House Plan Designers in Baileys Crossroads, VA

“Between 2002 and 2003, Michael Ipsan/Horizon took a small 1,800 square foot circa 1942 farmhouse and integrated an addition that more than tripled the size of the house and resulted in a beautiful contemporary farmhouse, with upgrades to plumbing, electrical, windows and siding in the original part of the house. The integration was seamless and the project came in on-time and on-budget, with wonderful workmanship. While we had retained an architect for the overall design, Michael made many useful suggestions on tweaks to the design that significantly improved the outcome. The kitchen and pantry were recognized by HGTV in their American Home 2005 show, and in 2008 the house was recognized with a spot on the Historic Garden Week in Virginia tour, both testaments to the quality of the construction. We've had other friends who've had nightmare construction projects with other builders; our experience was exactly the opposite. Warranty issues were minor, and Horizon has stood behind the construction even to this day. In the years since it was completed we've been happy to have Michael walk other prospective clients through the house to see what was done, which speaks to our respect for his work and honesty. We can highly recommend Horizon to anyone considering a custom home builder.”

“PACE is a one of a kind design + build firm. I just can’t say enough good things about them! First off, they do great work and do it in a very transparent and fair way. The customer service is off the charts, the quality of their craftsmanship is incredible, and the overall experience of working with true professionals in the building and remodeling industry is so valuable to the success of a project. Between Seth, Jordan, Terris, Yuri, Brad and the rest of the crew, you won’t be sorry to have chosen this company for your next Project. Thanks for everything!!”

“Paradigm converted my rambler to a colonial. I couldn't believe how smooth and easy the whole tear down and build process went . There was never any doubt on time, budget, or quality. I will definitely use them again.”

“They did a good job quality wise. They were not always on time, but a job well done. They built my house and I would recommend them.”

“I am a designer for a custom closet company. I have been working with Francisca Alonso of AV Architects on various projects since 2006. I love collaborating with her because she is extremely easy to work with and the projects always go very smoothly. I HIGHLY recommend Francisca Alonso and AV Architects. They do some amazing renovations and are a fantastic company to deal with.”

“We bought a tear down and had Natelli Homes build a custom home. All of the employees are very easy to work with and handled the project with ease. The house was completed exactly on time and I couldn't be happier with the quality of work that was provided.”

“Mason is a wonderful person to work with. Hard working, honest and cares about his work. I would work with him again and again.”

“I recently completed a successful journey in having my old home torn down and having a custom new house built in its place. I consider myself to be one of the lucky few who navigated this terrain with a fabulous outcome thanks to having made the right choice in both the architect and builder that I used. The Architect: Ponte Mellor Architects, Ltd (Bethesda, MD) www.ponte-mellor.com The Builder: Edgemoor Custom Builders (Bethesda, MD) www.edgemoorcustombuilders.com The first order of business was to select the right architect. SHOULD I USE A DESIGN / BUILD FIRM: In researching the right architect, I began realizing the benefits of using a design/build firm - i.e., a firm that could provide both the services of both the architect and the builder. IF YOU DO NOT USE A DESIGN / BUILD FIRM: Let's say you are in the middle of a project and you change your mind about how you want something done. If the architect and builder are not under the same roof, then you first have to call the architect to get the blue prints altered. The architect will most likely be busy and you will have to wait for him or her to review the situation, come up with the new plans and blue-prints, get those revisions to the builder, so that the builder can proceed. This can cause huge (read "expensive" delays). IF YOU DO USE A DESIGN / BUILD FIRM: If you use a firm that is handling both the design AND build, then they can do it all "in house" thereby minimizing the delay (and cost) to you. In interviewing different architects, I found architect Rui Ponte, AIA/LEED AP with Ponte Mellor Architects, to be the one who most clearly and enthusiastically understood my vision and ideas. His firm turned out to be the perfect choice for the architectural work. And since he and his partner Brad Mellor, AIA/LEED AP also have a construction company called Edgemoor Custom Builders, they fit the bill as a "Design / Build" firm. I WENT TO SEE SOME OTHER PROJECTS THEY HAD DONE: I asked Mr. Rui Ponte if I could go inspect some of the homes they had designed and built. He said certainly, and arrangements were made with the various home-owners for me to come take a look. I went to see 5 of them. The homes were beautiful, warm, and classy. But I did not just walk around the main portions of the houses. I also went into the basements and up into the attics, so that I could examine the unfinished portions of the house. What I saw was outstanding, solid craftsmanship in every beam, joint, and installation. I THEN EDUCATED MYSELF ON CONTRACTS: Once I decided who to use, I asked Ponte Mellor Architects and Edgemoor Custom Builders for a copy of the contracts they use. They use the standard AIA (American Institute of Architects) contracts, but these contracts have many different options in them. The next step was to pay an hourly rate to another architect to advise me on what all these variables meant, and to do some research on-line. I then had further discussions with Ponte Mellor Architects and Edgemoor Custom Builders about my ideas regarding the contract, which resulted in an agreement that I thought was fair to all parties. I FOUND PHOTOS ON-LINE OF IDEAS I LIKED: One of the biggest challenges in any creative process is the ability to communicate an idea to another. So how does one communicate to an architect an idea that one wants incorporated into the build? The answer is with photographs taken from the internet. I spent hours combing through the internet taking "screen-shots" of ideas that I liked from architectural sites. These photos were invaluable in this creative process. I INTERVIEWED SUB-CONTRACTORS MYSELF: For decisions on the major subcontractors (HVAC system, Electric, etc) I found it helpful for Edgemoor Custom Builders to get several bids, for them to make a recommendation to me, and then for me to be able to speak to the sub-contractor myself to make a final decision. Edgemoor Custom Builders was very supportive of my involvement with this and we worked together as a team in making the right selections EXPECTATIONS: I often hear people who have been through a renovation or a build be extremely critical of their builder, architect, and/or contractor. Sometimes I wonder how many of these people had unrealistic expectations going in? REALITY CHECK: There is no way you are going to go through a renovation or home build without there being some snafus. In the rare instance when a problem would arise in the building of my home, I was able to speak openly to my architect and builder and together we would find the best solution and move on. FINAL PRODUCT: I now have my dream house where I live with my family. It is amazing. I am very grateful to the folks at Ponte Mellor Architects and Edgemoor Custom Builders, and heartily recommend their services to anyone considering a renovation or a build.”

“We were shopping for a new home and saw a beautiful house that wasn't in our ideal location. The realtor mentioned that the builder, Park Bradley Homes was constructing a new home in the neighborhood we were interested in. We made an appointment to view the home which was about 60% complete. We loved the location, design and open floor plans. We cut a deal and worked closely with Park Bradley Homes picking out the lighting, fixtures and making minor modifications. They were great to work with, and I highly recommend them.”

“Cherry Hill Cabinetry designed our stunning kitchen in our new home! Meredith was fantastic and executed every detail flawlessly. We were able to achieve exactly what we wanted in our dream kitchen. Meredith took into account every drawer and cabinet to meet our needs - including a glass front china cabinet and appliance garage. Cherry Hill offered superior customer service, patience, orientation to detail, ability to stay within our budget, creative ideas, and unique solutions. We would HIGHLY recommend them!!”