Why choose Living with Lolo for interior design in Scottsdale?

Living with Lolo is an award-winning luxury interior design and licensed design-build firm in Scottsdale, AZ. We manage everything — design, materials, construction, and installation — under one roof, with one point of contact. Named Best Interior Design by Phoenix Magazine three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026) and recognized by Architectural Digest, Vogue, and The Wall Street Journal. Licensed General Contractor ROC #347577.

How much does luxury interior design cost in Scottsdale?

Full-service luxury interior design and design-build projects in Scottsdale typically range from $350,000 to $600,000, with many clients investing $500,000 to $1 million across design fees, construction, and furnishings. Design fees alone typically range from $21,000 to $53,000 depending on scope.

Does Living with Lolo handle construction as well as design?

Yes. Living with Lolo is a licensed Arizona General Contractor (ROC #347577) as well as a full-service interior design firm. We manage the entire project — design, permitting, construction, procurement, and white-glove installation — under one roof with full transparency.

Where does Living with Lolo work?

We are based in Scottsdale, AZ and serve Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, and North Scottsdale neighborhoods including DC Ranch, Silverleaf, Gainey Ranch, and McCormick Ranch. We also work with select clients nationally in Park City, Telluride, and Lake Tahoe.

What is the Living with Lolo design process?

Our process begins with a discovery call, followed by a virtual home consultation, detailed design presentation (2D boards, 3D renderings, CAD drawings), and then white-glove purchasing, construction management, and installation. We take the entire project off your plate — you return to a completely transformed home.

Can a General Contractor Do Plumbing Work?

by Lauren Lerner | Jun 6, 2025 | Modern Interior Design Ideas

Modern laundry room with taupe cabinets and marble countertop

6 min readJune 2025

When it's a home renovation, homeowners often wonder, "Can a general contractor do plumbing work?" In order to answer that correctly, you must be aware of the difference between a general contractor and a licensed plumber and what level of legality and capability each has. The following is what you have to know in order to make the best decision for your next project.

The Law of Contracting and Plumbing

General contractors and plumbers do have some distinct roles, and their licensing is usually also distinct in this sense. General contractors oversee and coordinate entire plumbing work in building construction projects. What’s more, general contractors can subcontract and oversee specialists, such as electricians and HVAC technicians, to perform some aspect of a project. Licensed plumbers are specialized and licensed to perform work on water, pipe, and drain systems only. There are different legal requirements state by state and even municipality by municipality. Some general contractors can perform minor plumbing such as repairing some leaks or installing fixtures in certain areas, but anything more is usually reserved for a licensed plumber. Installation of new piping systems, sewer line repairs, or even fixing hazardous materials such as gas lines is where the licensed plumber comes in. Homeowners have to ensure that they are in accordance by checking local ordinances as performing plumbing work without the appropriate license can result in fines or even denied claims on their insurance.

Plumbers and General Contractors Scope of Work

Understanding what each specialist does will point homeowners in the right direction. A general contractor is useful while doing complex projects, for instance, multiphased projects, like house renovation or house additions. Their main work is project management, for instance, planning, costing, hiring subcontractors, as well as quality control. While they might have an entire list of different trades that they are skilled in, general contractors are not plumbers. Some may do plumbing work, but they are not licensed plumbers and are hence not allowed to do as much as they would be otherwise. A contractor will oversee and manage orders from vendors, but they would not do any work that would have them cutting into water lines or repairing a leak in a master water supply line. Professional plumbers do have the training and specialized equipment to handle complicated plumbing issues. Professional plumbers are taught to find, diagnose, and repair problem issues quickly and in a way that is safe and meets building codes. Beyond minor repairs, calling a professional plumber isn’t just worth it financially; it’s crucial to the safety and life of plumbing in your home.

Finding the Proper Expert

If work is being done at your home that includes plumbing, you need to determine the scope of the work and hire the proper professionals. In most large projects, you will probably need to hire both a licensed plumber and a general contractor. If you are, say, incorporating kitchen plumbing and remodeling, your general contractor can do the design, cabinetry, and electrical fixture work, while the plumber can get all pipes and fixtures in and up to code. Always check credentials, licenses, and experience from potential plumbers or contractors. Professionals will provide you with proof of credentials and even walk you through permits and inspection that you need to perform to legalize and make your project safe.

The Ideal Solution for Your Property

General contractors are incredibly useful as a project manager on large projects, but they are actually there to direct the work of a specialist professional and not do it themselves. Plumbing is a specialist job, and it is a job that is best left to a licensed plumber who has the technical expertise and licensing to do the job right and safely.

Whether you’re hiring a Pacific Palisades general contractor for a major renovation or looking for a general plumbing contractor, the right professionals make all the difference. No matter if you are completing a low-budget remodel or a high-end project involving plumbing construction, the right experts will, in the long run, save you time, frustration, and money. If unsure, hire qualified, licensed professionals to do your plumbing properly and in the proper manner. Explore More: What Does a General Contractor Do? Key Roles Explained

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This question comes up regularly in design-build projects because our clients want to understand what our team can and cannot self-perform. The answer in Arizona depends on the contractor's license classification and what subcontractors are licensed for. Here is the clear version of how it works. — Lauren Lerner

Related Resources

Questions about what a design-build firm handles on your project?

We handle everything including licensed trade coordination. A discovery call will answer all of this for your specific scope.

Book a Discovery Call

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a general contractor do plumbing in Arizona?

In Arizona, general contractors can manage and oversee plumbing work but the actual licensed plumbing trade work must be performed by a licensed plumbing contractor. A GC on a design-build project coordinates licensed plumbers as subcontractors. This is standard practice and does not affect your experience as a client.

Does Living with Lolo handle plumbing in remodels?

Yes. As a licensed general contractor, Living with Lolo coordinates all licensed trade work including plumbing as part of our design-build scope. You do not need to find or manage a separate plumber. We handle all subcontractors as part of our standard process.

Ready to Transform Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

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Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

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Lauren Lerner

Lauren Lerner is the founder and principal designer of Living with Lolo, Scottsdale’s luxury interior design and licensed design-build firm. Named Phoenix Magazine Best Interior Design three consecutive years, Lauren leads projects from concept through construction for high-end homes in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix.

livingwithlolo.com/

About Living with Lolo

Living with Lolo is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based luxury interior design and construction firm. The company specializes in full-service interior design, design-build remodeling, and construction-led renovations for high-end residential homes in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix. Living with Lolo manages both interior design and licensed general contracting under one roof, guiding projects from concept through construction and white-glove installation.