Blog
Articles on architecture, ADUs, sustainable design, and the building process, from the team at The Kastrop Group.
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Guarding Against Asbestos: Navigating Safe Handling and Disposal Strategies
Asbestos, once celebrated for its versatility and resilience, now presents a hidden peril in numerous structures worldwide. This educational guide is designed to shed light on the …
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The IoT and Cybersecurity: Important Considerations for Architects and their Clients
We love our gadgets, don’t we? We have smart phones, smart TVs, and smart watches. Now we have the option to build smart buildings and smart houses. The Internet of Things is ca…
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Residential Solar Installation: A Cautionary True Story
This is the most difficult blog that I’ve written, but I think it is important to share the bad experiences of residential construction as well as the good ones, so that our client…
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Communications for your Project: Mixing the Latest Technology with Best Practices
Hello there, new client! Yes, we know you would like to text us or call our cell phones whenever you wish. It’s convenient for you and it is efficient to keep the communication li…
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Consider a Roof Garden for Safer Gathering Space (Part 2)
The Kastrop Group, Inc. Being on top of the roof exposes you to weather, including sun, wind, and rain. Sunlight can be controlled using trellis structures and umbrellas. Note th…
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Installing a Solar Power System for New Residential Construction
Adding solar energy systems to new and existing buildings is an important step in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels (coal and natural gas) and less environmentally-friendly ene…
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ADU Costs: A Reality Check
You want to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit on your residential property. How much will it cost? That’s the big question and it’s difficult to answer. I decided that I would sh…
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ADU Construction: Homeowner Purchase & Install Decisions
You’ve been working with a qualified licensed Architect and hired a recommended licensed General Contractor. So, you can now just sit back and wait for your ADU to be completed, r…
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Building an ADU: Part 3 Demolition
This is a continuation of our series on building an ADU. Mike and I are building one in our own backyard. In this blog post I would like to reflect on the emotional impact of con…
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Building an ADU: Part 2 Ordering Finishes
I’m writing this in a state of aggravation, which I will explain below. This is to give you a few tips and warnings for ordering your own finishes to be installed in your ADU (Acc…
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Building an ADU – Part 1
Today I will blog about what I am learning as the client of my own architectural firm. (Just to be clear, I am not an architect. My husband Mike Kastrop is the Principal Architec…
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The best resource for the new laws regarding ADUs: The Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook
Sometimes even when you think you understand something, you get tripped up in the details. This happened to me on an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) project recently. Our firm desi…
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Consider a Roof Garden for Safer Gathering Space (Part 1)
The Kastrop Group, Inc. Architects The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how architects look at office, retail, and restaurant spaces. Safe spaces require social distancing and the n…
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Difficulties Getting Permits for Incomplete Drawings
Lately we have been receiving calls from people who are asking us to help them get their Building Permit. The request is something like this: “We already have the plans, but we (o…
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The Kastrop Group Architects reaction to systemic racial injustice
This past week has highlighted how painfully deep racial injustice permeates our country. Beyond the concerns that the world shares due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed…
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Uh-oh, you have received a red tag: 10 Steps to legalize construction done on your property without
In these days of housing shortages, a lot of cities and towns are looking at their housing stock and making sure that it is safe, legal, and counts toward their housing inventory t…
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Architectural Consultations before you buy or lease property
Initial Property Evaluation InquiriesWe often get inquiries from people who wish to buy a home or buy/lease a business property and want us to confirm that the property will be sui…
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When the drawings look nice, but aren’t adequate for permitting or construction
In the April 5th issue of Engineering News Record magazine there is an article that addresses the issue of contractors encountering design documents that are not complete enough to…
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Why you should consider solar panels and a home battery for your home
With the demand for renewable energy on the rise and projected to continue to increase in the future, solar energy is something you should consider when remodeling your home. Solar…
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The Kastrop Group has moved our office!
As of April 1, 2019, our architectural office moved to a new location. We are still in Redwood City, now in a lovely tree-lined neighborhood within walking distance of our wonderf…
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Approved or Permitted: What's the Difference?
