Design/Build Firms
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Design/Build Firms
Design Build Firm for Basement Remodel
Sept 2012
We are looking for a design/build firm that has experience
remodeling a basement and mudroom. The basement is currently
unfinished. Any recommendations for contractors that have
finished a basement space into a simple family room/kids
playroom? Thanks Needing More Space...
We just had our basement remodeled and I can highly
recommend William Patrick Builders. Will, the owner, came up
with a plan turning the 'dungeon' as I often referred to it
and made it into a small studio. What once was dark and
gloomy is now light and airy with a nice flow. I couldn't be
happier. Will is reasonable, personable and takes the time
to really make sure things are done on time and with ease.
Will can be reached at 510-812-5515. Happy Client
We have been thrilled with Tom Parenteau and his company
Carr Custom Building. He did our kitchen remodel and
subsequently some work on our neighbors house who were
equally happy. Tom is a details guy - well organized, has
excellent subs, and is above all reliable and efficient with
his time. You could not ask for more in a building project!
carrcustombuilders@gmail.com anna
Ryan Rusler at FDR Construction would be my first choice.
303-249-6070
I highly recommend Mike Pourzand of Gehl Design/Build. He
is a certified green builder who is not only a talented
designer, but is incredibly honest and straightforward. He
spent a number of years with Levitch Design/Build before
venturing out on his own a few years ago. Contact info:
www.GehlDesignBuild.com 510-812-1039
Larry
Design/Build firm for major remodel
August 2012
We are about to undertake a major home renovation - new
kitchen, baths, and some other things, and we would like to
use an all-in-one design/build firm. The three we've heard
about are Berkeley Design Build, Levitch, and Mueller
Nicholls. Has anyone had recent experience with these firms
and if so, were you pleased with their work? With the
overall experience? With the cost? EastBayMom
I would very highly recommend Ron Bogley Builder/Architect.
He did a huge remodel on our 1912 Craftsman house that
included bedrooms, stairways, closets, finishing the
basement, adding a master bath, etc. Not only is Ron
supportive and fun to work with, but he is incredibly good
at listening to what we need and then offering excellent
options. He is professional, fast, very cost efficient,
reliable, responsive, and frankly takes care of everything
extremely well. He seems to know and work well with all the
subcontractors one could need and his own crew is fabulous
in every way. We are currently working again with him on
our kitchen and bath remodel. Anyone who is able to work
with Ron will be a thrilled client! Nina
I recommend Friedman Brueggemeyer (fbdesignbuild.com). They
had great ideas, and their work was extremely high quality
(my fussy contractor friend was very impressed). And even
with a few extras we thought of along the way, they did the
project for less than budgeted. They -- and the numerous
different craftsmen who were involved in doing everything
from painting to fabricating a custom-made stair rail - were
also very pleasant to deal with. I actually missed them when
they were gone, and hope to dream up another project for
them soon! Fran
I have not had experience with the other firms, which I am
sure are great, but we have done a couple of significant
projects with Levitch, and I would not personally use anyone
else! We did interview a couple of firms for a major
kitchen/backyard deck remodel and went with Levitch. We
loved working with them so much that when we decided to
remodel our bathrooms and reconfigure our upstairs, we just
went with Levitch; and we recently did a water heater
project with them as well. A couple of things that were
important to me: they are so easy to work with -- Maurice
is incredibly responsive, enthusiastic, helpful and
creative. He proposed such creative solutions in our
kitchen and bathrooms -- we love how everything works and
how it fits with our house. He deeply cares about the
quality of the work - he raised issues (and fixed them) that
I didn't even notice. If something goes wrong (and if it is
a big project, something will), he makes it right, no matter
what. They are not the cheapest (though I think they would
be price competitive with the others you mention), but worth
it.
kerry
Hi there,
Here's another one to consider - Friedman Brueggemeyer
Design Build in Berkeley. We used them a few years ago and
they were fabulous. Our project was similar to yours -
kitchen/dining room, master bath/bedroom/closet, basement
rumpus room, etc. We know several people who had used them
(how we found out about them), all were very happy. Matthew
and Amy are the principals and are terrific - down to earth,
approachable, lovely people (we are still friends and they
come to our annual Christmas party!). Give them a call. I
think that they are probably comparable to the people that
you listed? Also, they finished on time and budget...
Check them out on yelp, and on their website. Happy
remodeler
We are currently working with Berkeley Design Build. So far
so good. They are great at communication, emailing, and have
been super timely with getting designs back to us. Also they
have a really nice craftsman/vintage design sensibility that
works well for our old (1906) Berkeley house.
- excited to move to the 'build' phase
Building and design for house addition
Nov 2011
We're planning to add another bedroom and a bath (more like
a master suite) to our house, and we are looking for a
skilled contractor who can provide the design and building
as a package. Has anyone worked with such a contractor?
McCutcheon construction is a contractor I have experience
with who does design and build and is extremely well
respected, highly regarded and has professional, clean and
skilled workers employed. They are very talented with design
and quality construction and Michael, the owner is a long
time Berkeley resident and graduate of Berkeley. He is also
the president of a green building association and very
conscious of green design and builds with a beautiful
aesthetic.
Contact either Alex or Dan at McCutcheon Construction
www.mcbuild.com,(510)558-8030.
