Skip to content
Our Process
A Remodel You Can
See Coming

The Enso remodeling process in Austin, designed and priced before a wall comes down.

Portal · daily log · Lance, your superintendent · 8 photos
Drywall hung in the primary suite. Mud and tape first thing tomorrow.
Portal · needs you · 2 options priced
Venting fix behind the range wall: prices on both, please pick one.
5.0based on 26 reviews
63Austin Projects
1 in 2Clients From Referrals
3%Surprise Change Orders
2–4Weeks to Full Design
How We Work

Four phases, one portal

1
Consultation & Site Visit
a call, a home visit, 3 ballpark ranges
2
Enso Design
2–4 weeks · fixed fee
3
Construction
fixed price · approved by you
4
Closeout
the final 10% waits for you
1
Consultation & Site Visit

It starts with a conversation

We start with a 15-minute video call: what you want to change, what you're working with, and whether we're the right fit. If we are, your Enso interior designer and pre-construction manager walk the home with you, talk through scope, and capture a Matterport 3D scan of every room.

Enso designer and pre-construction manager walking the home with the owner, Matterport scanner in frame
12:29
Homeowners on the first video call with EnsoYou
Monica, Enso interior designer, on the intro video callMonica · Enso
Initial Proposal

We measure the house, not your budget

After the walkthrough, we schedule a call to present what we found: 3 scopes, priced line by line from national cost data tuned for Central Texas, a general timeline, and the first 3D renderings of your space. The number reflects everything the work actually takes, not a bid shaped to win the job.

You get
Three priced scopes, a timeline, and first renderings, within days
Your part
Open the door and tell us what you have in mind. We will guide the rest.
portal.ensohomes.com/estimate
123 Mountain ViewKitchen remodel
walkthrough · Feb 26
Budget & Scopefrom your 3D scan · 214 line items
AOption A$58K – $67K
BOption B$66K – $76K
COption C$78K – $89K
103Cabinetry & millwork
$16,900
$18,400
$23,800
106Counters, tile & backsplash
$9,100
$10,650
$13,900
208Plumbing & electrical
$10,800
$11,600
$12,900
311Appliances & fixtures
$8,600
$11,300
$14,700
GRGeneral requirements
$18,500
$19,290
$19,300
Comment on any line, your interior designer answers.
The price is what the data says, not what we think you will pay.
Kitchen rendering, Option A finish schemeAOption A
Kitchen rendering, Option B finish schemeBOption B
Kitchen rendering, Option C finish schemeCOption C
portal.ensohomes.com/design-phase
Next callThu, Mar 12 · 10:00 AM CSTin 5 days
need to reschedule?
Initial Proposal
Design Call 1
2Design Call 2
3Design Call 3
4Design Call 4 (signing)
Rendering, view toward islandRendering, view toward range wall
New renderings with every call · 6 views in Revision 2 · price updated with themComment on any view ›
AJ
You · Mar 6
We love the slim shaker. Could we see it against a warmer white before we lock it in?
MC
Monica · Interior Designer · Mar 6
Of course. I will prepare those renderings and notify you when delivered! Will be ready Wednesday
Selections14 of 24 settled
Cabinetry · slim shaker, painted poplarSelected
$11,200 of $12,000 allowance
2
Design Phase · 2–4 weeks · fixed fee

One place, every decision

The Enso Design Process runs across a focused set of working video calls with your interior designer. As you adjust and decide between calls, everything lives in your portal: renderings, selections, pricing, and Gantt chart, all updating together with every revision. We hone the line-item estimate around what matters to you, until the estimate becomes the exact price you sign.

You get
3D renderings, selections, line-item pricing, and the Gantt chart
Your part
Comment on renderings and pick your finishes at your pace. Every revision follows your lead.
Ends with
An exact contract price, not a padded range
Explore our design process
The Schedule · signed before demo

A schedule you approve, in writing

Every phase, trade, and milestone in a Gantt chart, before demo. You sign it, we build it.

