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    ECB Builders

    5.0 (1 review)
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    1 year ago

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    Draftect - Rear of house after

    Draftect

    (1 review)

    We were fortunate a few years ago to pick up a tiny cottage in Carmel By The Sea. We realized in…read moreorder to make this something that we could potentially retire to we'd need to expand it a little. For that we needed an architect or draftsman that could design something that was sympathetic to the existing structure, the cottage is pretty funky being built in the 30's and remodeled by no other than Hugh Comstock 10 years later so is bursting to charm and quirks. One of our neighbors has just remodeled their orig. Comstock and used Darren so introduced us. Yes he's a hard man to pin down but the way in which he embraced the brief was just the ticket. The point of the extension was to expand the property but ultimately make it feel like it was all there from day one. In working through the process with the city (not the easiest process I must say) and all the fees and approvals you need, it was clear we chose well as on every turn Darren had the schedule mapped ahead and in every case the officials had nothing but fantastic words for his work and integrity. I assume if we got this choice wrong then the whole project would have been a miss but it set us up for what I think has been an epic result. One further thing, we decided to daisy chain all the contractors from this relationship forward so we asked for referrals on a general contractor, got 3 and picked 1. Each of the contractors from this point on (except for 2 minor subs) had worked with each other on scores of homes over a period of 25 or so years so it made relationships between each party very smooth. I can't speak high enough about Darren, so if you have the good fortune to use him I would highly recommend it. I hope we have the occasion to collaborate with Darren again.

    From the owner: Draftect was established in 1985 by Darren Davis to provide professional building design services…read more Since inception, Draftect has completed more than 1,600 projects. Part of Draftects success has come from engaging with clients early, when a collection of ideas has yet to form into a tangible vision. Early involvement is often most valuable when ideas are coming from more than one person, and the first big step is marrying various ideas into a unified vision. This assures that every project gets started on a successful path, which significantly enhances the likelihood of a timely and agreeable result.Of the 225 new homes that Draftect has designed, more than 50 have been in the community of Carmel-by-the-Sea. While being one of the finest communities in the world, it is also one of the most restrictive with respect to building. Draftect has gained tremendous experience in helping realize many dreams amidst this mix of high-end expectations and restrictive regulations. Draftect has also designed more than 20 historic renovations, which have enhanced its ability to help clients navigate challenges associated with regulatory compliance and permitting processes regardless of the design complexities involved.Since 1985 Draftect has grown into one of the most highly recommended design firms on the Monterey Peninsula. We hope that we may help you design your dreams into reality.

    Acadia Architecture - New Design- Front Entrance

    Acadia Architecture

    (30 reviews)

    We purchased an older, fixer upper on a hillside in Portola Valley with the hopes of rebuilding it…read moreinto our dream home. We aimed to generate income by converting the former primary bedroom into a rentable, attached JADU. This mean building a new primary BR on the back, downhill side of the house, along with creating a new family room, and office. The front of the house was definitely old style, and did not, in any way, match our vision of a contemporary, hi-tech, look. I had interviewed other architects who had suggested we add a new front foyer, but I wasn't thrilled about the look presented, which was basically to add a gable roof addition ("A" frame shape add-on) at at the front, that would be harmonious with the rest of the house. In my first meeting with Davide, he suggested something that changed the whole dynamic of the house. He suggested that rather than be constrained by trying to harmonize the new entry with the old architecture, we could add a new layer to the front of the house, and change the look completely. This also creates a new corridor at the front that greatly improves the flow/circulation from the front to the back. It was a genius idea! This new layer at the front of the house gives us a spectacular new front entrance, plus a new corridor with tall ceilings. He also very skillfully raised the ceiling heights in many parts of the house so it feels like the rooms were expanded (when only the height changed). I am attaching a photo of the original house and Davide's concept for the new design. I want to add that we are not demolishing any part of the old house so we are not losing any existing square footage. We are just adding and "splicing the old with the new". For the new room additions at the back, he integrated the complex siting of the hillside PBR & family room to flow seamlessly into the same level of the existing house on. I have very strong ideas of what I want in terms of design, and Davide has been very patient in working through my ideas. He uses his critical eye and design experience to guide me so I don't get off track, and we can get to where it is I want to end up. We are now in the building permit process, and I can't wait for construction to start. I will be updating this post when the house is finished with more photos, because I want to show off the dramatic transformation between the "before" and "after". If you are looking for a miracle transformation, Davide Gianella is the architect who can make this dream come true for you! I can recommend him 100%

    I reached out to Davide about two or three months ago to see if I could hire him to help design my…read moreremodel. He was really polite and so friendly and VERYYYY transparent that he was inundated with some work at the moment and that he gives his all to 1-2 projects at a time, so that they get the best out of him. He then gave me a suggested timeline, which unfortunately didn't match with what we had in mind - but no worries! I enjoyed the interaction and his work is beautiful, and I truly appreciate the communication and friendliness that transpired in our conversations.

    ECB Builders - contractors - Updated May 2026

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