Laura
Initially, we made the mistake of hiring an expensive
architect to redesign our house, outside and in. We spent
nearly $60K for drawings before firing him and largely
scrapping his plans. We changed direction and hired a
contractor, (who contracted with a designer for drawings/
ideas). We are 9 months into our project--the exterior,
kitchen, living room, dining room, and entry are complete
and after a break, we are onto phase 2 -- bathrooms and
bedrooms. Our contractor, Ben Radutiu (EuroAmerican
Construction- 925- 260-4303) and designer (Sherry Hope
Kennedy, Eco Building and Design- 925-890-5619) have
transformed our house with their clever ideas for use of
space, artist eye for what looks great, and their
exceptional craftsmanship. I can't give them high enough
praise! What is also apparent in working with them is their
eagerness to please the homeowner. A building inspector
that came over to sign off on the permit told me that Ben's
work was some of the best he had seen. Beyond that, Ben
also builds custom furniture-- he's built us a walnut slab
dining table, a modern walnut buffet, and zebra wood vanity.
I could go on and on. Ben and Sherry are simply the best
around! You can hire them individually or in tandom.
bh
I worked with Dorrice Pyle http://dorricepyle.com 510-316-
2757 and her team which included Dan Martinez of Martinez
Construction www.danmartinezconstruction.com. They were
very helpful and professional during the whole process of
building out our addition. I particular was impressed with
there knowledge and understanding of the building code. It
was a real pleasure working with them. Randy
My wife and I recently had our Albany 'McGregor'-style home
totally renovated by Marius Construction. This extensive
build included new electrical, plumbing, kitchen and bath
redesign and an 860 sq.ft. addition. The design of the new
addition was handled by local architect Tom Beil of Goring
and Straja architects.
We were extremely pleased working with both and found Marius
and Tom to be professional and thorough. The house turned
out beautiful!
I am pleased to recommend Marius Construction and Tom Beil for
any building project- large or small.
Michael W.
Call Sorin Feraru at 510-228-7366.He is head and shoulders
about the crowd, and can help you with the design as well.He
just finished a project at our house which involved
design.He provided us with the full package of design, plans
and construction, which is great because it really makes a
difference when the contractor, designer and engineer are a
team and communicate one with another.It sure saves you the
headaches.As for the construction, every single detail was
great. The greatest part was that we could reach Sorin
whenever we had questions, he always picked up his phone or
called us right back. You can check some of his work at
www.feraru.us
If you need a responsive contractor, you should call Sorin
Feraru at 510 228 7366. We went through our second
remodeling with him and we could not thank him enough for
the work he has done. He was recommended to us by some dear
friends last year when we wanted to remodel our kitchen. We
were so happy with everything that we hired him again this
year to remodel the rest of the house.We really appreciate
the extra effort he has done so that we could have the home
we had always dreamed of. Sorin helped us with the design
and what we liked best it was that he's very good with
organizing and planning the work ahead just to make sure
everything is on schedule. Also, he really easy to
communicate with and he always picks up the phone and
returns calls on time. So if you want someone who can turn
your home into a dream home, call Sorin Feraru. You can
check out his website www.feraru.us to see some of the work
he has done, and maybe get an idea about how you might want
your house to look like.
Design/Build for home renovation
Oct 2010
We are renovating our old craftsman home and want a business that will handle
the whole project-design and build. We've talked to Berkeley Design Build and
liked them and have seen good info on them from BPN. We'd like to talk to other
design build companies as well. Anybody out there have a good referral?
need all the help we can get
We absolutely loved our design-build firm - Levitch Associates - for a major
remodel four years ago. Maurice Levitch has such extensive experience (is a
licensed architect and contractor) and so great to work with. People may caution
you against design build because of the perceived lack of a checks and balance
between an architect and the builder, but we found it was so useful to have the
high level coordination and attention to detail that Maurice brought to the
project. When we wanted to change the design, he knew what was possible and
made it happen quickly without any cost or time delays. Our major project
($400K+) came in on time and on budget. I would work with them again for
sure. We found them through friends who also had positive experiences,
something you don't hear a lot in major remodels. www.levitch.com
happy with design build
I would recommend Kevin Riley at Riley Design Partners. They are excellent, and
Kevin great ideas. You can look at their work at: rileydesignpartners.com or
call him at 510.390.6231
Kevin is innovative, a good listener and gets you want you want. And he's
knowledgeable about greening solutions. (You should see what he does with
salvaged materials.) Good luck!
Michelle
Check out Canyon Design Build based in Oakland. They have
a great reputation with excellent designers and builders
on staff. Jay Cravagan is their new president; he has 30+
years experience in construction, and is incredibly
customer-service oriented. Jay oversaw our home remodel
prior to joining CDB and we are very happy with the
results, as are friends and family when they visit.
Contact Jay directly at 510-482-0300 or
jayc@canyonconstruction.com.
Happy homeowner
We worked with Levitch Design/Build a couple of years ago to
do a major renovation to our kitchen, as well as adding a
deck and a second bathroom. They were wonderful. Maurice
Levitch has seemingly infinite patience and attention to
detail. He worked through an exhaustive initial design
process that was bigger, only to start all over again when
we decided that it was just too much. They are a family
business, and the build team is just wonderful. They did
the demolition while we were on vacation and sent us regular
pictures of the progress and of our cats enjoying the
excitement. They kept everything as clean as was possible,
and I think they even finished on time. I'm sure that they
aren't the cheapest game in town, but the quality of the
workmanship is excellent, and they treated us like a part of
the family through the whole thing. Maurice even rushed
over to our house on a Sunday once when our old washing
machine started leaking on the floor and we just didn't know
who else to call (and yes, he fixed it). I'm happy to
discuss more if you like.
Diana
I can recommend a great person for Design/Build. His name
is Bob Root. His company California Rebuilders can do just
about anything you want. Basically, his estimates include
labor, materials, overhead, his profit and everything but
what he doesn't charge you for is the thought process that
goes into his work. Once he gets a job, he thinks about it
continually and will draw and redraw designs for your
project until you have a good idea of what you want. He
does meticulous work, he is very personable and is very
reasonable for the amount of work he does that you don't
see him doing. He has a very good eye for design. If he has
to tear into a wall and discovers dry rot and mold he will
tell you it has to be taken care of and how to fix it and
how much it will cost. If something needs to be done, it
will be done right. His email address is
calrebuilders@gmail.com. His phone number is (510)853-1800.
