Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean and Sara Martin.
Sean and Sara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We are a husband and wife architecture firm that specializes in designing renovations to historic homes. We met when working for a local commercial firm back in 2003 (Ross/Fowler), but the idea to start our own practice didn’t occur to us until ten years later. Sara has always been an entrepreneur at heart and Sean was offered a teaching position that year that offered some steady income and more free time.
We made the switch from commercial architecture to residential because we had so many friends and neighbors who wanted help with kitchen and bathroom renovations. The work was easy to get, but we didn’t realize it’d be enough to build a thriving business that has now designed over 200 renovations, additions, outbuildings, and new homes.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The jobs we do tend to be smaller than what most architecture firms tackle. That has some advantages, but it can be challenging to build offerings that are affordable for small projects and support a profitable business. We’ve come up with some cool solutions though.
For instance, we use an iPad 3-D scanning app and satellite imagery to measure houses (rather than spending hours doing it by hand) and we do much of our design work on-site, directly with the homeowners to save time revising designs, scheduling meetings, and sending emails.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My favorite feedback to hear from clients about one of our renovation designs is, “it feels like it’s always been this way.” We love old houses and we relish the challenge of designing spaces that serve modern families while preserving the character in historic homes and neighborhoods.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for us is giving our clients the power and vision to be able to make their homes exactly what they want.
Pricing:
- We charge $150/hr; all of our contracts are hourly
- For our full services, our fees tend to equal 10-15% of the construction cost
Contact Info:
- Email: info@opendoorarchitecture.com
- Website: opendoorarchitecture.com
Image Credits
Adam Ford and Denise Retallack
