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...

An energy-efficient  commercial office building  reduces maintenance and utility costs, while also reducing noise and creating a more healthy, comfortable and durable workplace. Whether brands want to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce operational costs, improve productivity or even gain loyalty from consumers and clients, an energy-efficient building is high on the list of business must-haves. Here’s why making this a priority in your building design plans is the best way to reap the benefits. Site selection and placement:  Putting energy-efficiency first starts as soon as you begin looking at lots. By positioning your building with this goal in mind, your architect can optimize natural resources like sunlight in your design. The whole-building approach: Installing a high-efficiency HVAC system or solar panels is never a bad idea, but if you want to get the best results you need to take a whole-building approach to energy-efficiency. This treats the entir...

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...

Whether you’re remodeling a building to fit your brand or starting from scratch with a new building, one of the first steps to realizing your project is to decide on your overall design concept. This sounds simple, but it’s pretty overwhelming in reality – there are so many options out there that it can be difficult to settle on a particular concept. Here’s some advice from a  commercial building design specialist  on how to find your inspiration. Look Online at Commercial Building Design Concepts  The Internet is a helpful resource for anyone looking for inspiring commercial architecture. It’s easy to browse websites, architectural magazines and more to see what the latest trends are all about, right from the comfort of your chair. It’s also a good resource for exploring different architectural concepts, reading up on what makes certain buildings so iconic, and for gathering a digital inspiration board of everything that catches your eye. Think About What You ...

Building a home is a dream for many people, but it can seem like a daunting process for anyone new to the experience. Your building site will seem chaotic at times with all the noise and bustle of the various teams of people hard at work. Here’s a quick guide to who’s who and what they do, from an  architect in NJ . Architect:  Your architect should be registered and licensed to practice in the state where your project is taking place. Their primary job is to design your home, but they can offer you a wide range of services, from helping to select the right piece of land and evaluating the site to recommending contractors and project managing your build. Builder: Your builder is the person who will co-ordinate and manage the work of different contractors on your project, making sure each team is on site when they are needed. They will work carefully with the project manager, discussing issues and solving challenges that arise. Engineer: The structural engineer’s job ...

The first step when building a new home is choosing a lot. There’s much to be considered when you’re making this choice, as it plays a significant role in the cost of your build, the home you’re able to build and even how much you enjoy your new home. Here are some important tips from a leading  residential architect in NJ . Your lifestyle:  Building a home is a passion project and it’s about more than just walls and a roof – it’s about achieving a particular lifestyle. When choosing land to build on, make sure that it supports this lifestyle. Factors to consider include whether you want to be part of a close-knot community or have a country lifestyle, if you want easy access to schools and malls, the parks, amenities and current lifestyle popular in the area. The properties of the lot: A full site evaluation is essential to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the lot. The orientation of your home on the lot will determine how much sunshine you get, the type of ...

One of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to home building, remodeling or extensions is – do I need an architect? For many homeowners, hiring a residential architect can seem like too high an expense for their project, especially when it seems like a minor project. Here is some advice from  custom home architects in NJ  on this issue. Do I Need to Hire a Residential Architect? Follow this Simple Rule  Generally speaking, a good rule to follow is that if you are removing or moving any walls, or adding new structures to your home, it’s a good idea to hire an architect. Another good idea is to hire an architect if you feel in any way out of your depth – especially if you haven’t done a project on this scale before. Hiring an architect is not just for homeowners and companies who want to grace the cover of top architectural magazines and blogs, they’re beneficial to all construction projects. Architects can assist you by ensuring your space is de...