He has a website: calrebuilders.com that has a few pictures
of finished work he has done - as well as a lot of photos
of the actual contstruction process of a couple of his
projects. He is a certified green builder as well and takes
great care in separating the debri so that each type of
material goes to the proper recycler.
cindy
I would highly recommend contacting both Sogno Design and Lawrence
Construction Inc. they do great work together. Lawrence Construction not only
was great to work with but have their own cabinet shop and can do all sorts of
custom woodwork & cabinetry which gave our project a real custom feel at a
reasonable cost.
www.Lawrenceconstruction.biz
www.Sognodesigngroup.com,
Satisfied Client!
I highly recommend Jesse Rozay from Zeus Design Build. I used him to
remodel my kitchen, bedroom and living room...I'd just bought my first
home and was impressed by his down-to-earth manner and straight-
talking assessment of what I needed.
Having him involved in the design process meant that he had a deeper
ownership and understanding of the construction phase. This really
helped in choosing details and design options, and keeping a more
accurate projection of costs. I felt he was not only knowlegeable about
construction methods, but he also had a great sense of style and
attention to finish/detail that meant his rennovations were exactly what I
imagined. He worked directly with my architect so I didn't need to be as
hands-on until it was time to review plans.
His crew were great too...very capable and clean. Jesse tends to get
booked up, but he's worth the wait. His website is
www.zeusdesignbuild.com and email Jesse@zeusdesignbuild.com.
Happy Homeowner
I recommend Allegrotti Construction, Inc. Small
design/build company who specialize in craftsman and
victorian home remodels for those who are interested in
keeping the integrity of their homes. They are only word of
mouth in their advertising, but reliable and do quality work
and are not inexpensive, but not unreasonable in their fees.
Allegrotti Construction
510-848-0520
Shirley
We highly recommend Nicholas Christ Construction, Inc for
any remodel and/or design/build projects. For our recent
remodel and addition, we had used an architect who later
introduced us to NCCI, a family-owned construction business
specializing in green residential remodeling. From the
beginning, during the bidding process, we were very
impressed by the crew: they gave us very detailed and
informed bids (vs. generic computer-generated bids that we
got from other contractors which made it difficult to
believe they were accurate), great problem-solving skills
when discussing ways to tackle difficult design issues and
ways to save money, good communication, professional and
easy to work with. We are now extremely pleased with the
final product, an actually can say we enjoyed the process of
undergoing the remodel! And at the end of the day, we were
also impressed with their very detailed and accurate
accounting and tracking of budgets which can also be another
source of stress or trouble. We really can't say enough
positive things about the crew and their work.
We didn't use their design/build services because we started
with an architect, but from watching the staff in action, we
can recommend them highly and are confident they would be
fantastic in this regard. Check out their website
nicholaschristconstruction.com for other references, but
do note that the site is a bit dated and doesn't include
their new design/build services, which they offer for
smaller projects like bathroom or kitchen remodels, decks,
room modifications and additions.
They are always willing to meet with clients to discuss
their projects and see if the fit would be a good one.
Definitely worth a call to find out. 510.525.8931
Very Satisfied Client
We've been through two major projects with Peter Hirano
(510-543-8659) and we strongly recommend him. We bought a
fixer in 2007, in part because we knew we'd have Peter do
it. This was a huge job; the whole house was taken down to
the studs and rebuilt, including bumping out in the back of
the house and adding an additional 600 sq ft. New
electrical, plumbing, kitchen, bathrooms, you name it.. It
came out great and very close to being on schedule.
In 2003, he did our major home remodel of our previous home.
The remodel included extensive structural upgrades,
electrical, new walls and floors (this part of our house was
semi-finished or not finished at all -- dirt floors..), a
new deck, new windows and stucco, new heating system and
ducts, a skylight, a new bathroom...
Peter was excellent to work with on both of our projects.
Terrific workmanship, honest and ethical, and a nice guy! He
did a lot of the work himself and his subs were all great.
He was on the site almost all of the time for the duration
of the projects. He was also flexible with us, letting us
take on some parts of the project (ie, demolition,
painting..) to avoid his overhead. Change orders were very
reasonable.
Before deciding to hire Peter the first time, we also met
with a couple of larger companies in Oakland and Berkeley.
They both seemed very good but the price would have been
considerably higher for us and we're very happy we went with
Peter.
Peter did not do the design for our projects, but he has
done so for other projects which we've seen. He has also
been adept at recommending changes to our plans, and has a
good sense of design. Hopefully, we'll never do any more
major remodeling, but if we did, we would use Peter once again.
Dan H.
Anyone use Berkeley Design Build?
Oct 2010
We are buying a house that needs a major kitchen remodel as well as smaller
remodeling projects down the road. Has anyone used Berkeley Design Build and
can recommend them (or not)? It seems that a design build firm might be easier
and more cost effective than a separate architect and contractor, but I'd love to
hear any opinions on this matter. Or if you'd like to recommend someone, I'd
appreciate that as well. Thank you!
confused
Berkeley Design Build finished converting our attic to 3 bedrooms and a bath
about a year ago. They are fantastic. Mike and Chris were wonderful to work with
and finished on time and on budget. We really liked the design build philosophy
and BDB did a great job at presenting us with options that made sense and
worked together harmoniously.
We have plans to have them redo our kitchen when our finances allow, they drew
up some preliminary plans when we were setting the scope on our upstairs and
we look forward to working with them again. I can not recommend them highly
enough. Please feel free to contact me if you'd like more information.
