Design & Architecture

We serve Northern California across three regions: the San Francisco Bay Area (six counties from Alameda to Santa Clara), Greater Sacramento (Sacramento out to Roseville, Folsom, and Davis), and the Central Valley (Stockton to Modesto). Our crews are based in Castro Valley. We handle permits and know the building codes for each jurisdiction, which matters because requirements and fees vary significantly between cities.

We offer $0-down financing with approved credit, 12-month same-as-cash plans, and extended terms up to 15 years for larger projects. You only pay for completed, inspected work — we never ask for full payment before the job is done. Your project manager will walk you through every option during your estimate appointment. We also accept checks, ACH, and all major credit cards.

Yes. CSLB License #1078806 — verify it anytime at cslb.ca.gov. We carry $2M general liability, full workers’ comp, and are bonded per California law. We hold GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Preferred, CertainTeed ShingleMaster, and James Hardie Elite Preferred certifications — each requires annual training and quality audits to maintain. We’re happy to provide proof of insurance before any work begins.

Most exterior projects in Northern California require a building permit. Fees vary by city — Oakland runs $200–$600, Peninsula cities often more. We handle the entire permit process: application, plan submission, and scheduling inspections. Permit fees appear as a separate line item in your estimate so you’ll see every cost upfront. For homes in WUI fire zones (Berkeley Hills, Oakland Hills, parts of Marin), we ensure full compliance with local fire-rated material requirements.

We provide in-house architecture as part of our design-build service. Our principal, Alexander Hamilton Li, is a licensed architect and general contractor. If you already have an architect, we can work with their plans, though the design-build approach with our integrated team typically delivers better cost control and fewer change orders.

Building Information Modeling creates a detailed 3D digital model of your home where all systems are coordinated. It catches conflicts between structure, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing before construction begins. You also get virtual walk-throughs to experience room proportions, natural light, and spatial flow before committing.

Typical timeline is 12 to 16 weeks from initial programming through permit-ready construction documents. Complex projects with hillside engineering or design review board requirements may take 16 to 20 weeks. We provide a design schedule at project kickoff with milestone dates for each phase.

The biggest constraints are floor-area-ratio caps, height limits, setback requirements, and lot coverage maximums. These vary by jurisdiction and zoning district. For example, Palo Alto R-1 zones cap FAR at 45 percent with a 25-foot height limit. San Francisco adds aesthetic review. Our architects model these constraints in 3D before design begins.

Architectural plans with dimensions, structural engineering with foundation and framing details, mechanical/HVAC plans, plumbing plans, electrical plans with panel schedules and lighting design, Title 24 energy compliance, CalGreen checklist, and a specifications book detailing every material and installation standard.

We coordinate all finish selections including cabinetry, countertops, hardware, lighting, plumbing fixtures, paint, and flooring. We can work with your interior designer or provide in-house coordination. Kitchen and bathroom layouts are designed for optimal workflow, proper ventilation, and waterproofing.

Schematic design produces concept-level floor plans, elevations, and 3D massing studies, giving you two to three options to choose from. Design development refines the selected concept with specific materials, window specifications, kitchen and bathroom layouts, fixture selections, and detailed 3D renderings showing how everything comes together.

We evaluate topography, solar orientation, prevailing winds, views, neighboring structures, and mature trees. A hillside lot in the Berkeley hills calls for stepped foundations and cantilevered spaces to capture views. A flat Fremont lot focuses on maximizing outdoor space within setback constraints. Site conditions shape every design decision.

James Hardie fiber cement siding offers low maintenance and fire resistance ideal for WUI zones. Natural redwood or cedar provides warmth but needs maintenance. Stucco suits Mediterranean and Spanish Revival styles common on the Peninsula. Stone and brick veneer work well as accent materials. We recommend based on your style, fire zone, and maintenance tolerance.

When the architect and builder are the same team, every design decision accounts for constructability and cost from day one. The Design-Build Institute of America reports 33 percent faster delivery and 6 percent lower cost growth. In our practice, this eliminates 15 to 20 percent of change orders compared to traditional architect-then-contractor approaches.

Yes. We incorporate universal design features like wider doorways, zero-threshold showers, blocking for future grab bars, main-floor primary suites, and elevator-ready stacked closets. These features add minimal cost during initial construction but are expensive to retrofit later.

We prepare the complete design review application, attend hearings, and present the project to the board. Our familiarity with each city's design guidelines means we address compatibility, massing, and neighborhood character concerns in the original design rather than reworking after board comments.

We design custom homes throughout the Bay Area including Oakland, Berkeley, Fremont, San Jose, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Mountain View, San Mateo, Burlingame, and surrounding communities across Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, and Marin counties.

We design beyond California Title 24 minimums, incorporating high-performance building envelopes, heat pump HVAC systems, dual-pane low-E glazing, continuous insulation, solar-ready electrical panels, and EV charging infrastructure. Passive design strategies like proper solar orientation and cross-ventilation reduce energy consumption before mechanical systems are even considered.