Residential additions and renovations come in all shapes and sizes. Some are historic houses on urban lots that require careful restoration; others are suburban houses that require expansion for a growing family. Some are rambling farmhouses that are in need of repair and updating for modern living; others are small lake cottages that need to be grown while respecting their rustic origins. Sometimes a house is largely wrong for a client, but the site is perfect. In a case like that, the existing house can often be altered to suit the owner’s program and taste without having to pull structure down and start all over. All of these projects are individual, and I treat them as such.

As patterns of family life change, houses can change to accommodate the new needs of the residents. Additions can accommodate new children. Existing spaces can be modified to allow homeowners to age in place. Older homes that may seem outdated can be altered to provide the more open interior spaces, greater interaction with the outdoors, and energy efficiency that many of my clients are looking for, while preserving the charm and other virtues of the original house.

Of course budget is a major concern in every project. I work closely with my clients to produce a design that will fit their budget, often finding ways to limit, or even eliminate, the need for an addition by judicious reutilization of existing spaces.