Aaron
We had a great experience using Kathy Rodgers as our Architect and Lawrence
Construction as our Contractor. They seem to work together a lot and worked
out details and cost saving solutions thru out the project. Lawrence
Construction built our cabinetry which is beautiful and were great to work with
overall. You can talk to Severin at 237-3421
If you look at their website you will see our kitchen!
Anonymous but happy
Seeking New Design/ Build Recommendations
Oct 2010
Hi, I am looking for a design/ build recommendations for a basement and
kitchen remodel. Hoping for a small firm with good people skills plus
excellent design skills that include green upgrade ideas. Prefer a
computer savvy firm that will produce multiple visual options for each
project. Thanks,
Natasha
I posted this for an earlier question, but the same applies here. I would
recommend Kevin Riley at Riley Design Partners. They are excellent, and Kevin
great ideas. You can look at their work at: rileydesignpartners.com or call him
at 510.390.6231
Kevin is innovative, a good listener and gets you want you want. And he's
knowledgeable about greening solutions. (You should see what he does with
salvaged materials.) Good luck!
Michelle
Design-Build recommendations for remodel & attic conversion
May 2010
Hi, we're interested in remodeling our kitchen and converting our attic to
livable
space, and hoping to find recommendations for architect or design-build
services. The project would consist of reconfiguring existing kitchen,
stairs to
attic, develop attic space, potentially dormers, new roof, maybe foundation
work. Any thoughts about working with either Architects or D-B?
Recommendations?
Katrina
Matthew Stromberg in Berkeley is amazing. Not only is he talented, but he is
really easy to work with. He's a great listener and has incredible integrity. His
website is: www.StrombergArchitecture.com.
KCS
Mark Hajjar is an architect with years of experience.
He has designed many remodels which are similar to your
scope of work. His experience also includes designing new
construction in the Bay Area, in Berkeley and Oakland, as
well as Sonoma and the East Bay. He works well with
Berkeley Planning and Bldg Departments.
Mark enjoys working with clients to provide a well thought
out livable and attractive spaces with an eye toward
economic and ecological issues. References avaliable.
Give him a call..925 683-7645.
I have recommended Greg Watson to several people on the BPN. He has done
tons of work for us, and I often refer to him as the last honest contractor (maybe
because we've had so much trouble with other contractors in the past). He's
honest and he's licensed, bonded and insured (which was important to my
husband -- an attorney). He always has good ideas to save us money. Other
contractors will come in with a low price, and then change order you to death. I
understand that sometimes there are reasons for change orders, but some stuff
they should know about when they write their estimate. Well, Greg is great. I
hope he isn't too busy to help you. You can tell him I recommended his VERY
HIGHLY. His number is 510/453-5638 (cell). Marilyn
For the person or persons looking for a Design Build firm
recommendation, I can recommend California Rebuilders.
Phone # is (510)853-18000. EMAIL is calrebuilders@gmail.com.
I think the website is: calrebuilders.com. Bob Root is a
certified Green Building Expert and has designed and built
many fine structures including a project in San Franciso
that raised a small 1 story home to 3 stories and included
adding new earthquake resistant piers and beams and a
complete new drainage system and remodeling of the interior
of the home. He has a very good eye, is a skilled craftsman
and a perfectionist.
saitisfied client
We had a 45 year old house in Albany that defined ugly.
Small rooms, a mishmash of styles, dark hallways, low
ceilings, poor flow, tiny kitchen.
After meeting with several architects we decided on Lindy
Small Architecture. She did everything from concepts to
detailed design to babysitting the final punch list. Lindy
and her team are professional, very high quality, and
thorough. Plus, she's extremely personable and a real
partner in the end result.
She transformed the ugly duckling into a contemporary ''swan''
with excellent design sensibility, gracious dimensions,
incredible light and thoughtful flow. Not a day goes by
without someone stopping as they walk by and commenting on
the transformation. (Its been 8 months since we've moved in!)
She was an advocate for us with the contractor throughout
the process and made changes as necessary to keep the costs
within budget.
Check out her site and look at the quality of her work.
http://www.lindysmallarchitecture.com/
Max in Albany
The issue of Design-Build v. Architect / Contractor was a
question last time around. It got a lot of responses. Here
is mine:
It seems the usual reason people opt for design-build is to
control costs. I have worked out a system for doing this by
bringing a contractor into the mix early on in the design
process. The advantage to the homeowner in this scenario is
that your architect has more creative freedom and there is
no obligation to hire this particular contractor. S/he gets
paid to do a cost analysis when it seems appropriate.
There are a few Design-Build firms that produce consistently
excellent design results, but I would say the main reason to
hire them is not to control costs, but because you like
their work.
The downside is if the D-B firm you select is little more
than a contractor with a sharpened pencil. You'll control
costs, but the stereotypical contractor's design is mainly
utilitarian and lacks the architectural acumen you might
like to see for your home.
.
AB
Hi,I am an architect and builder. Assuming you will have to
go through local planning review, your project will probably
take 15 to 20 months from start of design to completed
project. I think finding people you think you can work with
creatively and for an extended period of time is the most
critical ingredient to the success of your project, whether
you hire a design builder or hire a separate architect and
contractor. The conversion of the attic is considered a
change of use in the CBC, and will probably trigger some
structural upgrades to the existing house. I'd be happy to
talk to you more about your project if you are interested. I
can be contacted through my website at www.hyerarchitecture.com
FH
I'm an architect in Oakland who specializes in residential projects. I have 17
years of experience and have worked on many renovation projects in the Bay
Area. I'm working on a project very similar to yours right now - converting
attic space, adding stair, renovating entire main floor, including kitchen and
bath.