Recently one of our clients ran into a problem with his General Contractor. He told the contractor that the project was permitted. The Contractor mobilized and scheduled his subcon…
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10 Sure-fire Ways to Connect with an Architect
The Bay Area has been in a construction boom ever since the recession ended (even a bit before!). During the recession, the American Institute of Architects reported that 40% of th…
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Case Study: 640 Maple Street, Part 3
Now Complete! Our extensive remodel project converting the old Schroeder Sheet Metal shop into a modern home is finally complete! We'd like to share some of the finished photos wit…
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Skipping architectural design can be penny-wise, pound foolish
"I already have a design, I just need the plans drawn up." This is a statement that makes architects cringe. In some cases, it will cause the architect to turn down your project. W…
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Residential Design: Include your pets in your plans
We consider the needs of children, possibly aging parents/in-laws, and our client's tastes and desires when designing or remodeling homes. But what about the furry family members? …
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Sharing the business of architecture with high school students
Last week I had the opportunity to speak to students at Burlingame High School who are taking beginning and advanced architecture classes. They have a nice design studio with up-to…
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Accessory Dwelling Units: Why you may need a property survey
Many homeowners are considering adding an accessory dwelling unit to their property. ADU's have become popular due to a new CA state law that relaxes some of the building code regu…
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"Statute of limitations" on unpermitted construction and other bad advice
We keep hearing from our clients of the bad advice that they were told when buying property. The top piece of bad advice, by far, is that if unpermitted construction occurred a lon…
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Residential Contractors for Commercial Projects: Proceed with care.
In the current Bay Area construction boom, some commercial clients have been hiring residential contractors to fill the need. Sometimes this works out fine, but sometimes the proje…
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Property Reassessment: How to plan for property taxes after additions or improvements
The building boom is still going strong in the Bay Area, and one question that comes up often is "What will this project cost me in increased property taxes?" Here are some things …
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Accessory Dwelling Units: The changes to California state law that you need to know
The Bay Area is experiencing a housing availability crisis and demand for residential units near work centers has skyrocketed. SB 1069 was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last …
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The Kastrop Group receives Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics!
We are excited to announce that The Kastrop Group has been selected by the Better Business Bureau of the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California as their first-ever …
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Project Timing: Leave Room in Schedule for Consultants
Clients often come to us ready to start a project and ask us "How soon will the drawings be ready?" Surprisingly, the simple answer is misleading. If we tell them how long it will …
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Home Insurance Policy Replacement Cost: How to calculate it for your home?
A friend just asked us a question that might be of interest to others – What dollar figure should I use to calculate the correct coverage for replacement cost on my homeowner's ins…
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Check on who you are working with: Are they a licensed Architect?
We can't emphasize this enough: a designer is not a licensed professional. They may have certain skills and experience, some may even have a degree in architecture, but they do not…
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Design Considerations for Millennials
It is time for architects to consider the needs and lifestyles of Millennials in our design process. We've already seen some of this in office design: most tech firms use an open s…
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I like/I wish/What if: Working with Clients to Apply Design Thinking
"Design Thinking" is all the rage in Silicon Valley. People are applying it to all sorts of companies and products, and we can apply it to architecture as well. Today I want to tal…
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Case Study: 640 Maple Street, Part 2
In our last blog post we discussed the design process for our conversion of the Schroeder sheet metal shop into a home. Deep into construction now, we wanted to revisit it and give…
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Case Study: 640 Maple Street, Part 1
The Kastrop Group prides itself on "designing for your reality": helping our clients envision the beautiful and boundless potential they can experience in their built environment. …
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Subcontractors and skilled trades: we need young people to enter the construction industry!
You want your son or daughter to go to college, get a degree and enter the workforce with a high-paying job. But what if they enjoy hands-on activities and are not motivated by cla…
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Build it now or later? What are the considerations?
So, you’ve missed the window for doing your construction project when everything was a lot less expensive (due to the recession). But now you have your financing together and you …
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The Importance of a Preliminary Construction Estimate
One of the services we provide to our clients is to obtain a Preliminary Construction Estimate (PCE) from a trusted General Contractor (GC) as soon as we complete the preliminary d…
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Difficult Times for Small Projects: Contractor Bids per square foot way over average
We are seeing a disturbing trend when getting contractor bids for small residential projects in the Bay Area. We want to raise awareness for those who may be considering a small p…
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Should you get competitive bids for your project?
