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Returning to Work with a New Normal

6/19/2020

37 Comments

 
Having been deemed an essential business brought our team back to work a few weeks ago.  Getting back on our jobs was a blessing, and now that we are in full swing, we are beginning to see the effects the COVID-19 quarantine has had on us, our job sites, and our industry.
  1. Job sites are even safer and more hygienic than ever
  2. Work processes all have additional steps, and there are more of them
  3. Additional precautions add time to every job
  4. More of our customers will work from home, even during construction
  5. Materials take longer to procure, and delivery charges are more common
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These changes will result in higher prices and longer project timelines, but have already helped create safer work environments and more thoughtful approaches to the tasks and to teamwork.  And customers have not only seemed to tolerate these changes, but to embrace the results.  Following are some of the newly implemented practices our workers are exercising at every site:
  • Body temperature monitoring
  • The use of masks and gloves
  • Signs posted of our protective policies
  • Hand washing stations
  • More frequent and thorough cleaning of tools
  • More thoughtful Materials ordering and storage

If you have any thoughts on these practices, or on how they are changing the building industry, please feel free to comment below.  And the picture above includes a link to an article that goes into greater depth.

- Jon Leon Guerrero 
37 Comments

Pausing for the Pandemic

3/24/2020

9 Comments

 
Like many other businesses across the country and around the world, our team is working from home while we shelter in place.  For projects in the design phase, that means we continue to move forward on drawings, capturing your selections, and working with engineers and planning departments as their schedules also allow.  
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For projects currently under construction, it means we have closed up plumbing and electrical, and cleared, weatherproofed and secured your property so that we can pause on your project safely.  Our workers are staying home to remain safe, as are permit issuers and building inspectors who allow us to operate.  ​
As everyone's safety is our primary concern, we will continue to monitor the recommendations of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Disease Control so that we can do our part to limit the spread of the virus.  We hope that you will all keep your families safe and healthy, and we will return to work at full steam sometime soon.

- Jon Leon Guerrero
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Time to Start Planning for Summer Nights

2/19/2020

1 Comment

 
As the mornings get less brisk and the chill starts to thaw, there's no better time to start planning for summer night entertaining.  And nothing sets the tone for your summer evening party than dramatic outdoor lighting.
PicturePhoto from mygreenimpressions.com. Click on the image to visit their website and read their blog about outdoor spaces and smart ways to get your projects done.
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This is where you need some professional help.  Sure, almost anyone can plug in a string of lights, but when it comes to the planning of an outdoor lighting scheme, getting some help with the placement, not only for the best dramatic effect but for the safety of your guests and your family goes a very long way.
Starting with the distribution of power, professional lighting designers are going to make sure that your lightscapes are properly energized and wired correctly.  These requirements will show in your plan, which can be properly permitted without much cost - and having permits and inspections for outdoor lighting can mean avoiding a fire or other hazard.

Designers also have the experience to choose the best fixtures and use them in the most dramatic and flattering ways.  Getting their help can boost every occasion you host and using lightscapes effectively can make your parties the hit of the block.

- Jon Leon Guerrero
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Design in Winter to Build in Summer

1/23/2020

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There are so many ways that our clients operate, but one thing is fairly common: The underestimating of the time it takes to complete a design.

Take, for instance, the remodel of a bathroom.  It would be easy to assume that we can put together default selections for a bathroom, and we can.  In fact, we have three themes from which we typically start when someone asks for us to do as much as possible.  But with the volume of selections to make in even the simplest bathroom, the opportunity for personal expression inevitably becomes just too great to ignore.  Our clients can not, and we think should not, resist the chance to change drawer pulls.  Pretty quickly, they are choosing faucets and rain heads, medicine cabinets and shelving, countertops and backsplashes, and before you know it we're changing out the default choice for a Japanese soaking tub.
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This cautionary tale is a warning that you might just have some fun with it.  You should have fun with it.  And you should give yourself the time to find things that you will really like, pair those things with something adventurous and exciting, or tranquil and crisp.  Whatever you like, if you give yourself the time to design and iterate a few times, you will create a bathroom (or any room) all your own.

- Jon Leon Guerrero

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Houzz: Design Firm Projections, 2019

7/17/2019

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Remodeling and Design Firms Are Optimistic for Third-Quarter 2019
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9 STeps to Remodel Your Kitchen

4/5/2019

1 Comment

 
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
1 Comment

New Beginnings

4/3/2019

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Spring is in the air, and with the blooms come the promise of new ideas bearing fruit, new arrangements taking shape, and new opportunities to explore.  In short, new beginnings are around the corner.  What does that mean for a construction crew or a design team?  Every year so far it has meant that some new method for building will push us to create something bigger, stronger, and sleeker.  New vendors or subcontractors will further our mission or show us something great in their trade.  New challenges will demand that we rise to a new occasion.  What's more, we all look to get in shape for summer, improve our diets, exercise more intensely, and get more and better rest.  New beginnings are re-beginnings -- a chance not just to start, but to start again.  So this month we will reveal the new and exciting projects and processes we are working on this spring and into the coming year, and what it means to be able to see these works through the eyes of our friends and clients.  Stay tuned! 
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houzz: 10 times to hire a design-build firm

