Studio 76 LLC

It gives our family immense pleasure and a sense of utmost satisfaction and gratification to write about our wonderful experience re-building and re-modeling our primary residence in Fairfax County, VA. This wouldn’t have been possible but for the outstanding job by STUDIO 76 and simply stated due to the superb efforts and involvement of its brain, muscle, and heart- Mr. Nate P[redacted] the Owner/Builder/Contractor/Architect of STUDIO 76 and his wonderful team.
We have been the proud owners of the referenced property since 1991 and for about three years preceding this major re-gutting and re-building project, wanting to upgrade, we hunted for new and other homes on the market, and for builders, looking carefully for a design that we had on our mind or for someone competent to deliver one by helping us rebuild on our existing property. On both fronts, our attempts in identifying such a property or a builder became an on-going uphill and exhausting task and despite our patient and persistent search for almost three years, we realized that such a property did not exist and we had not identified a builder that we felt comfortable. And we were losing hope and were mentally prepared to compromise on the design and or the builder just so that we could get something better than the existing house although it would not be our dream house.
And then it happened. One fine Sunday in Aug of 2011, a friend of mine, who too was looking to build a new home on a new lot that he had just purchased, invited me to meet this builder/architect (Mr. P[redacted]) at his place. This was my first meeting with Mr. P[redacted]. The initial meeting left me with a sense of comfort and happiness and the feeling that we may have found the right person to help us rebuild our house. Within the next few days, after going over our project, Mr. P[redacted] provided us with a design incorporating most of the elements we wanted and came up with a plan to build it. The rest, as they say, is history. In less than two weeks from our first meeting, we had a signed contract in place. My wife and I were convinced that not only had we identified a potentially good contractor/builder, but we also had engaged an Engineer, an Architect and Structural Engineer- all in one package. Yes- that is exactly who Mr. P[redacted] is as he first functions, and rightfully so, as an Engineer. Given the size and scope of our re-gutting and re-modelling project, Mr. P[redacted] strongly advised us to get out of the property with an unequivocal reassurance that he would make it his priority to get us back in. And that is exactly what he/STUDIO 76 did for us. In Dec 2012, we moved our things in storage and found temporary living quarters and handed over the premises to STUDIO 76.
We broke ground on March 1st 2012- after patiently waiting for our work permit approval for over 6 months during which we were relentlessly ironing out things with the County. Every step of the way, Mr. P[redacted] walked the walk with us and made himself available for every meeting with the County officials- providing insightful advice and engaging in meaningful negotiations that ultimately led the the approval of our plans on Feb 28th 2012. The complexity in securing the permit was primarily driven by our unique needs and our reluctance to compromise on the design. All along, Mr. P[redacted], very patiently waited for the final approval of the permit and did not initiate any work under the assumption that the permit would be approved. Mr. P[redacted] made sure that when the permit was approved it would be for the one with our dream design intact as he knew that such a design in its entirety was important to us without which we perhaps would not have embarked on a project of such scale.
The best of what we saw in STUDIO 76 and in Mr. P[redacted] is reflected in the precise manner in which STUDIO 76 executes, the speed with which work is performed, the well-coordinated efforts of the various teams that Mr. P[redacted] engages. We saw our dream house mushroom beautifully and Mr. P[redacted] was at the site sometimes several times a day and relentlessly kept his team focused and committed. It was not easy keeping up with Mr. P[redacted]’s speed and progress and nothing in the project seemed difficult that he couldn’t handle. Yes- there were surprises, setbacks and other issues none of which deterred STUDIO 76 and none of which was used as an excuse. It was truly gratifying engaging intellectually with Mr. P[redacted] and to tap into his sharp and uncanny intuitiveness, engineering mind and superb architectural skills. On many issues, Mr. P[redacted] provided the best advice that one can find and it was clear that this was based on sound engineering principles and not just based on the monetary value alone. In fact, based on Mr. P[redacted]’s recommendations, by agreeing to switch to a more meaningful product than what we initially wanted, we were also able to save money.
With modesty, our project is perhaps a minority in the country for a residential re-gut and rebuild to receive three prestigious certifications. The engineering skills of Mr. P[redacted], his tenacious approach to any issue in finding the right solution and his uncanny ability to read our minds in ultimately knowing exactly what we wanted, gave us the confidence that Mr. P[redacted]- who is LEED certified could turn this project into a highly energy efficient, eco-friendly and green. Since we were set out to build something nice and unique, in addition to meeting every requirement set forth by the County, we pursued to raise the bar further in trying to achieve a well-engineered house – a certification that we wanted from independent bodies. Therefore, with confidence in STUDIO 76, we simultaneously pursued in seeking the following certifications- LEED certification (US Green Building Council), National Green Building Standard certification (NGBS, Home Innovation Research) and Energy Star certification. Each of these green certifications required an enormous amount of time expended both in terms of paperwork and documentation and very meticulous and precise on-site installations, use of specific materials meeting the high standards and the passing of several testing by each of these independent bodies during the various milestone stages of construction. Mr. P[redacted], once again, in addition to the routine work, patiently and tenaciously executed these on-site and off-site requirements, ultimately, in successfully earning each of these certifications. Given the size, scope and design of our house, even to qualify for an evaluation was a commendable achievement let alone the outcome. Suffice it to say, that our project, despite these odds, received a very respectable level of certification under each category. Yes- our house is LEED certified (Silver), NGBS certified (Silver) and Energy Star (HERS index of 54) certified and we attribute this worthwhile success to STUDIO 76. This shows that STUDIO 76 does not just build homes, but builds well-engineered homes caring for efficiency and ultimately the environment. This ability to take on these additional responsibilities and the confidence to successfully meet the high standards and fulfil the requirements is not a common virtue amongst other builders. The bottom-line- our utility bills have dropped to about 25% of what we were paying prior to this remodeling.
Over the next few months, with a rapid pace of continued progress, we were fortunate to have had the time and input of Mr. P[redacted] and Mrs. P[redacted] (who is also an architect) in helping us pick the right interior and exterior materials that would impact the final finished product both structurally and functionally and in appearance. This invaluable global input kept us focused to what the final product is supposed to be and look like. Ours was a contemporary design and STUDIO 76’s input ensured such congruence amongst the different things in maintaining a contemporary look through and through.
We could see our dream blossom beautifully and as promised, Mr. P[redacted] got us back into our brand new dream house within 6 months after starting the project. By Sep 2012, we had moved back and we have been very happily living in this house that Mr. P[redacted] created for us. As with any new product, during the times that we have experienced minor problems in the house, STUDIO 76 has attended to each and every one of the problems in a timely fashion and has stood by its work.
Mr. P[redacted] and STUDIO 76 did not just build us our dream house that is unique and efficient, but with the attention, interest and care, they have built us what we call “home”. Personalization and customization that is heartfelt, augmented engineering and smart design that is acknowledged by independent agencies as being efficient and green and the confidence that STUDIO 76 will stand by its product should something require attention are unparalleled virtues that are rare to find in this present environment and industry. If one seeks intelligence and engineering to drive their project, if one one seeks the one-on-one care and concern, and if one desires to build their dream project that they want, and most of all, if one wants a builder who is committed in building a product on which he/she is willing to place his/her signature proudly without hesitancy or fear, one cannot go wrong with Mr. P[redacted] or STUDIO 76. We recommend STUDIO 76 and Mr. P[redacted] unequivocally, without reservations or qualms. We thank STUDIO 76 and Mr. P[redacted] every day for what they have done for us- helping us build exactly the home we dreamed and wanted – one we love, cherish and are proud of.