We’ve seen an interesting phenomenon occurring lately, less building owners are obtaining competitive bids for construction of their homes or buildings. We had one client whose pr…
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Take automated construction cost estimating tools with a grain of salt
A new tool has become available to the public: automated construction cost estimating. This tool is available on websites where you can enter your zip code and the number of squa…
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Project Steps: A Quick Overview
We are often told by clients (and potential clients) that they don’t know what to expect as they consider whether to move ahead with a construction project. They wonder whether to …
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Thermal Comfort in Your Office and Home
Last week we finally got some rain, and the weather’s finally cooling from the summer months to remind us that winter is approaching. With this transition, I wanted to take the op…
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Odds and Ends: Things to keep in mind as we approach the end of the year
California, 3/98: El Nino storms flood the Russian River.…
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Architectural Internship: My Experience
My experience as an architectural intern at The Kastrop Group, Inc. Architects in Redwood City.…
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Just for fun: Different viewpoints on property value
Since the Bay Area is experiencing another one of our dramatic rises in property values, I thought it would be fun to pull out this old joke. I think it has been going around for a…
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The Impact of 3D Drafting on Estimated Architectural Fees
To most folks who work outside of the construction industry, understanding architectural fee estimates is a mystery. It’s not like going to a car mechanic and getting an estimate.…
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Waste Disposal: Can good design help with recycling?
This morning I realized that waste disposal is not ordinarily a priority in space planning, but it should be. I was cleaning up after cooking in my kitchen and I needed to bend ove…
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Caveat Emptor: Buying Property with Changes in Mind
If you Google the phrase caveat emptor this is what appears at the top of the page: “DEFINITION of ‘Caveat Emptor‘ A Latin phrase for ‘let the buyer beware.’ The term is primarily …
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The Open Office: Design Mainstay or Fad?
Many Silicon Valley technology firms are creating new office spaces and campuses. Most are incorporating a design style called the “open office” floor plan. Open offices have less …
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Telling the Truth: It’s Just Good Business
The Better Business Bureau is an organization that I admire and rely upon for referrals. Accreditation by the BBB is the gold standard for trustworthy businesses. Our firm has been…
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Strike while the iron is hot, or not
We are currently experiencing a hot real estate market in the Bay Area, particularly for office space, but also for residential (single and multi-family dwellings). This is a big t…
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Home Office: Can you get the tax deduction?
Tax time is upon us, and a deduction that often causes confusion is the “home office” deduction. If you are planning to remodel your home and want to include a home office that is …
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It Takes a Team: Construction problems that could have been avoided
Lately we received calls from potential clients who want us to rescue a project that went sideways far into the design and construction process. This is so unnecessary and makes us…
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Landscaping: It matters more than you think
I admit it, I dislike gardening. I’ve tried, really tried, but it’s not something I enjoy doing. So, our yard frequently became overgrown. When we had a lawn in our front yard, we …
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Faith Communities: A Fresh Perspective on Church Buildings
The Wall Street Journal reports that “Construction of religious buildings in the U.S. has fallen to the lowest level at any time since private records began in 1967.” http://www.ws…
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Holiday Spirit
Ice Sculptures at Hometown Holidays in downtown Redwood CityAs a rule, I like to blog about topics related to architecture. Today, I’m going to share some thoughts about public eve…
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Structural Engineers’ Dilemma: How to deal with bad advice from a City or County Planner?
Lately we have heard that some jurisdictions (cities or counties) have been telling homeowners that they must have a structural engineer provide details for their remodel project, …
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Earthquake Hazards: Tips for safety-checking your home and workplace
The October 17th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake and the recent Napa Valley earthquake remind us that we should never take earthquake safety for granted. Below are some s…
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Cradle-to-Cradle: Sustainability in Carpet Manufacture
Carpeting used to be thought of as the “anti-green” flooring material. The industry used VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals) that out-gassed toxins into home and business environmen…
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Architect or Designer– What’s the difference?