1/23/2019

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10 Times to Hire a Design-Build Firm
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The Thrill Ride of Home Remodeling

12/13/2018

1 Comment

 
In construction, especially when it comes to remodeling, and most especially when the client occupies the property, we are selling a process much more than a product.  Sure, there is a tangible result, and in the luxury residential market it often includes custom pieces created by artisans.  But the key difference that drives a client to choose a builder over a competitor in this market is usually the amount of faith that the process will go more smoothly. 
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The image above shows (pretty accurately) the emotional roller coaster that a client goes through during construction.  This process is quite similar whether it's a kitchen, a master bathroom, or a whole house.  Here's the sequence, and why there are ups and downs:
  1. The start of Design is when everything is possible, and when imagination is the only limitation, it feels great.  The novelty starts to wear out as design requires decisions and, if you have a significant other in the picture, negotiations begin.
  2. Working drawings bring you a feeling of accomplishment and give you something to show off to your friends.
  3. Reviewing bids will show you the reality of what the project is going to cost, and if you can stomach that feeling, signing the contract commits you to paying it.
  4. Once the project is underway, you are on the hunt.  Chasing adventure.  Slaying the dragon.  You start seeing progress, and it feels great.  You made the right decision.
  5. The trades come in one after another.  There's plumbing, which is one of the best inventions ever, but not exactly pretty when you see it in the walls.  HVAC, wiring, and insulation aren't much fun to look at either, and by now you're weeks into the process, which means weeks into take-out dinners and patience starting to fray.
  6. At least drywall looks like the interior of a house again, and siding on the outside of a house means it's closing up and protecting you from the elements.
  7. But then you have to sand inside.  That means a layer of dust on everything, or that everything is covered in plastic.  It's been months, and the goal line seems elusive.
  8. Cabinets start to bring you back around.  Baseboard, wainscoting, crown moulding all make it start to look like a house again.  Tiled surfaces are sturdy and feel good.
  9. You can smell the finish line, and it smells like fresh paint.   Things are the color that you intend them to be and the place is taking shape.
  10. Plumbing and electrical fixtures close up the walls and the house actually works.  The flooring means you can welcome everyone in, and the with the last door knob your house is finally complete.  And once again, you made the right decision.
Considering the process takes months, that is a lot of inconvenience to bear.  The best way to endure it is to choose a builder who plans thoroughly, communicates these pitfalls to prepare you for them, and executes against the plan with precision.  And everyone can appreciate precision when you're riding a roller coaster.

- Jon Leon Guerrero 
1 Comment

5 Tips for Working Through the Fire Smoke

11/19/2018

3 Comments

 
We are lucky to enjoy some great things in California, like wonderfully moderate climates and lots of hills that provide spectacular views.  But this month unseasonal wildfires have been absolutely tragic for thousands of families across the state, bringing devastating losses, including scores of people who have perished and hundreds who are as yet still missing.  Our hearts as with all of them.
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As we muster to help those communities closest to us, here is a list we compiled of the best practices for avoiding the dangers that fire leaves behind while you continue to work:
  1. Limit your outdoor exposure whenever possible, and keep your indoor spaces sealed as best as you can.  There are many gaseous chemicals that are dangerous to inhale, especially when houses have burned, but the bigger concern is particulate matter that can be lodged in the lungs or find its way into the bloodstream, and avoiding exposure to the ash that floats around outside is the easiest was to avoid those particles.
  2. Wear an N95 (or higher)-rated respiratory mask.  That designation is determined by the FDA based on the ability to filter out 95% of particulate matter that is 3 microns wide or greater (by comparison, a red blood cell is 5 microns wide).  Read and follow the guidelines for best use on the product.
  3. Change your mask frequently.  Guidelines for how long a mask will last should be on the product packaging.  For more complex respirators, you may be able to change out the HEPA filter, and you should do so as recommended.  
  4. Keep your eye on the air quality so you can prepare accordingly.  In our area, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District publishes their data and recommendations every day, and is the authority for what you should do to stay safe.
  5. Leave the cleanup to the professionals.  Leaf blowers and other tools that kick up the ash and dust left behind after a fire, and even just the simple act of sweeping, will recirculate the particulate matter in the air and exacerbate exposure.
Here is a New York Times Article  that will give you more detailed information about air quality and the issues that follow a disaster.


- Jon Leon Guerrero
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    Authors

    David Brown,
    Jeff Merrick,
    ​Jon Leon Guerrero,
    ​and Tiffany Werley

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DRB Homes and Design, Inc
A California Corporation
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(925) 594-6095 / Contact@drbbuilders.com
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