PLAN A PROJECT
Start with clarity.
Before we draw a single line, you should know roughly what your project costs, how long it takes, and who you'll be working with. It's all here.
01 — Scope Builder
Build your scope.
Choose what you'd like to change. We'll show an honest investment range and a likely build time — the same way we'd estimate it at a first meeting.
ESTIMATED INVESTMENT: Choose at least one space to see an estimate.
02 — Investment
What projects typically cost.
Real ranges from our last five years of work, including design, permits and build.
| Project | Typical range | Typical build time |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | $150,000 – $280,000 | 3–5 months |
| Primary bath | $70,000 – $150,000 | 2–3 months |
| Primary suite with bath | $180,000 – $320,000 | 4–6 months |
| Outdoor living | $120,000 – $240,000 | 3–5 months |
| Addition (500 sq ft) | $260,000 – $400,000 | 6–9 months |
| Whole-home renovation | $450,000 – $1,200,000+ | 8–14 months |
Design fees are included. There is a design retainer of $7,500 at the start of design, credited in full against construction.
03 — Process
Five steps. No surprises.
Conversation
We meet at your home or our studio, listen, look, and give you an honest early range.
Feasibility
We measure, check zoning and setbacks, and confirm what's possible before you spend on design.
Design & fixed price
Plans, materials and finishes chosen together. You receive a line-by-line fixed price.
Build
One site lead from start to finish. A written update with photos every Friday.
Handover
A final walkthrough, a house manual for everything we installed, and a 2-year workmanship warranty.
04 — Studio
Designers and builders, at one table.
Mara Halden trained as an architect and spent a decade watching good drawings get lost on building sites. Theo Brandt spent that same decade on the building sites. They started Halden & Co in 2011 with one idea: the people who design your home and the people who build it should be the same team. Today the studio is fourteen people — designers, carpenters and site leads — working on no more than eight homes at a time.
Mara Halden
Theo Brandt
- years
- 14
- homes
- 130+
- team
- 1
- warranty
- 2-year
- WE SAY NOto projects we can't do well, and to materials that won't last.
- WE WRITE IT DOWNprices, schedules, changes. Always.
- WE STAYfor the 2-year warranty and long after it.
05 — Questions
Do you only work in Austin?
Yes. Central and West Austin, from Tarrytown to West Lake Hills. Staying close is how our site leads can be on every job, every day.
What's your minimum project size?
Our projects typically begin at $150,000. Below that, we're glad to recommend trusted contractors.
Can we live in the house during the work?
Often, yes, for kitchens and single rooms. For whole-home work we usually recommend moving out, and we'll plan the schedule around that.
How accurate is the Scope Builder?
It uses the same ranges we'd give at a first meeting. Your real price comes after a site visit and design, as a fixed-price proposal.
What happens if something unexpected turns up behind a wall?
Older Austin homes have surprises. We include a contingency in every proposal and agree any change with you in writing before we act on it.
Do you work with outside architects?
Sometimes. Most clients use our in-house design team, but we're happy to build to another architect's plans.