A Home Remodeling Architect in New Jersey
Are you looking for more space in your home? Maybe it’s just a different kind of space with better utility for your family and your lifestyle? Maybe you’d prefer a whole new wing added to your home for that home theater and home office you’ve always wanted?
If you’re looking to hire an architect to help you remodel your house, there are a number of things you should consider first and foremost.
- What is my total budget for the house renovation? (Including Architectural Services)
- How will I finance the construction? Are there zoning and other concerns?
- What are the lifestyle and practical goals of the home renovation or home addition for you and your family?
- Is the renovation significant enough to require a skilled architect?
- What is my timetable for the renovation?
Things to Consider when Contracting Home Remodeling Architectural Design Services in NJ
For many people its clear that the scope and complexity of a project will require a skilled architect. Even small projects benefit from this in unexpected ways that can actually save you thousands of dollars in the construction phase of the project. Dealing with New Jersey building codes, plan approvals, town engineers, and ultimately builders and inspectors is generally something most folks don’t want anything to do with. (And rightly so!) The bottom line is: Don’t be afraid that your project is too small to justify consulting an architect! We don’t charge you anything to have an initial conversation about your project, and that alone might save you thousands even if we never design a thing!
Renovations and Additions that involve period homes or stylized modern homes clearly require an architect. It’s critical that the design achieve a seem less aesthetic blend into the existing structure through both careful engineering studies and design, and the proper selection of materials. An experienced architectural firm (like the team at Seth A. Leeb Architecture) has vast knowledge of both past and present construction techniques and materials. The firm has worked in many older towns with historic neighborhoods and has experience working with Historic Review Boards. They can recommend modern materials that have that same timeless look as your existing structure, saving you thousands of dollars on the cost of your renovation.
Some New Jersey Home Remodeling Projects:
Basement Renovations, Montville, NJ
Basement renovation of a series of spaces for adult entertaining was created, to include a Media Room, a Reading Room, a Kitchen/Bar area, a Billiard Room & a Bathroom. The Sleek, modern look was achieved through the use of smooth materials of glass, stainless steel & polished stone. The Media Room with its disappearing projection television screen & its sliding glass doors allow for the space to be open & intimate. Through the use of invisible "sos" hinges at the flush core doors, clean lines could be maintained. The removal of columns & walls, the installation of windows & the reworking of the stairs not only created an "open feeling", but also changed the idea of a "Basement". See full details of this project here.
House Additions and Renovations, Randolph, NJ
New one & a half story addition was built of stucco and brick to complement the existing house. The Family Room opens up in several directions, outward to the front of the house with a new small terrace, outward to the rear of the house with large french doors and fixed glass panels, inward toward the Kitchen & Breakfast Room and upward toward the Playroom Loft. See full details of this project here.
A Word About Period Home Renovations and Home Restorations
While our firm does both modern and traditional home renovations and additions, we do in fact have a special competence in the remodeling and restoration of older homes. Not every residential architect is good at this, it really does require the kind of special study and long experience that Seth A. Leeb and his team have in this area. We have occasionally been called in to rescue major period restoration projects mid construction, due to a failure of less skilled design firms to have considered the right questions or understand critical details of the design integration.
Some of the work we’ve done specifically in period renovations and home restorations includes:
- Sympathetic additions and renovations so that the particular style of the residence is seamless throughout.
- Designing the interiors so that they are of the particular period of architecture.
- Recreating details that have been lost through previous renovations.
- Work on houses have ranged from the 1800's through the present.
- From Victorian houses, Craftsman houses, Mail Order houses, Mid-Century Modern to Contemporary and beyond.
Some of the work we've done for the interiors of residences:
- Designed kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, mud rooms, built-ins and furniture
- Provided not only designs, but full construction drawings and if necessary shop drawings for all interior cabinetry and furniture
- Assisted with all specifications for finishes including flooring, tile design, wall coverings and architectural moldings
- Assisted with lighting designs, specification, layout and if necessary procurement
- Assisted with paint colors
- Assisted with all interior material choices such as door and hardware designs