A project like yours can be quite complex and can benefit greatly from a
dedicated design person. An architect, working TOGETHER with a general
contractor can provide many of the benefits of design-build, while providing
greater focus on the design of your project.
BH, Architect
I'm an architect and Berkeley parent. The best combination is to have an architect and contractor
working together as a team with the homeowner, in a design-
build relationship. Architects are trained to apply a broad
and integrated approach to problem solving, that considers
aesthetic design, code requirements, structure and systems,
and needs of the family for function, comfort and elements
of ''home''. Having the contractor involved as a resource
during the design process allows discussion and
collaboration to occur, and the testing of design ideas
against cost and constructability, with possibilities for
cost saving construction and innovative solutions. I've
worked for a number of years as a designer in a design-build
construction firm, and am a strong advocate for this
approach.
MT, Architect
I am writing to recommend Building Lab, a unique design-
build company. The principal Stephen Shoup received his
graduate degree in architecture. He and his team of
designers and experienced carpenters offer a full range of
services from concepts to construction to cabinet
fabrication.
Last year, I contracted with Building Lab to build two
bathrooms I had designed for our home in Piedmont. Stephen
and lead carpenter Chris Rogers transformed a windowless
crawl space into an elegant master bath retreat. Our
teenage son got a stylish new bath of his own. The results
in both cases far exceeded our expectations.
Our family is now excitedly beginning a kitchen remodel,
again under the excellent management of Building Lab. Our
new kitchen will incorporate sustainable materials and
employ high-efficiency space and hot water heating and
100% high efficacy lighting. They are helping to create a
luxurious and practical space for cooking and entertaining
while being cost effective and sensitive to the
environment.
Full disclosure: An architect by training, I recently
joined B.L. as a design and client support consultant.
Website: www.buildinglab.com
HC
I would like to recommend G+S Architect.They are located
here in Berkeley and they are a wonderful team for design
and build projects.We've got the best deal ever for our
project and I could say that we saved a lot by doing it
through them.Ed and Sunny are both licensed architects and
they worked around the Bay in various and difficult jobs.It
was a pleasure for me to work with them.Highly recommend
them. www.studiogsarch.com
My wife and I had the best experience with Andy Frasheski.
He just finished building a new bathroom in our El Cerrito
home. He converted our closet, expanded it, and turned it
into a gorgeous bathroom with a skylight. He also did major
electrical and plumbing work. He handled administrative
issues with the city planning office too. Regarding price,
he gave us the most competitive bid and stuck to it. At
every point along the way he did whatever he could do to
make us happy. A member of his crew is his son, who did a
lot of painting throughout our house for - by far - the
most competitive possible price. Andy has a great sense of
humor and he makes himself available at any time throughout
the day and week. (510) 644-3711
bg
Design-build vs. architect/contractor
March 2010
We're thinking about a second-story addition and wondering
if hiring a design-build firm makes more sense than the
traditional hire-an-architect-then-hire-a-contractor route.
Any advice from people who have been there? Or
design-builders, architects, or contractors who can make the
case for either approach?
Dave
We just converted our Attic to 3 bedrooms and a bath with Berkeley Design
Build(http://www.berkeleydesignbuild.com/), it was a fantastic experience
and I
would recommend BDB very highly. While I'm sure you can get good results with
an architect and contractor. There is something very appealing knowing
that the
guys who are designing your project are also going to be building it. Mike
and
Chris from BDB have been great, I'd go design-build again in a heart beat.
Aaron
I have some architectural plans for a second story on my
house in Berkeley but they just aren't right and we never
had the second story added on because there were
foundation issues that had to be addressed. Plus the
staircase that was drawn in took space out of one room
making it really small. The space that was added on to the
second story overwhelmed the smaller living room of the
house meant for a 2 bedroom home. I would work with a
design-build team first ( probably less expensive as well)
but you need to find one with a good eye as well as
knowledge of the building process (sometimes a problem
with some architects) Also, architects may not always have
hands on knowledge of the most efficient way of building
and remodeling as far as materials, etc.
I can recommend a green builder for you who will spend
hours working with you on what you want. He will be able
to tell you if it is even possible to build within your
budget. He will also make every effort to use sustainable
materials whenever possible and takes the effort to
seperate everything that is torn out or torn down so that
it goes to the proper recycle program. Calfornia Rebuilders
(510)853-1800 leave a message for Bob Root. Their web
address - Calrebuilders.com
happy customer
mixed bag; for the record - we are on the architect/designer side of the
fence so perhaps biased. - but.
The allure and promise of design build has always surpassed the actual
results. In theory, based on economies of scale, embedded knowledge and
better coordination one should get a higher quality product for a better
price.
While I do think this is largely the case with respect to traditional
wood frame
construction and design - for projects which are either more complex or
adventurous often there is often little real economy. Personally, I have
found
that design decisions in design build projects often are led by the
''what can
be done'' school of thought as opposed to ''what should be done''.
So, if
your project has complex construction / design or approval issues - there
may be little real advantage. But if the project you are considering is
fairly
straightforward then it may be desirable.
Also It should be noted that in a typical construction process the
architect is
supposed to serve as the advocate for the client / project - In negotiations
with a contractor, and overseeing construction. This type of relationship is
essential on a large project [eg:hospital] but is less critical on a smaller
project. In a design build project these entities are the same.
I know that many design/build firms will disagree with my statement on this
- But this has been my experience.
That being said, I would not want to tarnish many of the high quality design
build entities out there with such a broad brush and just add that the
selection of any combination requires that you as the client are comfortable
with the selected team - and that it is a good fit for the scope of your
project.
robert
I am an architect and contractor and I have worked both as a
design builder and as the architect in the ''traditional''
owner-architect-builder relationship. I think design-build
is a great way to go for a lot of reasons, but you have to
be comfortable ''putting all your eggs in one basket.'' I
think the decision depends as much on how you, the owner,
think you will be most comfortable working. i.e. do you want
to shop around for construction pricing, or are you willing
to stick with one outfit for the duration. Depending on the
scope of your second story, the project could take 1.5 to 2
years to go through planning and construction, so my
recommendation is to focus on the people you will work with
more than the process, because you will be working with them
for a while.
fred
Hi, I am an architect weighing in on this perennial question.
It seems the usual reason people opt for design-build is to
control costs. I have worked out a system for doing this by
bringing a contractor into the mix early on in the design
process. The advantage to the homeowner in this scenario is
that your architect has more creative freedom and there is
no obligation to hire this particular contractor. S/he gets
paid to do a cost analysis when it seems appropriate.
There are a few Design-Build firms that produce consistently
excellent design results, but I would say the main reason to
hire them is not to control costs, but because you like
their work.
The downside is if the D-B firm you select is little more
than a contractor with a sharpened pencil. You'll control
costs, but the stereotypical contractor's design is mainly
utilitarian and lacks the architectural acumen you might
like to see for your home.
AB
Go with Feraru & Associates Building and Design. They have a wonderful team
and they have their own architect the work with, so you'll get the full
package. It's really different when the contractor and the architect worked
together for a long time and communicate. Of course they'll run everything
through you, but it's different than being the messenger. We have worked with
them and it turned out to be the best choice ever. Call Sorin Feraru at
510 228
7366 and let him do the magic after.
Hi, I am a residential architect based in Alameda
(http://www.struthersdias.com).
Your question about design/build vs. architect/contractor
is a good one, and my recommendation is something of a
hybrid.
The problem I see with design/build is that your designer
now has an incentive to see your project become more
expensive, because they will also get the construction
contract. This is the same problem with architects who
base their fee as a percentage of construction budget --
you don't want your designer to have any reason to want
the project to become more costly. If anything, their
priority should be to minimize costs.
The advantage of course to design-build is that
coordination between the designer and builder is
seamless. You definitely want the designer to be
submitting drawings for quality control and cost
containment to the contractor at regular checkpoints, and
so with design-build that communication is built-in.
My recommendation is that you select your contractor
early. We generally will have a ''conceptual design'' phase
with a homeowner client, where we will together come up
with one or multiple design ideas. These are concept
drawings and you can't get a hard bid based on them, but a
contractor can certainly give you a ballpark at this
stage. Then pick the contractor based upon not just their
ballpark dollar figure, but also how well you get along
with them and feel comfortable with them. With the
contractor already on-board, you have now facilitated
direct communication between the designer and the
builder. The builder can comment on design updates, can
suggest less expensive alternatives, and can be well-
informed about your expectations for the final product. We find this process results in the lowest overall
cost,
and the smoothest construction phase.
Here is a blog post I wrote about this topic:
http://www.struthersdias.com/sdarchi-blog/2010/1/19/its-one-thing-to-decorate-the-nursery-but-its-another-to-act.html
Best of luck!
Theresa
I would like to recommend you talk with Sherril Jackson of
SeJ design. I talked with her recently regarding interior
design work but she also showed me beautiful work she had
done on 2 remodeling jobs. We have considered a 2 story
addition and if we go that direction, she will be the
person we work with. She would be able to give you the
pros and cons of choosing a designer/architect as herself
as she incorporates many space and flow issues inside that
many architects don't take into consideration. I was
impressed with her work--she does both corporate,
commerical and residental. Her number is 415-377-1247 or
email sherril.jackson@att.net
Kathy
Design build firms!
Sept 2009
Does anyone have recommendations for a good design build
company?
Anyone ever worked with Lorick Construction? Berkeley Design
Build? Others??? We'd like to finish out our basement as
economically as possible. I suppose we could go the
architect/contractor route too but design build seems so much
more straightforward. Thanks for any recommendations.
Berkeley Craftsmen is a great outfit!
satisfied in Potter Creek
I had never heard of design build firms until my friend
recommended the one we are using now -
Friedman Brueggemeyer
924 Carleton Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510)848-3390
They are terrific! Smart, responsive, practical, and really
nice to work with. Our project is very similar to yours --
which I think is smaller than their typical job, but they are
handling it just as if it was the most important item on their
plate. Also, it is coming in under budget. We couldn't be
happier.
Fran
I recommend you get a bid/plan from Altera Designs. Jim
Vivrette, the General Contractor who owns Altera, has a really
creative eye when it comes to making the best use of space, and
he has terrific designers on staff as well. I recently engaged
him to help my elderly parents with their bathroom refresh, and
his ideas were interesting and innovative. He can be reached at
(925) 766-7070.
Julie G
We worked with Lorick Design on our rebuild (added approx. 1000
sq. feet and redid our kitchen completely). THey did both the
architecture/drawings and construction. We were happy with the
end results of both, but during the design phase, we had to
constantly be the ones to push forward - otherwise, there were
lots of delays. They do have new people now, so things may have
changed, but I would still urge that if you go with them that
you stay on top of them and make deadlines at each phase of
getting blueprints completed. When we got to the construction
phase, we were amazed by both the efficiency and the skill of
everyone we worked with. Pete, Brian, Miguel are all excellent
at their craft and our project - originally estimated to take 10-
15 months was mostly completed in 6-months. We've been living
here for 10-months since the work was complete and still can't
believe the meticulous work that was done and how well
everything was completed in 6-months time.
