You actually would get more bang for your buck by hiring an interior decorator to make you an affordable e-design board. I offer this service for only $200.00 per room. The difference in people like me and the free services at the store is I take into account any existing items that you want to use. I also know where to get the best prices and use multiple sources for you to purchase your furniture and decor from. Actual retail stores that you purchase directly from after the design board has been created. That way you get a custom space for you and it won't look like a generic catalog/showroom display.

An architect is the person to start with. He/she will draw the plans and probably be able to provide you with 3D drawings as well. Before the plans are finalized it would be good to bring in your interior designer in case they would like to propose any important changes. interior designer is the one who will help to help you create the look you want in terms of building materials, finishes, etc. He/she will be able to advise you on the interior and exterior of your house. Many architects and designers work together so this shouldn't be a difficult thing to organize. Hope this helps. Good luck from Montreal!

My opinion is that you do need to hire An architect, a designer and a contractor,, A design-build firm may not be the best choice since they mostly specialize on the construction part ( Not all of them) and it is unlikely that hey are good at the 3 things. the architect will be needed for the mechanical and structural elements as you mentioned, but you do not want most architects to design the most complicated room in your house ( the kitchen) even though some of them are knowledgeable, the majority do not know the intricacies of a kitchen As for the contractor, you should do your homework and research a reputable firm with a proven track record and an extensive body of work. Some architectural firms will work in tandem with designer and/contractor but do not feel obligated to use them You do not want your designer to give you specific weight requirements for a load bearing wall nor do you want your architect to layout your kitchen and provide you with finish samples for furnishing, you also do not want your contractor designing the bathroom for you or giving you tile layouts or cabinetry details. There is a reason why there are specialties and to get it right, you need to get all parties involved your person to -go to will be a project manager that will coordinate all, in most cases working for the design firm I hope this helps

E-design is a great option when starting from scratch or once you have the house and your ideas a bit further along. You have so many different surfaces going on in your house, you need someone local who can see the true undertones in the existing surfaces, see how each surface touches another surface and make selections to coordinate with them from a local source. I do e-design for some projects and I have been doing material selections for over 30 years for homes, but this is a job for a local interior designer. The "free" designers at furniture stores SELL furniture. They will pick some finishes and paints to coordinate with what they are selling to you. Use a local Interior Designer or Decorator who will do a materials only selection package for you. One who is not trying to also sell you the materials.