Seth A Leeb Architect

Building a home is often a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and, although it’s an exciting process, you can easily feel a bit overwhelmed and out of your depth as a homeowner! Here’s a guide on what to expect, from a leading  residential architect in NJ . The Pre-Design Phase of Residential Architecture Design  This happens when you first meet your residential architect and their team, and it’s more about getting to know you than anything else. Our team wants to know more about your lifestyle, your family, your expectations of your home, and what you love about houses. This is how we get the central ideas for the design of your home. While we will cover the basics like how many bathrooms and bedrooms you want, this meeting is also focused on your dreams for your home. It’s a good idea to share as much as possible with your architect, from photographs of homes that you love to lifestyle choices (do you love entertaining? Do you have a classic car collection? Are you plan...

In terms of sustainable  residential architectural design , the use of concrete is one of the biggest debates – is it or isn’t it a Green building material? There are strong arguments on each side, and it’s up to every homeowner to decide for themselves on the role of concrete in the building of their sustainable home. Here are some insights to help you make an informed decision. Concrete manufacturing:  The way in which the majority of our concrete is manufactured is far from Earth-friendly. Worldwide, concrete production accounts for a massive 7% of global CO2 emissions. At the same time, the production of concrete uses up waste products that would otherwise be left to landfills, such as blast furnace slag and fly ash, and old concrete can be broken down and recycled for certain uses in construction. Building lifespan:  Concrete is incredibly durable, unlike many other building materials. It won’t rot, burn or wear the way wood or metal would, so buildings made...

If you’ve been doing research on building your own home, you have likely come across the term “passive house design”. Here is some insight into what this type of design is all about and whether or not it will work for your project, from a leading residential architect in NJ. Firstly, passive house design is about using the principles of efficiency to meaningfully reduce energy needs for heating and cooling in a residence and can be applied to single family homes as well as large buildings. Achieving this is focused on using airtight construction, energy recovery systems, insulation, solar heat management systems and exceptional-quality windows. This is known as passive house design because they are constructed in a way that creates a comfortable living environment without relying extensively on heating and cooling systems that actively use energy. Any House Can Be a Passive House  There is no single type of house that is a passive house, as these design principles can...

During the rainy season, New Jersey homeowners are faced with the risk of their home flooding, causing structural damage and the loss of their belongings. According to National Flood Insurance program statistics for 2016, New Jersey homeowners accounted for over 232,000 policies worth $56 billion in flood insurance and received over $6.1 billion in claims payments between 1978 and 2015. With this in mind, it makes sense to incorporate strategies for flood prevention into your home’s architecture. Here are some tips from a  leading architect in NJ . Know if you’re in a high-risk zone:  A great source for information about flooding in your area are the FEMA Flood Zone Maps, which you can access online. These maps use aqua markers to indicate if an area is below the flood marker. Ask your architect to determine your BFE (base flood elevation) and DFE (design flood elevation) to ensure that your house is set at the correct height and according to building codes. Ask f...

Architecture and interior design is constantly changing, keeping homes looking fresh, innovative and exciting. Here are some of this year’s biggest trends, according to leading  residential architects . Outdoor living space:  More than ever, homeowners want to break down the barriers between indoor and outdoor living, allowing them to have a much greater flow between the house and garden. Large patios that can be enclosed, sun rooms and outdoor kitchens are just some of the ways of incorporating the outdoors into your home. Natural light:  There’s a big demand for designs that maximize natural light through large windows, wider door openings and skylights. This is popular even in colder climates thanks to advances in glass technology that allows for huge windows without compromising insulation or increasing your spending on energy bills. Large folding glass doors are also popular, allowing homeowners to choose how open or closed they’d like their space to be. E...

One of the first questions many people ask their  architect in NJ  is when to start building their new home or addition. Here are some insights to help you make the best start on your new project. What Factors Should I Consider Before I Start Building?  Your contractors:  The reality is that contractors are available year-round depending on their schedule and are often more easily available in their “off-season” months. If you want a specific contractor, this might be the most important factor in your decision. Frozen ground:  When the ground is frozen, it’s harder to work and many contractors prefer to have the basic foundations and structure in place before winter hits. This will vary according to your geographic location, with the North-Western areas of NJ having cooler temperatures on average and Atlantic Ocean regions having fewer days below freezing. The rainy season:  This is considered to be the worst time of the year to start a build, a...

It’s no secret that building a home takes money, the right attitude and plenty of preparation – but it also takes an experienced residential architect! It’s a huge project and it’s not something that many people have experience in doing, and not having the right New Jersey architects at your side can mean running into some of these common home-building problems. You go over budget in a big way:  The budget is one of the most important and most stressful parts of the build, and saving money is often one of the reasons people don’t hire an architect. Unfortunately, this can easily have the opposite result, leaving you with a half-finished home and no money to keep building. An architect will help cost out your project (usually with a 15% contingency spend for unforeseen extras), give you an expectation of spending, and help you stay on track. They also help you design within your budget to get you the most value, features and extras for your money. Incorrect room measurement...

Building a home is usually a project that our clients have thought about and planned for over many years – even their entire lives – and your initial meeting with your architect is the first step towards bringing that dream to life. Here’s how to prepare for it to ensure you have all the information you need to go forward. Create a project brief:  This might sound intimidating, but it’s a very useful way of ensuring you are expressing your vision accurately to your architect and making sure you don’t miss anything out. Ask yourself what you want your home to be – think about the size of rooms, how many bedrooms or living areas, how many bathrooms, etc. Also include anything of particular importance, for example, if your site has any challenges, if you have a view you want to get the most of, or if you want your home to be single or double story. Know your style:  It is important to be ready to express what style of home appeals to you, whether it’s a steel-and-glass m...