Best of luck with your project
I highly recommend you call Kevin Slagle Design Build. They did
an addition remodel for us a few years ago (not designed by them)
and also some interior work later on (designed by them). Kevin
and his crew are pretty great. They're nice, mellow friendly guys
who were very respectful of our space (we were living at home
during the construction), cleaned up every day, responded quickly
to problems that popped up, and were very professional and
ethical. They take great pride in their craftsmanship, which is
outstanding. If I had more money I'd just hire them to keep them
around :-) Seriously, you can't go wrong with KDSB.
http://www.ksdesignbuild.com/KSDB/home.html
Kevin Slagle Design + Build
1734 13th St., Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: 510-893-0428
Fax: 510-893-2920
kdsb@ksdesignbuild.com
laurel
Just wanted to say how amazing our experience has been with Berkeley Design
Build. We are in the process of completing the conversion of our attic in to 3
bedrooms and a bath. BDB has done a fantastic job. We wanted to go with a design
build firm and interviewed 3 different ones. BDB was easily our first choice, MIke and
Chris are first class craftsmen, they are great at presenting options with out
overwhelming you. They are great at managing the other subs and have really kept
our job humming. In addition to our hose they did an addition to a house 3 doors
up from us and seeing their finish work really impressed us. Again I can't
recommend them highly enough, please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions.
Aaron
You inquired about experience with local design build firms: We
contracted with Berkeley Design Build (BDB) (in 2007) to remodel
our 1917 Berkeley bungalow as well as add an additional bedroom,
bath and laundry room. We could not have been more impressed with
the process and could not be happier with the result.
We opted for BDB because we wanted one firm overseeing both the
design and implementation process, and we liked what we saw of
their work. In addition, we found Mike Pond, Chris Linvill, and
their colleagues very responsive, flexible, and professional.
Once the project got underway, they remained easy to work with,
the process was transparent and educational, and the final result
is exactly what we wanted. For these reasons, we recommend BDB
whenever we can.
If you have more questions or would like to learn about our
project and see evidence of their work, we'd be happy to show you
our home.
Lisa
Feb 2009
I am planning to add a second floor to my small house in central
Berkeley. Nothing fancy. I would like to save money by using a
design/build contractor. Is this a good idea, or are there
compelling reasons to hire an architect? Any recommendations?
Out-growing our house
There are good reasons to go with either route: a design /
build contractor, or hiring a separate architect and
contractor. A design / build contractor might charge less on
design fees than an architect, which are typically a small
fraction of the construction cost. There are some terrific
design / build contractors in the Bay Area. However, there are
a greater number of traditional contractors who do not offer
design and permit drawing services.
Hiring a separate contractor and architect gives you a wider
choice of contractors, and you can choose an architect who can
best incorporate your needs and design aesthetic with the
architecture of the house, who might bring a broader range of
ideas and expertise to the project, and who can offer services
that a design / build contractor may not be interested in; such
as extra Design Review drawings and presentation, or just
alternate design schemes you want to explore. Berkeley will
require your second floor addition to have a Title 24 energy
report and probably structural calculations, so be prepared to
also hire an energy consultant and a structural engineer or
architect with structural expertise. The architect serves as
the coodinator of these consultants during design, can assist
you in review of contractor bids, and can observe the
construction process, serving as your advisor. You can
find ''Consumers Guide to hiring an architect'' at this address,
http://www.cab.ca.gov/consumers/index.shtml.
A third option is to hire an architect and contractor who can
work together in a design / build relationship. By hiring an
architect and contractor who have developed that level of trust
and communication, you benefit from both the expertise and
services of an architect, and cost savings from having less /
more informal drawings needed and being able to work things out
in the field.
As an architect, I'd be happy to give you more specific advice,
and to offer architectural services. I offer design and
construction / permit drawing services.
MT
Hi there,
we just went through your same situtation. We had a very small
one bedroom and then I had twins! We didn't want to move and
decided to add a second floor. We are both teachers and were
really looking for a deal, which we finally found (met with a
few overpriced/under qualifieds before finding our guy)
We used architect Mike Poorzand 510 333-3524 gehldesignbuild@gmail.com
(he's in Kensington)
We found it was cheaper to go this way instead doing the
contractor as designer option.
He charged us $6,000 for the entire drawing job which included
even taking me to the county personally twice when I was 8
months pregnant, attending special meetings (we're in
Kensington on a creek and there were extras to do), setting up
our contractor for us (we did an entire 2nd floor for about
$125, pretty basic), plus endless support and advice during the
project (he got us all of our workers for the job).
His drawings were passed the very first time they were
submitted to the county and we never had any complications with
his side of the job.
He's a pro and a great human being-- he understands budgets and
will give you options that you can work with. Good luck to you!
If you want to ask questions of someone's who's been through it-
-
bluesquare
I know from my own experience that in your case you need to hire
an architect. Because it is a second floor addition it needs
engineer calculations and the engineer stamp has to be on the
plans. The architect will provide everything. I worked with a
contractor that was teeming with an architect and because of that
everything worked smooth starting with the design part going
through permits and ending with the construction itself. The
contractor that I worked with is Constantin from C G Builders. He
will recommend you the architect that he is working with. You can
contact him at info@cgbhome.com or at (510) 305-5680.
Jessica
Hi,
You need an architect for a second level addition. The best way
to do it is to find a contractor that works with an architect or
the other way around. For my project I had a contractor that
recommended me an architect. They worked as a team for the last
four years. This makes your life a lot easier. You can contact my
contractor, his name is Constantin Gott, at 510-305-5680 or
info@cgbhome.com. They both did a very good job.
diana
In response to your question about adding a second floor, I would
recommend hiring an architect as opposed to a design/build firm.
Typically I would recommend speaking with several architects to
find someone whom you will feel comfortable working closely with
to achieve your vision. After the drawings get to a certain stage
(before getting a building permit, but including structural
schematics) I would recommend doing a preliminary bid with
several contractors.
