see a general practitioner, or would you seek out a top cardiac specialist?"

Admittedly, designing a home is not a life-or-death matter, but the stakes are still high. Working without an experienced design partner raises wide-ranging questions:
  • Uncertainty about final design solution and direction
  • Inefficient layout and use of space, wasting SF
  • Lack of confidence about construction cost due to unclear design documentation
  • Am I wasting money?
  • Feeling like your project may be missing something
  • Delays in permitting and construction due to unclear documents
  • Difficulty in securing appropriate levels of financing due to insufficient documentation
  • Difficult time identifying a good builder who is a perfect fit for you and your project 
​
Poor planning or missteps in design can lead to costly mistakes, anxiety and frustration, and a home that doesn’t effectively serve your family’s needs.

​There can be a steep cost - both financial and emotional - to proceeding without a residential design expert, someone who has successfully and repeatedly navigated the process.

Partner With a Residential Design Expert

​Our experience spans a wide range of projects, from breathing new life into historic homes to crafting innovative new builds designed to be beautiful, efficient, and livable.

We’ve spent over 16 years honing our craft and process, specializing exclusively in transforming existing homes — often charming but challenging older properties on tight Minneapolis lots — and creating stunning new construction projects across the state.
Every project we design is different, because every family we work with has different requirements, priorities, and preferences.

Yes, we learn with every project, but we never do the same project twice,
Our design expertise is hard-earned, gained through the design and documentation of dozens of successful residential projects.

We’ve mastered the art of addressing those pesky pinch points and design flaws that drive homeowners crazy.

​We take the time to understand your unique needs, crafting thoughtful, customized solutions that seamlessly reflect your lifestyle, aspirations, and the character of your neighborhood.

​Our experience allows us to:
  • Navigate zoning and permitting challenges
  • Address problems with a calm approach seeking creative, efficient solutions
  • Be collaborative, responsive, and respectful in our approach
  • Integrate modern energy-efficient technologies
  • Employ current building science methods to manage water, air, vapor and thermal
  • Employ new products and sustainable materials
  • Blend timeless design principles with contemporary trends
  • Create visually stunning, practical, and enduring spaces

​Whether your project requires solving tricky design challenges, maximizing small spaces, or creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living, we approach it with creativity, precision, and care.
B  E  N  E  F  I  T  S

The Benefits of Working with DLD

How working with us will benefit you
Experienced Partner
Over two decades of architectural design and construction-related experience brought to bear on your project 
Protect Your Interests
​We'll make sure your interests, preferences, and priorities are reflected in design and protected during construction
Confidence
Our detailed design drawings and documents reduce errors, save you money, and shorten construction

Our Process

An overview of the path your project will take.
01  Get To Know
Small, simple steps! Our three-step process ensures we build rapport, gradually, taking the time to learn about you, your project, and verify we're a good fit for each other.​
02  Plan & Design
Get to work!  Careful planning, preparation and hard work pave the way for a smart, beautifully designed project tailored to your unique needs.​
03  Transform
The easy part! Move in and enjoy your custom-designed house, supporting your family's needs, preferences and style.

What Our Clients Say

"David's design was so perfect, we could not believe the space."
​David listened intently to our goals and tastes, then created a design that far exceeded our expectations. He made the selection process, ranging from countertops to plumbing fixtures, fun given his demeanor and a sixth sense of style. Through this journey, David became our trusted designer. We highly recommended him.​
​Wayne H. & Jenny F.
"We used to go out for brunch, now we stay here. There's nowhere better."
​Immediately we had a really good feeling from David. We trusted him. He brought in the builders and we had a really good vibe from them as well. The process was pretty stress-free as David was there moving us along, making sure we met our deadlines, and he answered questions that we didn't even know needed to be answered.​
< Ben & Jodi S. >
"The end result of our project is that it looks original to when the home was built. Absolutely stunning."
We had a super challenging addition project and the only designer we even considered was David Lund. Our home is a modern home filled with non-square ceilings, corners, walls and we needed to find a way to match the existing lines with the addition we were putting on.

David was creative, collaborative, and just plain competent. He pays attention to both the beauty in the design and also the structural integrity.

​He moved quickly and was super communicative in the process. He truly felt like a partner in the process and instilled confidence in us by making us feel heard with what we cared about and also providing expertise and guidance.

The end result of our project is that it looks original to when the home was built in 1979. Absolutely stunning and people let us know.

On a personal level, David is just someone who brings quiet light into a room, which is very welcome in a home remodeling project.
​
If we do another project, David will be our only call again.
       < Nikki & Clay S. >
        Bloomington, MN
"David developed plans so complete our contractor said they were the best he'd ever worked with."
When we hired David Lund Design to design our kitchen, new bathroom and new mudroom, we weren't sure what to expect, as we'd never undertaken such a large remodeling project before. We were overwhelmed with getting the layout exactly right and incorporating all the "little extras" we wanted in our dream kitchen.
​
David took a pile of tear sheets that we'd saved, listened intently to our desires and concerns, and came back with plans that were so complete that even our contractor said they were the best he'd ever worked with.

What's more, David's suggestions for design picks completely changed the way we think about making choices for our home.

​He opened our eyes to options (hello, green penny tile!) that we would have never considered, and made us become better home decorators. ​ He also retained the integrity of our nearly 100-year-old home by making countless choices that are consistent with its design period.

​When the project was complete, it was not only exactly what we wanted, but was also filled with details we didn't know we wanted until he put them into place.
       < Kristine & Brien S. >
          Minneapolis, MN
F  E  A  T  U  R  E  S

What You Get When Working With Us

​01 Personalized, Pragmatic Design
Layouts and tailored solutions that reflect your personal tastes and lifestyle and prioritize an efficient use of SF and budget

​​02 Transparency
Open and honest communication about project scope, budget, and timelines

​​03 Professional Problem-Solving
Problems or conflicts within the team or during construction are handled promptly and dealt with calmly, directly and honestly to deliver creative, efficient solutions aligned with design intent and project priorities

​04 Highly Collaborative Approach
A commitment to working closely with you, ensuring your vision is realized and each persons "voice" finds a place in the project

​05 Adherence to Budget & Timelines
Staying within budget and completing projects on time are critical priorities

​06 Broad-Based Knowledge
We are designers first, however, our knowledge extends to a wide range project-related topics from securing financing, to interior design, construction materials and methods, automation and technologies, and HVAC systems

​07 Highly Organized
Again, we are designers first, but we LOVE to leverage technology and develop systems. We've spent thousands of hours creating templates, tables, charts, systems, specifications, dashboards, and automations that elevate our accuracy and your projects efficiency

​08 Premium Documentation
Detailed design documents, comprehensive schedules, and convenient dashboards work together to reduce errors, communicate details, save you money, and reduce build time

​09 Kindness
We prioritize treating all of the people connected to your project with respect and kindness

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are design fees?
Congratulations! You are asking the most common question we get.

Typically, design fees are a percentage of the overall construction budget. The fee percentage will vary based on the size and complexity of project and the level of service you select.

To see how fees are commonly established, the legal history surrounding the sharing of fee information, and common fee ranges, see our article below.

+ MOST POPULAR ARTICLE +
> How Much Are Residential Design Fees?​
What type of services do you offer?
DLD is a full-service residential design firm, offering a complete suite of residential design services. Our design services include:

+ SERVICES +
> Project Planning/Feasibility Study
> Design & Documentation
> 3D Modeling
> Interior Design
> Builder Selection
> Construction Observation
+ DESIGN PACKAGES
We group our design services into design packages, each with a different level of services.

+ RESOURCES +
​> Design Packages Overview
> Design Package Selection Tool
What should I consider when selecting a residential designer?
Asking the right questions and understanding the role of a designer will help you make an informed decision. 

​> What to Consider When Selecting A Residential Designer
HOW IS THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS STRUCTURED?
At first glance, the construction process can appear convoluted and complex. However, it's a highly- structured, time-worn process that follows a predictable order and sequence of work.

+ CONSTRUCTION +
> How Is The Construction Process Structured?
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BUILD MY PROJECT?
Obviously, length of construction depends on the scale and complexity of your project. However, below are general timeframes based on project type.

+ ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES +
> 2-car garage: 2 to 3 months
> Bathroom or kitchen remodel: 3 to 4 months
> Two-story rear addition: 6-8 months
> Upper level addition: 8-10 months
> New build: 12 to 24+ months
Can I live in my house during construction?
Yes, it's common for our clients to live in their home during a remodel (about 80+%  of our clients remain in their home during their remodel). Builders have many sophisticated strategies to minimize the impact and separate the work zone from the living areas.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SELECT A BUILDER?
Over the last 4 to 5 years, estimating construction costs and finding a good builder has been challenging. To improve your chances of controlling costs and getting on a builder's construction calendar, we recommend hiring a builder as early as possible. With new construction projects, selecting a builder is the first thing we do, even before we start the design process.

+ ARTICLE +
> When Is The Best Time To Select a Builder?

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