January 2022 is now officially the driest on record in Northern California. Drought jitters are back. San Rafael property owners can take some solace in a grant program offered through the City of San Rafael Fire Department meant to help residents prepare for fire season. With the hills still green, the City’s move is proactive.
If you, like me, are a certain age, smoke curling from chimneys and the earthy smell of woodsmoke from fireplaces and stoves represent the glories of winter. Unfortunately, they also represent a threat to health and safety, which is why it may be time for all of us to think about replacing our woodburning fireplaces
In our first post of this series, we covered pre-design and schematic design. The second post detailed design development and construction Documents. The final stages encompass key elements of a successful build-design project. AplosGroup Architects is always closely involved with these last two phases. We are your advocate from the beginning to the end. Bidding
Solar tubes, also known as tubular skylights, sun tunnels, or light tubes, are a great way to bring more natural light into your home, particularly to dark rooms or areas that might otherwise miss out on the benefits of sunlight. What Are Solar Tubes? A solar tube is a metal tube that runs from your
Our first post in this series highlighted expectations for the pre-design stage through zoning, the creation of a preliminary budget, a tentative schedule, through to the schematic design. Design Development This is the next stage of the design-build project. It is a time to refine ideas, but as they say, the devil is in the
Installing a solar energy system for your commercial building can be a great choice, with both financial and environmental benefits. In 2019, I spoke with Taylor Poff, a project manager with solar installer JBL Solar Energy, a Sonoma County company with extensive experience in commercial installations, who passed on some important tips for business owners
1st in a series of posts on this topic This time of year is an opportunity to take stock of the life-changing events we’ve seen or experienced in the last 12 months. It is also a time when we dream a little, maybe set some goals while thinking about the next 12 months. A design-build
Tenant improvements (TIs) – also known as leasehold improvements or build-outs – are changes you make to a leased commercial space to make it ready for you to do business. The cost of these improvements will typically be partially or fully defrayed by your landlord through a tenant improvement allowance (TIA) you negotiate during
If you’ve never worked with an architect before, you may be wondering what to expect. Even before your initial meeting with an architect, it might be a wise idea to ask yourself some questions first. What are your design aspirations? Look at images to find what you like and, equally important, what you don’t like.
Retail design is the art of creating a space that makes customers want to engage with and purchase your products and services. A thoughtfully designed space can help increase your sales, while a poorly designed one can lose you both current and future sales. Focusing on a few key elements during the planning stages
