Our firm specializes in both commercial and residential projects. GARC has a solid reputation for delivering successful outcomes in both project types. Our design process is user-centered and research-oriented, allowing us to understand the unique needs of each project and collaborate closely with our clients to bring their vision to life. Our commercial projects are diverse and encompass a wide …
Q&A: What are the high ROI items?
In the last Q&A, we talked about how to find balance between the investment of a home renovation and the return in both monetary value and in the value to the quality of life. If we are only evaluating Return On Investment (ROI) in a monetary sense, what are some high ROI items to consider? One source you can look …
Q&A: Can I recoup the investment on my renovation project?
Unlike flipping a house, which is evaluated purely by investment and return, renovating a home can not be judged solely by how much the property value increases. For example, in Remodeling Magazine’s “Cost vs. Value Report 2020”, the average ROI on a minor kitchen remodel in Virginia Beach is 58.6% (81.1% for the national average), and on a major kitchen …
Q&A: Should I renovate or rebuild?
We usually get this question when a client really likes the location of the house, but not happy with the actual building itself. The costs of a major renovation might be closer to building a new house from scratch. In that case, should you renovate or rebuild? The answer is that “it depends”. There are many factors at play. The …
Q&A: How do I phase my project?
The direct answer is yes, if doing a major renovation project, we can most certainly split the project into phases. When creating the plans for each phase, we will work together with you to figure out what the most pressing needs are and have those needs as the main goal(s) to accomplish. By knowing the big picture, we can set …
How to Check the Zoning Requirements for Your Project
In our previous article post, we discussed the Three Things to Check Before Buying and Renovating a House in the Hampton Roads area. To make a long story short, those three things are: Zoning, Floodplain Ordinance and the Chesapeake Bay Protection Area. As suggested in that article, there are multiple ways to find the information, including calling the zoning staff of your …
Q&A: What are the Three Things to Check Before Buying a House?
We recently held another successful Vision Workshop for a single family house in the Oceanfront of Virginia Beach. The house is a lovely mid-century modern home on a corner lot that our client purchased not long ago. After studying the zoning setback requirements, they showed that the actual area able to build on was much smaller than our client thought …
Q&A: How to Jumpstart My Commercial Project?
Are you looking to start your own business and need an inspiring space? Perhaps you have two spaces in mind but not sure which one will align better with your business plan? Maybe you want to renovate your current space to attract more customers? Are you struggling with how to fully optimize the space available? You may already have a …