Amidst the rush of picking out new tile and purchasing eco-friendly kit chen appliances, it’s often easy to forget one of the most important steps of remodeling a kitchen in Virginia or Maryland: obtaining permits.

Oftentimes, homeowners are surprised to learn that their full interior kitchen renovations require permitting, especially if they are doing something seemingly simple. However, the vast majority of kitchen renovations require not one, but three types of permits: building, electrical, and mechanical permits.

Type “remodeling contractor” into Google, and you’ll be presented with the sites of hundreds of contracting firms in your area, each one claiming to be the best.

With so many choices to sift through, choosing the right contractor for your home improvement project is no small task. But making this decision is as important as it is challenging, since the success of your interior remodel will be in the hands of the contractor you choose.

Featured DC Project: Factors to Consider When Building in the Palisades

The Palisades is a neighborhood in Washington, DC, and here at Design Builders we recently completed a backyard and kitchen renovation in that area that we’re excited to share with you! If you live in or near the Palisades and are thinking about undertaking a home improvement project, here are some details about that recent job to inspire you, as well as general reminders when looking to build in the area.

If you’ve been in the market for high-end outdoor kitchen items, it’s likely you’ve come across Danver Cabinets or Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens. However, you may not have realized that the companies are in a working partnership. We sat down with Mitchell Slater, president and founder of Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens, to explain what the pairing means for both companies and its history  and continuing benefits.

If you’re building an outdoor kitchen, you’ve probably already started investigating your options for outdoor cabinetry. In this industry, however, there are a staggering number of options, and that can quickly become overwhelming. To help you choose between plastic, stone, and steel (the most common outdoor kitchen materials), the following is an overview of some of the main differences, drawbacks, and benefits of each material type. From there, it’s just a matter of deciding what fits your personal preferences, budget, and environment.