Ann Arbor design-build, 27+ yearsAnn Arbor design-build
Founder Jef Forward and his in-house designers and carpenters have remodeled Ann Arbor homes for over 27 years. You see three concept layouts at three price points before anything gets built.
Forward Design Build Remodel has handled kitchen remodeling in Ann Arbor for over 27 years, and its own site calls kitchens its specialty. The same company draws your plans, prices them and builds them, so the designer and the lead carpenter talk every day instead of passing drawings between two firms.
Before you commit to a direction, the team sketches three possible layouts for your home, each at a different price point inside your budget. You pick one, then refine it with material samples and 3D renderings.
The site lists typical Ann Arbor kitchen budgets of $100,000 to $250,000, so you know the range before the first meeting.
Simple redesigns or full rebuilds that remove walls to open a closed-in kitchen to the living area. Each plan starts with your list of priorities, moves through material selections and 3D modeling, and ends with a complete plan the crew can build with confidence.
Primary baths and en-suite bathrooms, from spa-style showers to double vanities. Forward remodels hall baths and powder rooms only as part of a larger project. Its bathroom page lists primary bath remodels at $75,000 to $200,000, depending on the size of the space.
Made for kitchens and baths whose layout already works. Rekindle keeps walls, plumbing and electrical where they are and replaces cabinetry, countertops, tile, flooring, lighting and fixtures. You get interior renderings, a simple scope of work and a budget before work begins.
When a first floor needs real change, the Reimagine service removes or moves walls, adds rooms and relocates plumbing and electrical. Forward also lists historic home remodeling, and one Google reviewer hired the team to prepare a modest 1956 ranch for aging in place.
Home additions and new custom homes follow the same design-build steps, from concept layouts through a final inspection walk-through. The portfolio includes a dog-friendly custom farmhouse design in Ann Arbor with a covered wood porch and an open, airy layout.
Step one ends with floor plans of your existing home and three sketched layouts, each at a different price point within your budget, plus a written evaluation of scope, time and cost.
NARI named Forward a Regional Contractor of the Year for a mid-century modern kitchen in 2022 and for its Modern Barn Bath in 2023. The firm also lists 14 Houzz awards and a Guildmaster award.
Clients can rent Terra Knoll, the firm's furnished home on Ann Arbor's west side, while their own house is torn up. The site lists it at $3,500 a month with utilities included.
Your warranty period starts when construction is complete, and you get it in writing. Forward keeps a warranty manager on staff and a Home Care and Repair team for small fixes and finish updates.
Jef Forward started the company more than 27 years ago with a passion for both architecture and building, and chose design-build as the way he wanted to serve homeowners. He still leads it as President and Creative Director, and was a runner-up for the Fred Case Remodeling Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2019.
Forward keeps designers, project consultants, carpenters, a warranty manager and a service team in-house at 8110 Jackson Rd., where clients can visit the showroom by appointment. Every build gets its own Project Manager, Project Designer and Project Coordinator, who meet with you on a regular schedule until the final walk-through.
Jef ForwardPresident & Creative Director (founder)
“chose design-build as the way he wanted to serve homeowners”
After you sign a design agreement, the team reviews your goals, researches your home and local codes, and sketches three layouts at three price points.
Materials, colors and fixtures are chosen, drawings grow into 3D renderings, and the scope and budget are updated so you can see what drives the cost.
A pre-construction meeting sets communication and dust control rules. Your Project Manager meets with you regularly, and the crew leaves the work area clean.
A final inspection walk-through checks every detail. Your written warranty period begins as soon as construction is complete.
We had a fantastic experience with Forward and would highly recommend for a kitchen remodel!
Impressed by the quality materials and thoughtful design demonstrated in their finished projects, my wife and I hired Forward Design Build to prepare our modest home for aging in place.
We worked with Forward Design for a kitchen and ensuite bathroom remodel in 2025.
Forward's kitchen page lists typical custom kitchen remodels in Ann Arbor at $100,000 to $250,000. Your number depends on size, finishes and whether walls or plumbing move. The first design step shows three concept layouts at three price points inside your budget, so you can compare before you commit.
Not on its own. Forward does not take on single hallway bath or powder room remodels, but it will remodel those rooms as part of a larger project. A primary bathroom remodel runs $75,000 to $200,000 depending on the size of the space, not counting a walk-in closet.
Maybe not. The Rekindle service is for kitchens, baths and interiors where no walls, plumbing or electrical locations move. The team picks fixtures and materials with you, shows interior renderings, and sets a simple scope and budget. Projects that move walls or add rooms go through the Reimagine service.
Forward clients can book Terra Knoll, a furnished rental home on the west side of Ann Arbor, about 5 miles from downtown Ann Arbor and 4 miles from downtown Dexter. The site lists the rent at $3,500 a month including utilities, and the team walks you through booking it before construction starts.
Yes. Forward provides a written warranty that outlines its activities over the warranty period, which starts once construction is complete. The firm has a warranty manager on staff, and its Home Care and Repair team helps clients with small projects, from simple repairs to replacing finishes.
Call (734) 761-8403, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, or send the consultation form and the team will get back to you.
(734) 761-8403
