Interior Designer

Residential Designer & Selections Lead

Go Home Builders
Location: Altadena, CA
Position: Full-Time, In-Office
Salary: $55,000–$65,000 per year, based on experience

About Go Home Builders

Go Home Builders is a residential design-build company focused on custom homes, new construction, and wildfire rebuilds throughout Los Angeles.

Our approach is relationship-first. We believe the homeowner experience should be organized, collaborative, and clear from the first design conversation through final construction.

We are looking for a Residential Designer & Selections Lead who can combine strong design ability with excellent organization and construction awareness.

This is not a purely creative design role.

You will be responsible for helping homeowners make design decisions, keeping selections within budget, creating clear design documentation, and making sure materials are selected, approved, ordered, and ready before construction needs them.

The Role

You will own the design and selections process for multiple residential projects, working closely with homeowners, our Production Manager, Project Managers, vendors, showrooms, cabinet suppliers, and subcontractors.

You will guide clients from initial design direction through final selections and procurement.

The role includes both interior and exterior design, including kitchens, bathrooms, cabinetry, finishes, fixtures, materials, and exterior finish combinations.

You will report directly to the Production Manager.

This is a full-time, in-office position based at our Altadena office, with regular visits to project sites, vendors, and showrooms as needed.

Key Responsibilities:
Interior & Exterior Design

• Lead design discovery meetings with homeowners
• Develop cohesive interior and exterior design concepts
• Create mood boards, finish palettes, and material combinations
• Prepare 3D concepts and visual presentations
• Assist homeowners with design decisions throughout the project
• Design kitchens, bathrooms, built-ins, and other key spaces
• Coordinate exterior materials, colors, finishes, and architectural details
• Maintain consistency across the overall design of the home

Kitchens & Cabinetry

• Develop kitchen and bathroom cabinet layouts
• Coordinate appliance locations and specifications
• Review cabinet dimensions, finishes, hardware, and storage requirements
• Coordinate with cabinet vendors and manufacturers
• Review shop drawings before homeowner approval
• Ensure final field measurements are coordinated before fabrication

Selections

Own the complete selections process, including:

• Flooring
• Tile
• Countertops
• Cabinets
• Plumbing fixtures
• Lighting
• Interior doors
• Hardware
• Paint
• Appliances
• Exterior finishes
• Roofing materials
• Exterior doors
• Other project-specific finishes and fixtures

Maintain a clear selection schedule so decisions are made before they can affect construction.

Client Experience

• Lead client selection meetings
• Attend showroom and vendor appointments with homeowners when required
• Present design options clearly and confidently
• Help clients make decisions without overwhelming them
• Communicate deadlines and budget implications
• Document all approved selections
• Maintain professional, organized, and responsive communication throughout the design process

Allowances & Budget Tracking

• Maintain allowance trackers for each project
• Compare client selections against contract allowances
• Identify potential overages or credits before purchases are made
• Clearly communicate cost differences internally
• Obtain required approvals before proceeding
• Maintain accurate records of selections, pricing, and approvals

The goal is simple:

No homeowner should be surprised by a selection overage after the product has already been ordered.

Procurement & Purchasing

Own the purchasing process for approved finish materials and products.

Responsibilities include:

• Requesting vendor quotes
• Confirming product specifications
• Reviewing pricing
• Placing approved orders
• Tracking order confirmations
• Tracking lead times
• Coordinating delivery dates
• Managing backorders
• Coordinating damaged-product replacements
• Managing returns and reorders
• Maintaining accurate procurement records
• Alerting the Production Manager and Project Manager to potential delays before they affect construction

Project Coordination

Work closely with:

Production Manager

• Selection deadlines
• Plans and design coordination
• Budget and allowance impacts
• Change-order requirements
• Project readiness

Senior Project Manager / Project Managers

• Construction schedule
• Required-on-site dates
• Field conditions
• Measurements
• Installation requirements
• Material readiness

The designer is responsible for making sure the design decisions are ready when the field needs them.

Buildertrend & Documentation

Maintain accurate project information in Buildertrend, including:

• Client selections
• Approvals
• Product specifications
• Allowances
• Vendor information
• Purchase status
• Lead times
• Delivery dates
• Photos
• Relevant design documentation
• Outstanding decisions

Important project decisions should not live only in text messages or personal notes.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means:

• Client selections are completed before construction deadlines
• Allowance overages are identified before products are purchased
• Products are ordered with sufficient lead time
• Construction is not delayed because of missing design decisions
• Clients understand what they are selecting and what it costs
• Design documentation is accurate and organized
• Cabinets and finishes coordinate properly before installation
• Buildertrend remains current
• Project Managers know what is arriving and when
• Homeowners feel confident and supported throughout the design process

Performance Expectations

Key performance indicators may include:

• 95%+ of selections completed by required deadlines
• Zero construction delays caused by preventable late selections
• 100% of allowance overages identified before purchase
• 100% of client approvals documented
• 100% of critical long-lead items identified and tracked
• Zero unapproved purchases
• Zero incorrect orders caused by preventable internal errors
• Current Buildertrend selection and procurement records
• Design packages completed before relevant construction milestones

Qualifications

We are looking for someone with approximately 2–5+ years of experience in residential design, interior design, kitchen and bath design, design-build, or a related field.

Strong candidates should have:

• Strong residential design sense
• Experience working directly with homeowners
• Knowledge of residential finish materials
• Experience with kitchens and bathrooms
• Understanding of cabinet layouts
• Familiarity with construction drawings
• Ability to understand dimensions and basic field conditions
• Strong organization and follow-through
• Ability to manage multiple clients simultaneously
• Comfort working within allowances and budgets
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Ability to manage vendors and procurement
• Strong attention to detail

Design Software

Experience with one or more of the following is preferred:

• SketchUp
• AutoCAD
• Revit
• Chief Architect
• 3D rendering software
• Adobe Creative Suite or similar presentation/design tools

The Company will provide the appropriate design software and tools required for the position.

The Person We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is both creative and operational.

You should enjoy creating beautiful homes, but you should also care about:

• deadlines
• budgets
• documentation
• measurements
• product lead times
• construction schedules
• getting decisions finalized

A beautiful design that arrives three weeks too late does not work in a design-build environment.

We value:

Communication
Accountability
Results
Development

You should be comfortable taking ownership, communicating issues early, and working closely with both clients and the construction team.

Compensation

$55,000–$65,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Full-time, in-office position based in Altadena, California.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Production Manager

Works closely with:

• Senior Project Manager
• Project Managers
• Owners
• Office Operations
• Architects
• Engineers
• Vendors
• Suppliers
• Cabinet manufacturers
• Homeowners

Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person