"My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams."
Daniel Pinkwater, "The Big Orange Splot"
Homes reflect their occupants - their needs and their wishes. We spend an exceptional amount of time involving our residential clients in the design process and making it a deeply collaborative effort so that they are fully aware of and excited about their building project. As a result, when projects are completed and our clients are asked to explain why certain decisions were made, they can confidently explain and describe the many alternative solutions that were considered and how the finished building expresses the best of them.
We draw upon a long history of designing new single- and multi-family dwellings as well as additions or renovations. Our projects have ranged from one-room additions to high-rise towers all of which are appropriate to their physical environment as well as sympathetic to and reflective of their community. We recognize and incorporate an understanding of climate and how knowledge of sustainability and the proper use of materials can provide economy, better performance and comfort to the occupants. When adding onto or remodeling an existing residence, we also make every effort to reflect and honor the important architectural elements and details of the original home while incorporating the latest technologies and materials.
We participate in every phase of each project, from the initial design phase, where we provide multiple schematic designs that are reviewed and revised until our client is fully satisfied and on to the development of the construction drawings and specifications that describe in greater detail all of the elements of the project - the materials, the finishes and the various building systems.
We then assist our clients in obtaining and reviewing bids for the work, in evaluating prospective contractors and in preparing the contract between owner and contractor. Most critically, we are active participants throughout the construction - visiting the site and observing the work to ensure compliance with the construction documents, reviewing samples or other product data, meeting with the contractor on a regular basis and resolving problems or unforeseen conditions, making changes as result of client input, reviewing requests for payments, and providing final reviews and inspections of the completed work.