Architectural Services

For Home & Property Owners

Old Alt New focuses on residential design in the Denver metro area.

  • Renovations to existing homes and buildings - modernization & layout updates, full electrification, deep energy retrofits

  • Additions to existing homes and buildings

  • Accessory Dwelling Units and secondary buildings on existing residential properties

  • New ground-up designs within existing neighborhoods (urban infill)

001 - “First Date”

For first-time clients, the "First Date" is an initial meeting where we discuss your goals and explore why you are seeking an architect. It's also an opportunity to determine if we have the right chemistry for a successful partnership.

002 - Feasibility Study

A Feasibility Study evaluates the Owner’s project goals in relation to a specific site and/or existing property. This process helps both the Owner and the Architect understand what is achievable, guiding the project towards a clear, well-defined, and focused concept.

003 - Concept Design

A Concept Design translates the Owner’s project goals into form, material, and performance criteria while adhering to the size, zoning, and budget constraints established during the feasibility study. A successful Concept Design package serves as the creative benchmark for all subsequent design phases.

004 - Architectural Services Contract

When you're ready to transform your Concept Design into reality, the next step is to establish a formal contract.

An architectural services contract delineates the working relationship, legal parameters, and professional commitments between the project Owner and the Architect. This crucial document defines the project’s scope, schedule, and design fees. A well-drafted contract serves as a blueprint for expectations. In the event of disputes, it provides a fair framework for resolution that safeguards the interests of both parties.

For Architects & Contractors

005 - Envelope Consulting & Review

Looking to enhance your project's energy performance? Seeking a fresh perspective on your roof-to-wall details? Need innovative solutions for your renovation to meet today’s thermal code requirements?

Old Alt New specializes in exterior building envelope consulting and review for architects and builders. While our projects consistently aim for Passive House performance levels, our consulting services embrace a variety of approaches and options, prioritizing substantial improvements over perfect outcomes. We also provide hygrothermal assembly analysis to manage moisture effectively in today's increasingly insulated and airtight buildings.

BAD

BETTER

(Code Minimum)

(“Pretty Good House”)

BEST

(Passive House)

006 - Phius CPHC Services

Passive House certification is the best way to ensure that your residential project achieves its intended high-performance goals. Stewart Gohringer, a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) with Phius (Passive House Institute, US Inc.), offers the expertise needed to navigate this rigorous certification process efficiently and cost-effectively.

Whether you're setting ambitious high-performance targets or aiming for full Passive House certification—a prestigious achievement among architects and builders—Old Alt New's CPHC Services are tailored to elevate your residential project to exceptional performance levels.

For Developers

007 - Passive Spec House

Old Alt New is committed to responsibly increasing housing density and environmental sustainability in Metro Denver; partnering with like-minded investors and developers is the best way to achieve this goal. Stewart Gohringer brings over 10 years of experience collaborating with clients, construction teams, and consultants.

If you're a developer looking to make a lasting, positive impact on housing in Greater Denver - and differentiate your projects with highly economical, repeatable, and environmentally friendly Passive House construction methods - please contact Old Alt New.

008 - Development Feasibility Study

Are you a residential property developer in Denver? Are you interested in high-performance housing?

(see 007 - Passive House Spec House)

Old Alt New can help you assess potential properties for performance, zoning form, and unit count viability.

(see 002 - Feasibility Study)

[OLD] under-appreciated properties need creative [ALT] solutions to find [NEW] financial viability and success.

10 Reasons not to hire Old Alt New

  • Modern is great. Farmhouses are great. But let's ask why you want a modern farmhouse and go from there.

    Style is "a manner of doing something."

    Style is a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed.

    Old Alt New does not design within a specific style of the past. Old Alt New designs in a principled manner contemporary to this time.

  • It’s true - additional bathrooms can increase a home’s sale/resale price - but a four-bedroom home with six separate and unique bathrooms is too much. Old Alt New values a balanced approach to privacy, shared spaces, and resource allocation.

  • Old Alt New tires very hard to use a small number of unique finishes, both inside and out.

  • Huge walls of glass and homes dominated by countless windows have been signatures of modern architecture for decades - but over-glazed projects are also the reason homes have become unnecessarily expensive, uncomfortable, and unsustainable. Windows are wonderful and necessary, but Old Alt New locates and sizes windows with great care and for greatest impact.

  • Old Alt New is done with gas-fueled appliances and mechanical equipment. Why? Improved interior air quality, full-project electrification, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels.

  • That’s fine - there are many architects and designers who will happily cater to your every whim. Just be prepared to answer some tough questions from your grandchildren in the future.

  • Old Alt New is thorough, particular, and detailed. A beautiful high-performance project will require more drawings than the status quo project.

  • Your project budget can be quite modest, but if you’ve already sold off all of your personal relation skills to afford this project, Old Alt New isn’t the right choice for you.

  • High-performance low embodied carbon exterior walls and roofs include thick layers of cellulose or wood-fiber insulation. These exterior assemblies are much thicker than code-compliant assemblies (the status quo) and highly insulated assemblies that rely on foam (petrochemical products with greenhouse-intensive blowing agents). Let your thick walls be your virtue signal.

  • Go for it!

More questions about Old Alt New?

See the Frequently Asked Questions page for more answers: