A Builder's View

Summer has officially ended.  However, there is no end in sight for California’s fire season.  The Valley Fire and lingering drought conditions have been a wake up call to our greater Napa Valley communities. While our firefighters work tirelessly to control the fire, many have already suffered loss – our community must come together to rebuild. 

Recently, Centric General Contractors performed construction services for the Solage Hotel and Resort in Calistoga, California.  The project required a 2,000sf kitchen and bar renovation of Michelin Star-rated restaurant, SolBar. Work also entailed building a 40-seat courtyard for year-round outdoor dining and a 2,700sf addition to existing spa buildings. Just imagine a team of construction professionals, armed with hammers and power tools, performing required work without disrupting luxury resort guests and staff. No stress, right?

CASE STUDY: Atlas, Jacobsen Residence 

In a world focused on globalization and mechanization, many believe the beauty and wisdom of age-old craftsmanship is becoming extinct. On a daily basis, news reports tell us how robots are replacing humans in an effort to create efficiencies. With these messages proliferating our media consumption, you may ask yourself how can classic craftsmanship sustain in today’s modern world?

Let’s imagine you are in the process of planning your dream home. If you could walk through your home prior to construction, would you? Do you think you’d make any changes?  I know I am opening up this post with a lot of questions but I cannot help but think your answer would be a resounding, “Yes!”

Today, virtual reality is taking the world by storm. Also known as immersive multimedia, virtual reality creates a highly visual, computer-simulated, 3D environment. This technology creates sensory experiences where individuals may perceive themselves within an imaginary world. The Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset, brings this immersive experience to the general public. Originally designed for gaming, the Oculus headset is affordable and proves to be an incredible asset for a lot of industries including design and construction. The headset replaces a computer or television screen and allows users to see an environment that completely surrounds them. When a user turns their head, looks up or down, they are under the illusion they are in the environment. 

Great winemaking requires a built environment that facilitates the complex blend of nature, art, and science.  Our story begins in the rugged terroir that is legendary for producing Cabernet Sauvignon. Situated on the rocky slopes of Pritchard Hill in St. Helena, Chappellet Vineyards envisioned a barrel chai that created a multi-sensory journey in winemaking and aesthetic appeal. Our team at Centric worked together with Chappellet to build a structure designed for wine storage and aging.

Plan your next custom home remodel project with these exciting apps! Whether you’re completely transforming your home or making a few updates, you’ll want to make sure your renovation or addition is performed correctly. 

This post offers up a great list of apps to help you:

1. Gather ideas for your ideal space
2. Consider home’s layout and traffic flow
3. Gain a 2D or 3D perspective
4. Situate the space with furnishings
5. Visualize different material options
6. Perform material quantity calculations
7. Develop an initial project budget.  

Go through the list and gather the tools you’ll need to make your dream home a reality!