The Common MisconceptionMany folks mistakenly think that architecture and design are basically the same thing. Architecture can only be performed by a licensed architect. It is bot…
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Project Creep: A Cautionary Tale
Unforeseen conditions can sometimes cause a construction project to grow from what was originally planned into a bigger project. When this happens, you, or your architect, may have…
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Water Saving Ideas for Home and Office
Water is precious in California, and we are currently experiencing a severe drought. We must integrate water saving features into the design process and our way of life. Presumab…
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Parking, not construction cost, is often the limiting factor for projects
When a building owner or developer assesses the feasibility of building out a property, the limiting factor might not be construction cost, but the availability of parking. In many…
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Remodel for your own needs and enjoyment
For someone who doesn’t really like to cook, I LOVE my new kitchen.You’ve heard the old expression, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” That was our situation for many years. A…
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Electronic Architectural Drawings Are Copyright Protected
If you bought an artist’s painting, it would probably never occur to you to paint over it or alter it in any way. If you have the painting hanging in your home you are still not al…
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New Title 24 Energy Standards
On July 1, 2014 new Title 24 standards will go into effect. California’s Title 24 is the part of the state building code that defines energy efficiency requirements for both reside…
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How do Architects Structure Their Fees?
When you call a lawyer and ask for their professional advice and they talk to you for half an hour, you expect to get a bill for half of their hourly rate in the mail, right? While…
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Amazing Progress- Technology in Architecture
By now almost everyone is aware that most architects don’t draw their designs at a drafting table with a protractor and a t-square anymore. Most firms do some or all of their cons…
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Project Management: Expect the Unexpected
I just listened to a webinar sponsored by the Stanford Center for Professional Development. The speaker was Sam L. Savage and the topic was “Managing Project Uncertainty”. Dr. Sava…
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The Dangerous Impacts of Illegal Construction
We just got a call from a potential client who wants to get her home “legalized”. Legalization is a process whereby an architect works with the owner and the permitting City or Co…
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When a Building Permit is Required
One of the most common questions in our business is “What triggers the need for a building permit?” The law is not completely clear on this matter. The California Building Code s…
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Blight to Bright: New businesses revitalize frontage road area
“If you build it, they will come,” is an oft-quoted expression from the baseball movie “Field of Dreams”, but it holds true for business district revitalization as well. Our firm …
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Architect or Starchitect?
The other day we received a referral from a friend who told us that her son and his wife wanted to remodel their home but were afraid to call an architect “because they know what t…
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New Year, New Building Code
Happy New Year everyone, and along with a fresh calendar comes a revision to the building code. The new code is called the 2013 California Building Code, although it went into eff…
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Windows Create Magic
At the holidays I’m always cheered by decorations in the windows of homes and businesses. Other than signage, windows are the most effective indication of what is inside and are an…
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Save your plumbing! Beware of fake flushables
You already know not to put fats, oils and grease (FOG) and potato peels and other gooey stuff down your sinks, or even the garbage disposal, right? Do you also know that you shou…
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Save your plumbing! Beware of fake flushables
Just when you thought it was safe……………read this blog.The Kastrop Group, Inc. ArchitectsYou already know not to put fats, oils and grease (FOG) and potato peels and other gooey stuf…
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Want to build next summer? Now is the time to start.
It is very common for businesses and homeowners to wait until the springtime to get started on improvements to their buildings. Better weather means that contractors don’t have to…
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Help Yourself by Helping Your City with Code Compliance
How did that happen? Why didn’t someone stop it? Citizens are often taken aback when they see a building that is or has become an eyesore. Perhaps the signage is garish and out …
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Accessibility Requirements: Preparation can protect your business from a lawsuit
If you have a business, you should be aware of the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your place of business must follow specific requirements to be…
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The Lucky Client: When Everything Goes Right
We’ve all heard horror stories about construction projects, but we often don’t hear when things go right. We just heard back from the Planning & Building Department of a city that…
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Green Design
By now you are aware that “green” and sustainable design is a hot topic in the field of architecture. There are many resources to find out more about it and how it relates to any …
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Budgeting for Construction Projects
We are busy with architectural projects, which is fantastic after the long slow period during the recession. We are, however, aware that budgets are still tight and lending standa…
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Call an Architect for Reliable Property Advice
Everybody thinks they can design! Many people are enthusiastic about making suggestions for building improvements and give their advice freely. But if your money and your time ar…
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Project Sites: What is Ordinary?