Payments are tied to the milestones on this chart, not to dates on a calendar. The final 10% waits for your sign-off.
portal.ensohomes.com/schedule
Construction Schedule · 11 weeksawaiting your signature
work phase4payment milestone
Design complete40%
2Permit filed
3Construction start
4Rough-in complete25%
5Substantial completion25%
6Your sign-offfinal 10%
W1W3W5W7W9W113456
Demo + containment
Plumbing + electrical rough-in
Drywall + paint
Cabinetry install
Counters + tile
Fixtures + finish
Punch list + your sign-off
Nothing begins until you sign this.Approve Schedule
Portal · schedule signed
Fixed-price contract issued. Demo begins Monday, 8:00 AM.
portal.ensohomes.com/daily-log
Daily Log
Week 5 of 11 · on schedule
Photos from your superintendent, posted straight from the job site, every working day.
LGDay 24 · Friday 5:47 PM · Lance Garza, Superintendent · 6 photos
On schedule
Drywall patched and floated where the old soffit came out. Sanding tomorrow, then primer. Texture matched to the existing ceiling per the design spec.
Daily log photo: drywall patched and floated — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: drywall patched and floated — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: drywall patched and floated — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: drywall patched and floated — Enso Homes Austin+2
LGDay 23 · Thursday 6:04 PM · Lance Garza, Superintendent · 8 photos
Nothing needs you
Supply and return ducts run and strapped, register boxes set. Tomorrow: drywall patch and float where the old soffit came out.
Daily log photo: supply and return ducts run and strapped — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: supply and return ducts run and strapped — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: supply and return ducts run and strapped — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: supply and return ducts run and strapped — Enso Homes Austin+4
LGDay 22 · Wednesday 5:52 PM · Lance Garza, Superintendent · 5 photos
Inspection passed
New framing complete and the framing inspection passed on the first walk. HVAC crew starts duct runs tomorrow.
Daily log photo: new framing complete — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: new framing complete — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: new framing complete — Enso Homes Austin
Daily log photo: new framing complete — Enso Homes Austin+1
22 more updates ˅
Weekly walkthrough · Friday 4:00 PM · in person or on video, with your project lead
3
Construction · fixed price

A daily log, not a weekly mystery

Your superintendent posts photos and a written update every working day – what happened, what's next, and what needs your input. Zip-sealed containment and HEPA air scrubbers are set up from day one, and your daily log holds every photo, comment, and update, in one place.

You get
A daily log in photos and writing, a weekly walkthrough, and one project leader throughout construction
Surprises
Construction may uncover things. If it does, we bring you options and real prices, so you can make an informed decision.
Sealed dust barrier and HEPA air scrubber set up at an Enso job site in Austin
Enso superintendent photographing progress for the daily log
4
Closeout · ONE-YEAR WARRANTY

First your sign-off, then the bill

At the final walkthrough, your Enso superintendent walks the finished space with you, and together you build the punch list. Once every item is resolved and you've signed off, we invoice the final 10%. Three months later we're back to check on the work, and everything we built is covered by our one-year warranty.

You get
A beautifully finished space, a three-month check-in, and a year of us standing behind it
Your part
Walk the finished space with your superintendent. Flag anything. Sign off when you're happy.
Enso craftsman making a final touch-up in a finished Austin kitchen
portal.ensohomes.com/closeout
Your Punch List
written by you, at the final walkthrough
Paint touch-up, pantry door casingDone
Soft-close adjustment, drawer fourDone
Grout haze, backsplash northeast cornerScheduled Thu
Sign Off and Release the Final 10%enabled when every item is complete
Billed only after this. Not before.
Follow-up visit · scheduled at month 3Craftsmanship warranty · runs 12 months
The Enso Guarantee ℠
If design missed it, the cost is ours.

The design phase exists to find problems before demo begins. If something slips past us, we make it right at our expense.

