In a rush, we neglected to get a building permit. Salvation!Įverything was going awesome, until the building department showed up. We already had a plan on the shelf to renovate that bathroom, our contractor was available, we were able to get all our tile and bathroom fixtures picked out and procured in record time, and shortly after New Year's our GC started the repairs and creating the bathroom of our dreams. Thankfully, one of the other rockstars on our short list of local business partners is our general contractor. There was some once-in-a-century rapid drop in temperature, we had some poorly insulated pipes, and one of those pipes ruptured in the floor of that second floor bathroom resulting in that disaster. We got a call from our teenage son, telling us that water was raining down from the upstairs bathroom, through our microwave and stove, into the basement, onto the furnace and water heater. On Christmas Eve, my wife and I were out doing errands. “I can count on several fingers the times I have found a local business partner that I'd describe as a rockstar, and Brian Hopkins is on that short list. We absolutely recommend working with John Patrick Cunningham. The construction documents helped us during the bid phase, when we were trying to select a contractor, and have served as the “source of truth” during the construction phase. The renderings were also very impressive to our contractor, who is overseeing the construction of our home, as were the construction documents that John produced. These renderings alone have received glowing compliments from all our friends and colleagues. Once our designs were final, John even produced renderings that helped us select fixtures and furniture to fit in our space. These were invaluable for two business professionals trying to make design choices with no design experience. And yet, when there were personal elements that my husband and I were unwilling to bend on - no matter how impractical - John found a way to make them work.Īfter each check-point, John created great drawings that helped us visualize the space. We wanted to work with an architect who would share his professional expertise, and not simply sketch whatever we asked him to. He was always very tactful in explaining which ideas made sense and which could be reconsidered in order to maximize space and functionality. We never felt embarrassed or uncomfortable bringing our ideas to the table. During each one, John Patrick was thoughtful and professional. We held frequent check-points during our design phase. Not only did he come up with beautiful and practical solutions to the problems we saw in the home, he willingly worked within the existing constraints of the space, i.e., the location of plumbing, load-bearing walls, etc. John Patrick is a highly trained and skilled designer, who helped us realize ideas about our space that we didn't see before. We bought a1930s colonial - our first home - and while we knew that something needed to be done to it, we couldn't figure out exactly what. We know that when we finally move into our renovated home, we will enjoy it that much more because we worked with John. He went above and beyond to ensure that our vision and goals were captured in the final design. “My husband and I are absolutely thrilled with the work performed by John Patrick. I cannot overstate the unusual combination of aesthetic sophistication and practical know-how ACHA offers.” And he designed a fabulous deck and got us through the treacherous Department of Building approval process for it! He was patient with us and effective at translating our priorities (and financial constraints!) to the contractors.Īli made optimal use of our limited space - fitting in a powder room on a parlor floor, where it didn't seem one could fit, along with an open living/dining area, and three comfortable bedrooms and two baths on the garden level. He was great on the big picture and the detail - taking the time to learn our style preferences and developing them into options we never would have thought of on our own. Ali helped us figure out and then implement the right plan for us. “We had never been homeowners, let alone renovators, before we bought a brownstone in Carroll Gardens, and ACHA was the perfect partner to get us through a daunting process to the home we wanted.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |