Experten für Energieeffizienzhäuser, Passivhäuser, Niedrigenergiehäuser in Post Mills

“Steve Frey of Arocordis Design worked with me through a year and a half of hard decisions and amazing outcomes. We began by discussing plans to build a home out of shipping containers. He researched and incorporated green building techniques to keep within my low budget of 150K-200K. When the designs were in their first stages, he shopped them out to a couple known shipping container builders. He gently broke the news to me that getting the containers to Vermont was cost prohibitive used too much energy, defeating the purpose. We moved onto a simpler wood construction and through a few sit-down meetings we collaborated on the design, wants and don't really need kind of stuff , to establish a full blueprint. During this time he found my Realtor and set up interviews with 3 builders (newer guy into green building, established middle of the road kind of guy, and a top green builder). The only hitch was not being able to find a reasonable bit of land for the right price in the right spot. Steve was great at letting me know when it was time to take a break, give it time, and move on the next opportunity. I eventually decided to buy an existing home, an 1840's farmhouse, that need work, but had great bones. Steve went back to the drawing board and did 4 elevations, an addition design, and reworked the interior for more open concept. Since I had decided to partner with Jacob Rogen at Rogen Design Build initially, Steve graciously handed the reigns over to Jacob, who has done a masterful job during the 1st phase of renovations. I thankful for Steve's support and professionalism throughout this process. He knows his industry and is constantly looking to learn more and keep on top of new discoveries. Our time during the design phase was so productive and he listened to what I needed. He took what I had to say and interpreted it in the designs with perfection.”

“Smith & Vansant is a phenomenal architectural firm. In fact, working with them renovated not only my house, but my life! After 15 years or so of living with the property more or less as I found it, my tiny 1850 Cape needed long-overdue renovations -- including improvements to all major systems, solutions to a big water problem in the basement, a new kitchen, a new roof, adding working and living space, and a home office, along with extensive site work and landscaping. From a design perspective, they are simply brilliant. They have a fantastic aesthetic sense; know how to integrate old and new in a way that is pure genius; and are skilled problem-solvers. I wanted the house to be more liveable and comfortable, while still honoring the antique details that had drawn me to the property in the first place. Pi Smith and Stephen Branchflower in particular not only listened to me all along the way, but heard me. They gave me exactly what I had hoped for. From a practical perspective, I needed to live in the house while this was going on, and they were sensitive to my need to carry on amidst the upheaval. They worked closely with the contractor, Lud Leskovar, to assure that I was comfortable and inconvenienced a little as humanly possible while the work was being done all around me. Smith & Vansant, Lud Leskovar and I worked closely as a team. The kept me informed as to costs all along the way and helped me make decisions that took into account my both budget and my dreams. They were endlessly patient and always kind. Everyone in this close-knit firm is a pleasure to work with, operates with the highest integrity, and knows what they are doing. I can't recommend Smith & Vansant highly enough. For photos of this project, see "Houzz Tour: Beautiful, Hardworking Cape Renovation" on this site.”

“Ward is great to work with. He has excellent design ideas that include original ways to enhance the end product. He is very good at working within a budget and adhering to deadlines. Ward made this project SO much more manageable by being the liaison with the contractor. His relationships with some contractors are an asset. After receiving bids, we chose an excellent builder that Ward has worked with previously. He advocated for us on cost and timing issues. He was patient with our process and I also found Ward's fees to be reasonable.”

“I worked with Anita on interior design/decorating decisions after buying a new house. This included selection of interior paint colors, furniture, upholstery, and light fixtures, as well as furniture placement. She was professional and thorough and most importantly very attuned to not only my style and taste but also to my needs as a mother of small children. I also appreciated that she helped me source almost every item locally and was sensitive to the budget. I will definitely be working with her again in the future.”

“I have wanted a kitchen for years that represented my Victorian home. The design work and construction was meticulous. The time spent gathering together all elements of the project was done professionally and encompassed areas beyond my range of knowledge. My questions and concerns were listened to with an excellent attitude and explained to the fullest. The functionality of the kitchen is amazing. The work was done to our agreed time frame and within our budget. Gosselin Design worked with all the vendors in a professional manner and acquired the products we ordered as timely as possible. They dealt with issues beyond our control. I am very pleased with the exceptional work done on my project.”

“I renovated my 1905 home in downtown Hanover, NH in 2009. The renovations included new bathrooms, but the challenging changes--and the ones most important to me--were the ones that transformed my kitchen and the adjoining dining area. I hired Haynes and Garthwaite to plan the project, do the drawings, and supervise the work. I worked closely with Andrew Garthwaite. I was, and remain, so pleased with what was done and how it was done that I am hoping to persuade Andrew to do the designs for my condominium in Cambridge, MA. The Hanover renovations achieved what I wanted them to achieve, stayed within the limits of the budget Andrew and I had established, and were more exciting than stressful to live through. Before the work, the first floor of the house was relatively dark. The spaces were cramped and impractical for whatever activity they were supposedly destined (cooking, entertaining...). The kitchen was an awkward L-shaped thing with dreadful cabinets, appliances in illogical places, and basement stairs in an unfortunate spot. The dining room was too small to accommodate even eight people comfortably. I showed Andrew the open-floor layout of a recently-built condo and basically said: reproduce this effect in my house--without destroying the character of the house. Amazingly, that was exactly what he did. A useless outdoor porch became part of my new dining room/kitchen. The basement stairs were moved to an outside wall, where they were out of the way (and also easily accessible, through a new outside door, to plumbers and electricians and other people with muddy boots). Lovely, well-designed cherry cabinets and drawers complemented grey-black granite counters. An island separates the kitchen from the dining area, where I recently fed ten people comfortably. New windows mean that the entire kitchen-dining space catches first the morning and then the afternoon sun; recessed lighting and attractive hanging lamps take over after sunset. I have two armchairs, a coffee table, and a large Bijar rug between the dinner table and the kitchen island. Even though the house has two studies, I now tend to work sitting in one of the chairs in the dining area, simply because the aesthetics of the space are so pleasing. Three old bathrooms--each with its own set of problems--are now thoroughly updated. Everything works, and the bathrooms look attractive. In the bedrooms, closets and built-ins have enhanced storage space without making the house look like a victim of identity theft. Thanks to Andrew's skills and dedication, we started with excellent and precise plans. But Andrew was constantly available during the project, watching for unanticipated possibilities as well as problems. The results were really terrific. I recommend Andrew and his firm without reservation to anyone embarking on a renovation project.”

“We absolutely love working with Sloane Mayor! She is an extremely creative problem solver and a wonderful listener who doesn't get defensive about her ideas. While Sloane is always very professional, it’s also fun working with her. Generally it doesn't take her very long to get from an initial conversation about a project to a drawing that we would like to implement. Sloane has worked really well with our builder and they have mutual respect for each other. We have never had any issues with timeliness. She is easy to reach and will come over to see something or solve a problem on very short notice. In addition to her artistic talent and strong sense of design, Sloane has a deep interest in and experience with environmentally preferable products and materials. We were so pleased with Sloane’s work that we flew her out to Utah to help us with the renovation of our second home.”

“Studio Nexus designed an interior renovation of a large part of our home (kitchen, baths, living areas, master bedroom), as well as an outdoor deck/roof overhang. I would strongly recommend them. They are highly qualified architects whose range of experience encompasses thoughtful renovation of existing residences. One of their great strengths was interpreting our goals for the house renovation into creative design solutions. Studio Nexus understood the bones of the house and what design concepts we found important. We wanted as many windows as possible, and as open a space as possible. They designed a kitchen/living area that met these requirements elegantly and fit within the modern lines of the original home. It is the true heart of our home, and the space that we spend most of our time as a family. Studio Nexus uncovered our house’s potential, creating a light, bright and welcoming living environment. They accomplished all this while being mindful of our budget.”