How the guarantee works
FAQ

What homeowners
ask us first

Can I try the portal before we start?
Yes. An example project is open at portal-preview.ensohomes.com, no login and no email required. Click through the budget options, the selections, the schedule, and the daily log. It is the same portal our clients use every day.
How long does a kitchen remodel take in Austin?
Most Enso kitchens run 6–10 weeks from demolition to final walkthrough. Projects with structural work can run 14. You will know your number before demo: every project starts with a Gantt schedule you approve, and the daily log reports against it.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Austin, TX?
Our completed Austin kitchens have ranged from $65K to $95K. Bathrooms run $35K–$50K, whole home remodels start around $200K, and most multi-space projects land between $75K and $500K. Your estimate is built line by line from national cost data tuned for Central Texas, measured from a 3D scan of your home. The calculator gives you an instant range for your rooms and finishes.
Do I need to move out during a kitchen remodel?
Most of our clients leave the home for a kitchen remodel, and we build the schedule around that. If you choose to stay, we help you plan a temporary kitchen setup, seal the work zone floor to ceiling with HEPA filtration from day one, and set work hours in advance. For whole home projects we talk through living arrangements during design, while there is still time to plan around them.
How do you protect the rest of my home during construction?
Before demolition begins we build a sealed dust barrier between the work zone and the rest of your home, run HEPA air filtration inside it, and protect floors along every path. Designated disposal bins, no food on site, and no trash left behind. It is standard #4 (below), and it is not optional.
What materials do you use? Do you offer non-toxic options?
Yes. Materials are chosen for how you will live for the next 20 years, not just what photographs well: low-VOC paints and finishes, formaldehyde-free cabinetry options, and mold-resistant assemblies built for Austin's humid climate. Tell us what matters to your household and the selections follow.
What's included in the design phase?
Everything construction needs: 3D renderings of the finished space, every material and fixture selection, line-item pricing, and a Gantt schedule. The design phase takes 2–4 weeks for a fixed fee, and every revision delivers updated renderings, pricing, timeline, and scope in your portal. It ends with a fixed-price construction contract.
How do I stay informed about progress during the project?
Your portal posts photos and a written update every working day: what happened, what is next, what needs your input. A weekly walkthrough with your project lead is on the calendar before demo starts, and the same project lead runs your job from design through closeout.
What Austin neighborhoods do you serve?
All of Austin and its close-in suburbs. Recent projects: Hyde Park, Tarrytown, Barton Hills, Zilker, Travis Heights, Clarksville, Westlake, and Barton Creek.
Every Project, Every Time

The Enso Standard

Six things we do on every project
Kitchen Estimate
Cabinetry & install$12,400
Countertops, quartzite$6,800
Electrical & lighting$3,900
Tile & flooring$5,300
+ 6 more line items
Total$68,200

1.Priced From Data, Not Instinct

National cost data, tuned for Central Texas, spelled out line by line, with our profit shown right on the estimate. The price is what the data says, not what we think you'll pay.

Build Schedule11 weeks
Demo
Framing & rough-ins
Drywall & paint
Cabinets & tile
Punch list
Approved before demo

2.A Schedule You Approve Before Demo

Every phase, trade, and milestone in a Gantt chart, signed off by you before demo begins. Contractors who run late don't put schedules in writing. We do.

Kitchen · Cabinetry$11,200 of $12,000 allowance
Kavalon Slim Shaker door-front sample
Kavalon
Slim Shaker
$11,200
Semihandmade Sage Shaker door-front sample
Semihandmade
Sage Shaker
$8,400
Kingwood Fine Cabinetry Heritage Shaker door-front sample
Kingwood Fine Cabinetry
Heritage Shaker
$18,500
Settled in design, priced in your portal14 of 24 selected

3.Selections Settled in Design

Every material, fixture, and finish is chosen during design, when there's time to think. Construction starts with a complete plan, not a running list of open decisions.

Sealed dust barrier and protected floors on an Enso job site

4.A Job Site That Respects Your Home

A sealed dust barrier goes up between the work zone and the rest of your home, with HEPA filtration running from day one. Designated disposal bins, no food on site, no trash left behind.

Day 22 · Monday, March 13
Day 23 · Tuesday, March 14On schedule
Daily log photo: the new patio slab poured
Daily log photo: the new patio slab poured
Daily log photo: the new patio slab poured
Forms set and the new patio slab poured. Cures through the weekend, no input needed from you this week.
Posted to your portal4:42 PM

5.Daily Logs in Your Client Portal

Photos and a written update every working day, plus a weekly walkthrough with your project lead (in person or on video). You never chase us for an update.

Final walkthrough with the homeowners in the finished kitchen

6.The Final 10% Waits for You

We don't bill the final payment until the punch list is complete and you've signed off. Three months later, we're back to make sure everything works the way it should. All of it carries a one-year craftsmanship warranty.

When You're Ready

A conversation about your project, timeline, and budget. You'll leave with real next steps, whether or not we build together.