A Builder's View

Off-the-Grid Lake Berryessa Home Captures Panoramic Views

Posted by Tim McDonald

Mar 29, 2018 2:30:00 PM

A weekend home beckons recreational activities with sweeping views from every angle. 

This lakeside home is located on a 95-acre parcel along the northwestern shore of Lake Berryessa. Up a half-mile driveway from Knoxville Road running along the lakeshore, this home is off the grid, not connected to municipal utilities, with a spring on the property providing fresh water, photovoltaic solar panels providing electricity. The weekend home’s systems include on-demand hot water and in floor radiant heating to help on days when the passive cooling might need assistance.

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Topics: Custom Homes

10 Pinboards to Inspire Your Custom Home Project

Posted by Branden McDonald

Jul 21, 2017 10:00:00 AM

The Internet of Things is truly changing our business on many fronts.  One of the areas experiencing tremendous shift is custom home design and construction. From design ideas to smart home systems, anyone can gather information to conceptualize their ideal home. Most of you would agree, there is no shortage of information on the Internet. So the problem is not whether you have information at your fingertips rather where do you go to gather ideas. 

Fortunately, our team is in front of great resources everyday and came to the conclusion that we should share. Without further adieu, we've pulled together our latest curated list of our favorite resources—to help inspire your custom home projects.

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Topics: Custom Homes

Adaptive Reuse: What Was Once An Old Barn is New Again

Posted by Tim McDonald

Jun 8, 2017 2:30:00 PM

Barns are being reimagined for modern living and transcending their original function to become comfortable and appealing for modern dwellers. Recently, our team at Centric General Contractors worked together with architect William Duff of San Francisco to relocate and transform an empty barn for contemporary art collectors and philanthropists Cindy and Howard Rachofsky.  

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Topics: Custom Homes, Adaptive Reuse

5 Stylish Wine Country Custom Homes

Posted by Tim McDonald

Jul 15, 2016 9:00:00 AM

When you think of Wine Country homes, do you conjure up images of old country homes? Here is proof the Wine Country possesses a wide range of homes from modern to traditional.

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Topics: Custom Homes

Age-old Craftsmanship Plays A Role In Modern Design

Posted by Tim McDonald

Jun 25, 2015 2:30:00 PM

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?

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Topics: Construction Case Studies, Custom Homes, Craftsmanship

Will Virtual Reality Take Custom Home Planning By Storm?

Posted by Branden McDonald

Apr 30, 2015 8:47:00 AM

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. 

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Topics: Custom Homes, Technology, Virtual Reality

10 Apps to Jumpstart Your Custom Home Project

Posted by Branden McDonald

Feb 24, 2015 4:00:00 PM

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!

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Topics: Planning, Custom Homes, Technology, Interior Remodel