The other day a potential client contacted our company for a consultation about adding on to his home. We asked for his address and a little bit of information about what services…
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Sinkholes and Structures
The catastrophes caused by sinkholes have been in the news a lot lately. Here is an example that includes an entire gallery of sinkhole photos: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/…
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Gratitude for Clients Who Pay Their Bills
Professional service providers–architects, engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc.–rely on their clients to pay their invoices promptly and in full. When they don’t, it can be a cha…
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The Werewolf Effect: Design Solutions to Minimize Mood Swings
Last night (February 25, 2013) was the full moon. I awoke at 4 a.m. and couldn’t fall back to sleep. Today I’m tired, moody and short-tempered. People who experience violent or b…
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A Backlog is Good for Business
Backlog fuels the fireSome people think a “backlog” is a negative thing. We certainly don’t want a backlog of chores to do. But historically speaking, a backlog is a positive thi…
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Ask An Architect Volume 2
Question:I thought of you when my neighbor told me this story, it seems you know quite a bit about homes due to your business. She just had a germicidal UV Cleaner installed at $7…
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Money Pit: Construction cost savings that backfire
In the 1980s there was a movie starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long called “The Money Pit”. It is about a young couple who decide to buy a “fixer-upper” home to save money. They e…
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Designing for Your Reality
When architects specialize in one type of building, it creates a clear path for marketing the firm. For example, one design and engineering firm that we are familiar with speciali…
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Unlicensed Contractors: How to Protect Yourself and Your Home
Today’s headlines include a bizarre story about a couple who were disgruntled with work performed by a “handyman” a couple of months ago. They kidnapped him and forced him to perf…
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The Ties that Bind: Community Service and Business
The Changing Landscape of Community EngagementMany of us grew up knowing business people in our community, such as the pharmacist, the butcher, and the person behind the counter at…
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Fast, Good, or Cheap–Pick 2
Maybe you’ve heard the expression, “You can have it done fast, good, or cheap, pick two.” This defines a problem that we run into for architectural projects from time to time. Clie…
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Planning and Building Department: Ally or Adversary?
In every architectural project you will eventually need to obtain a permit. There are several types of permits, including building permits, conditional use permits, health permits,…
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The Lowdown on Pricing
The background: Choosing an architect is usually the first step in your construction project. Construction is expensive, and often people think that if they spend less money “up fr…
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Ask an Architect #1
Editor’s note: Welcome to Ask an Architect, a regular feature on the Kastrop Group blog. Each question is answered by Principal Architect D. Michael Kastrop, AIA. If you have a que…
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Hiring an Architect: What Does it Cost?
Note: This article, written by Lorianna Kastrop, was originally published on Angie’s List on Sept. 23, 2011.Homeowners often ask, “What is the ‘going rate’ for an architect?”The go…
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Beneficial Buildings and Healthy Homes: Carbon Monoxide Detectors
The “green” building movement has already made a lot of progress in publicizing techniques to utilize natural building materials, reduce energy consumption, and preserve scarce res…
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Beneficial Buildings and Healthy Homes: Eleven Safety Tips
The Movement Toward Healthier Living SpacesThe "green" building movement has already made a lot of progress in publicizing techniques to utilize natural building materials, reduce …
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Beneficial Buildings and Healthy Homes: Plastic Sheeting and Duct Tape
This is the third in a series of articles about what you can do to improve your living and working environments. There have been many recent breakthroughs in technology, design, an…
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Hiring an Architect: A Cautious Approach can Save Money
Note: This article, written by Lorianna Kastrop, was originally published on Angie’s List on Sept. 23, 2011.Here are some suggestions to save money on remodeling by taking a cautio…
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Hiring an Architect: Do We Need One for a Small Project?
Note: This article, written by Lorianna Kastrop, was originally published on Angie’s List on Sept. 23, 2011.Homeowners often ask, “Do we really need an architect for a small remode…