Mimar Ponte Mellor of DC

We hired Ponte Mellor Architects to design a custom home for us in 2014. The Principal, Rui Ponte, and the Project Architect, Jason Gagan, designed a beautiful home that provides us with all of our "must haves" and is perfectly sited on the lot to maximize water and woodland views. We are delighted with the results!

I recently completed a successful journey in having my old home torn down and having a custom new house built in its place. I consider myself to be one of the lucky few who navigated this terrain with a fabulous outcome thanks to having made the right choice in both the architect and builder that I used. The Architect: Ponte Mellor Architects, Ltd (Bethesda, MD) www.ponte-mellor.com The Builder: Edgemoor Custom Builders (Bethesda, MD) www.edgemoorcustombuilders.com The first order of business was to select the right architect. SHOULD I USE A DESIGN / BUILD FIRM: In researching the right architect, I began realizing the benefits of using a design/build firm - i.e., a firm that could provide both the services of both the architect and the builder. IF YOU DO NOT USE A DESIGN / BUILD FIRM: Let's say you are in the middle of a project and you change your mind about how you want something done. If the architect and builder are not under the same roof, then you first have to call the architect to get the blue prints altered. The architect will most likely be busy and you will have to wait for him or her to review the situation, come up with the new plans and blue-prints, get those revisions to the builder, so that the builder can proceed. This can cause huge (read "expensive" delays). IF YOU DO USE A DESIGN / BUILD FIRM: If you use a firm that is handling both the design AND build, then they can do it all "in house" thereby minimizing the delay (and cost) to you. In interviewing different architects, I found architect Rui Ponte, AIA/LEED AP with Ponte Mellor Architects, to be the one who most clearly and enthusiastically understood my vision and ideas. His firm turned out to be the perfect choice for the architectural work. And since he and his partner Brad Mellor, AIA/LEED AP also have a construction company called Edgemoor Custom Builders, they fit the bill as a "Design / Build" firm. I WENT TO SEE SOME OTHER PROJECTS THEY HAD DONE: I asked Mr. Rui Ponte if I could go inspect some of the homes they had designed and built. He said certainly, and arrangements were made with the various home-owners for me to come take a look. I went to see 5 of them. The homes were beautiful, warm, and classy. But I did not just walk around the main portions of the houses. I also went into the basements and up into the attics, so that I could examine the unfinished portions of the house. What I saw was outstanding, solid craftsmanship in every beam, joint, and installation. I THEN EDUCATED MYSELF ON CONTRACTS: Once I decided who to use, I asked Ponte Mellor Architects and Edgemoor Custom Builders for a copy of the contracts they use. They use the standard AIA (American Institute of Architects) contracts, but these contracts have many different options in them. The next step was to pay an hourly rate to another architect to advise me on what all these variables meant, and to do some research on-line. I then had further discussions with Ponte Mellor Architects and Edgemoor Custom Builders about my ideas regarding the contract, which resulted in an agreement that I thought was fair to all parties. I FOUND PHOTOS ON-LINE OF IDEAS I LIKED: One of the biggest challenges in any creative process is the ability to communicate an idea to another. So how does one communicate to an architect an idea that one wants incorporated into the build? The answer is with photographs taken from the internet. I spent hours combing through the internet taking "screen-shots" of ideas that I liked from architectural sites. These photos were invaluable in this creative process. I INTERVIEWED SUB-CONTRACTORS MYSELF: For decisions on the major subcontractors (HVAC system, Electric, etc) I found it helpful for Edgemoor Custom Builders to get several bids, for them to make a recommendation to me, and then for me to be able to speak to the sub-contractor myself to make a final decision. Edgemoor Custom Builders was very supportive of my involvement with this and we worked together as a team in making the right selections EXPECTATIONS: I often hear people who have been through a renovation or a build be extremely critical of their builder, architect, and/or contractor. Sometimes I wonder how many of these people had unrealistic expectations going in? REALITY CHECK: There is no way you are going to go through a renovation or home build without there being some snafus. In the rare instance when a problem would arise in the building of my home, I was able to speak openly to my architect and builder and together we would find the best solution and move on. FINAL PRODUCT: I now have my dream house where I live with my family. It is amazing. I am very grateful to the folks at Ponte Mellor Architects and Edgemoor Custom Builders, and heartily recommend their services to anyone considering a renovation or a build.