A good renovator should be able to answer any questions about requiring an engineered beam and best layout for resale and function.

You can interview designers/architects for a fee and see what they say......Also a design/build firm might be helpful too.

Start with a general contractor please. If he needs a designer or architect, he'll hire one.

The designs that get posted to houzz are the higher costs designs. I design powder rooms all the time but they are hard to photograph so no one but the homeowner sees them. That doesn’t mean I don’t do smaller dollar projects.

I would highly recommend you hire either an architect or an interior designer to develop a "master plan" for your home. Then you can chunk out the projects over time to keep your budget in check if you don't have the funds to complete it all at once. So if you decided the kitchen is the top priority for remodeling, for example, the master plan will allow contractors to bid the job more accurately based on the total vision. And each successive project will have the master plan road map to keep the look consistent.

BTW, as long as you're not doing a major make-over to the facade, roof line, or foundation, an interior designer can create the plan. If there are structural issues to be addressed, e.g. removing a load-bearing wall, most designers have a list of structural engineers they work with who can provide the supplemental drawings for permitting.

This approach will definitely require an outlay of design fees up front. The only way to find out what that will entail in your area for a home of your square footage is to call a few to have them give you an estimate.

I do agree you need a master plan and some one to tell you the cost of removing a load bearing wall. You will need a contractor for sure I am not not sure you need an architect if you have a good designer and contractor. As for cost that can only be guessed at so not much use. The only way to know is to get some quotes. I have done many jobs that were no where near 100K for my fee. IMO the first step is to talk to your bank since the money will probably have to come from them, That at least will give you a rough idea of what you can borrow and consequently what your budget is.

" I'm wondering what the costs would be to bring a designer on board."

The best way to find that out is to call some Design Firms and ask.

I've seen a few designers here on Houzz in my area, but all of their "project costs" are all over $100k

You can't base your project needs on Designers other projects. When we fill out our profile on here we are asked to put in a range. If my average cost is $100K that doesn't mean I don't do projects that are $30K.

To add to @Design Interior South's comments, "project costs" may not be the same as "designer fees". When I put my project costs on my Houzz profile page, it's the all-in cost of fees, construction, and materials. Most designers don't want to share their fees in a public forum because the scope and time to complete will drive those costs. And each project's scope will be different, depending on the size of the project and the deliverables required for completion.

That said, it's hard to make money on very small projects. So many designers have a minimum fee.

$150+ an hour to 10% of the project costs. It depends on how pricing is structured and if the designer is sourcing products and getting a commission on those. If you’re wanting hourly only, the costs per hour are higher than if you’re getting help with buying product on which they get a % of that too.

Designers charge for IDEAS. That is their commodity that you’re trying to buy. Of course you need to pay for ideas! Asking someone to work for free, without paying a design retainer, is the equivalent of sitting down to a restaurant and demanding full plate samples of all the menu items before ordering. After viewing their website or portfolio, and an involved getting to know you phone conversation, at which no design ideas are given, it’s time to commit to a working design meeting. You pay for ideas, in advance. Trying to get around that just leaves you with kids who just graduated and don’t have a clue yet.

Thank you for all of the input.

@User I certainly never expected to get anything for free, that's why my questions are motivated about getting a foundation of knowledge regarding the best way to move forward, whether that's with a bespoke designer, or some other path. The cost per hour + % makes sense to me, thank you for providing that sort of information, that's the kind of thing I was looking for.

@Sabrina Alfin Interiors Thank you for making the distinction between "project" costs and "design" costs. I wasn't sure how people listed things on here, if designers are saying "this whole project costs X", or "my fee for doing this was X". Also, I agree that my hope is to get "master plan" for the Living Room, Family Room, Kitchen, and Master Bath at least and hopefully I can tackle projects either with a contractor or on my own over time as I save up the required funds.