This is the only way to get an idea of how much your project may
cost. A design/build firm will give you an idea of how much they
would charge for your project, but you have no idea of the fair
market cost and effectively would be paying time and materials
which can easily get out of hand.
Sandy, Architect
As a design engineer who used to be in the contracting
business, I can say that a design-build contractor is the
quicker cheaper way to go, and there are standard construction
designs allowed by code which he can use to facilitate the
project. I can recommend Andy Columna of Columna General
Contractor (925) 698 0813. Andy is a good draftsman as well as
a small project builder.
Rabel
We just completed a remodel in El Cerrito and I wanted to
recommend our architect, Sunny Grewal from Studio G&S in
Berkeley (510.548.7448). A few years back we had hired a
different architect for a second story remodel and by the time
we went into bid, the estimate of the construction was way over
our original budget, so we had to scrap the whole thing. The
second time around we wanted an architect who was very informed
and also honest about what we could afford as well as someone
who was upfront with their fees. We found that Sunny satisfied
these requirements very well as he charged a flat fee which was
included in the contract so there were no hidden/hourly costs
and we ended up with a very nice remodel that fit into our
budget. I think the main difference between an architect and a
design/build firm is that you have more flexibility when the
plans are done as you can bid out to many contractors who
compete for the lowest bid. If you do choose to go the
architect/contractor route, I would also like to recommend our
contractor, Marius Construction (510-828-6551) as they did an
excellent job with the remodel for a great price, all while we
were still living in it. Good luck!
Sarah
Hi, In response to your question, I would highly recommend Sandy
Chan, at curve design. I have found her work to be excellent,
affordable, and better yet, 'green' or sustainable. She is also
very fair and easy to work with. I can't say enough positive
comments about my experience as using her for an architect on my
home improvement projects.
She can be reached at curvedesign@yahoo.com, or 415-819-4811.
anonymous
We have used Vit Salvo of Arcistruct, 510-517-7151 here in
Berkeley. He is an architect and builder and wonderfully
resourceful and creative. Since he is familiar with all
aspects of designing and building, as well as local Berkeley
building codes, it is totally worth it to get a free
consultation with him. He works with a great team. We have
used him extensively and are overall very happy with his work.
pleased client of Arcistruct
My recommendation is to hire an architect and a contractor. We
recently completed a remodel to our upstairs. We started the
project with a design/build contractor and after about 2 months
stopped. We did not feel like we were getting what we wanted
nor the attention. We re-started the project with an
Architect. Not only was he good to work with and helpful, he
has remodeled his own house himself and that was what sold me on
him. When it came time to select a contractor, he helped us
along the way and even came to the interviews. He was a nice
balance and gave us some insight to each of the contractors. One of the things
that I realized at that point, was how
important it would be for him and the contractor to work well
together.
Our contractor did a great job and really took the time to make
it what we wanted. Our project is complete and I am really
happy about it.
Our Architect was:
Bill Englehardt
Engelhardt Architect
415-572-8895
Our contractor was:
Jeb Bunker
Jeb's General Construction
925-260-7579
Hilary
Sept 2008
We are in need of a design/build architect to
1) create a foyer
2) add dormer
3) reconfigure kitchen/living/dining room space
Speed and professionalism are of the essence.
Thanks, Max
We had a very good experience with Maurice Levitch. He did a
master bedroom remodel of a old sun porch on the back of my
husband's house which included a bathroom and closet. The
results are incredible and he was on-time every time. The
final costs were slightly more than what was originally
estimated, but that was because we, the clients, changed
things. I would say we worked from an ''80% design'' approach -
high in creativity and LOTS of input from us. Please contact
me for further information and a possible tour.
bobby
Oct 2003
Re: Kitchen contractor for remodel
We went through a lengthy process of interviewing both
architects and design/build groups to do a MAJOR kitchen
remodel that includes moving interior stairs. While we
found the architects' work to be generally more creative
and unique, we opted for design/build because we would not
make very successful project managers and wanted to avoid
conflicts between the architects vision, the builder's
understanding of structural soundness, and the City of
Berkeley's arcane building codes. That said, the architect
from ''our'' design build firm is very creative and an
expansive thinker.
We chose Federal Buiding Company
(http://www.federalbuilding.com) Larry Hayden's group is
expensive for good reason: Many clients continue to return
to them for further remodels because they do what they
said they would do, when, and for the estimated cost.
Their reference pack is 2 inches thick! Amy and Dorrice,
the interior designer and architect are very creative and
work with Larry as a seasoned team. They are also fun.
2001
Re: Good design/build firm for kitchen remodel?
I would like to recommend Shure Design and Construction (510) 540-1952. Marc Shure is
a designer, finish carpenter and cabinet maker who specializes in remodeling kitchens. He
recently remodeled our basement for us (unusual for him to depart from kitchens), and I
can't praise his work enough. He transformed a funky, creepy, jumble of slap-together
carpentry into a beautiful, usable space. I've seen some of his kitchens, too, and his
excellent craftsmanship is evident in them as well. Carl
1999
To the person inquiring about a kitchen/bath remodel, I highly
recommend
Mueller Nicholls Inc., a full-service, design-build company that
specializes
in kitchens and remodels. They have a wonderful kitchen designer,
Michael
Waxman, who owned House of Kitchens in Berkeley for 20 years before
merging
with MN. My husband is an MN lead carpenter and I can certainly vouch
for the
quality of their work. You can reach MN at 444-5000 and ask to speak
to owner
Steve Nicholls, or designer Michael Waxman (or check out the website
at
www.mncabinet.com). If you decide to contact them, you can mention
Travis'
wife Mary (that's me!). As for moving your project along regardless
of the
company you pick, it is essential to have a good set of plans to work
from.
The fewer along-the-way decisions/changes you have to make, the
faster things
will go. Good luck!
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