Design/Build Firms
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Design/Build Firms
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
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
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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