Project Portfolio CONTEMPORARY
REMODELS
| CUSTOM HOMES | ESTATES
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
B E V E R LY H I L L S HILLSIDE REMODEL Wall-to-Wall Windows with Spectacular Vistas
Project Highlights 4,991 SF HILLSIDE RESIDENCE
Designed by Tooke Architects, this four-bedroom residence boasts three full ensuite baths, two powder rooms, and a media room. The original home, which sits on a lot with a nearly 45-degree slope, was taken down to the studs, expanded, and reconfigured with a modern design. The result is this beautiful, three-story residence that features stunning open-riser stairs with glass railings and abundant skylights that help maximize the openness of the space. Limestone and white oak adorn the floors. Spark linear fireplaces in the living room and master bedroom further enhance the home’s contemporary aesthetic. Wall-to-wall windows on the top two stories and wraparound decks, with glass railings, on all three stories invite the outdoors in and frame stunning vistas of Los Angeles below. A complete home automation system, high-end Miele kitchen appliances, Dornbracht fixtures in the kitchen and baths, and outdoors, an infinity-edged pool and spa, outdoor fireplace, and outdoor shower, add luxurious touches to the project.
ARCHITECT: Tooke Architects PHOTOGRAPHY: Nolarco Studios
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Partners
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
MODERN RUSTIC B E AC H F R O N T ES TAT E Connecting Indoor and Outdoor Environments
“Allen’s strength while executing the subtlest of details was their adeptness in providing inventive, well-thought-out solutions rather than challenges.”” - Barry Winick, Winick Architects
Project Highlights 7,500 SF BEACHFRONT ESTATE
This new glass and steel beachfront estate features classic contemporary lines softened by natural wood and stone finish materials. The entire first floor and podium deck “floats” on pillars eight feet above grade. Steel moment frames support large window and door systems, which maximize the surrounding views. Stone floor tiles in the interior flow through large sliding glass doors out to exterior patios, creating strong connections between the indoor and outdoor environment. Great attention has been given to the building corners and window and door corners where wood joints and mitered corners need to be achieved and, overtime, maintain their desired look.
Partners
ARCHITECT: Barry Winick, Winick Architects PHOTOGRAPHY: Paul Warchol
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
L E E D P L AT I N U M M O D E R N M AS T E R P I EC E Award-Winning Beach-front Home
- Bryan C., Client
Project Highlights
2,400 SF BEACH HOUSE PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN & HIGH-PERFORMANCE EXTERIOR SHELL Owned by actor Bryan Cranston, this LEED Platinum oceanfront home is a “passion project promoting the philosophy of green living and the green lifestyle.” The home is 56 percent more energy-efficient than California Energy Code standards due to its passive solar design and high-performance exterior shell. A 5.12-kilowatt photo-voltaic system provides for the home’s electrical needs, while a solar hydroponic system preheats water for domestic water and radiant space needs. In the garage, an array of smart home technology lives alongside a BendPak auto lift.
Awards & Press SANTA BARBARA CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION VENTURA MONTHLY COVER FEATURE DWELL MAGAZINE FEATURE USGBC CENTRAL COAST GREEN HOME AWARD
Partners ARCHITECT: Larry Graves DESIGNER: John A. Turturro PHOTOGRAPHY: Jake Cryan
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“I think there’s a misconception among the general public that, to live eco-friendly, you have to sacrifice - you have outdoor plumbing, you’re living on burlap, nothing is comfortable, but that’s not the truth. We show how you can combine elegance and living responsibly without sacrificing.”
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
B E AC H H O U S E G E TAWAY Indoor-Outdoor Living with Spectacular Ocean Views
- Allen Construction
Project Highlights 3,703 SF BEACH HOUSE WALL-TO-WALL FLEETWOOD WINDOWS
This home is beautifully appointed with custom white oak cabinets, a beautiful blend of soapstone and carrera marble counter-tops in the kitchen, exposed concrete floors downstairs, and French white oak floors. Fleetwood multi-slide doors and sliders give this home an unbeatable indoor-outdoor feel. Low maintenance Rysista decking and siding were used on the decks and balconies. Copper gutters and downspouts accent the exteriors. As with every beach front house we build, we also provided the owners with a suggested maintenance schedule to help ensure that they keep the unforgiving sun and salt air found by the beach at bay.
Partners ARCHITECT: Moseley McGrath STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: W.B. Clausen DESIGNER: Thierry Marchand PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
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“These clients longed for a Zen beach house getaway that would allow them to escape from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives.”
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
M I D - C E N T U RY C O N T E M P O RA RY Award-Winning Green Build
“We wanted to build green with a focus on contemporary design. This goal was acomplished working in partnership with [Allen Construction]. Our home exceeds California energy efficiency standards by over 30%. It also was awarded first place in the Santa Barbara Beautiful Awards competition. This was achieved with . . . much of the design details worked out directly with [Allen.] Bravo!” - Ed and Joan T., Clients
Project Highlights 2,953 SF MID-CENTURY HOME
Awards & Publications CHRYSALIS: NATIONAL AWARD WINNER MASTER DESIGN AWARD: QUALIFIED
This whole-house remodel updated and expanded a 1950s contemporary house. In addition to making the home more comfortable and energy-efficient, the remodel added fabulous finishes. Separate living, dining, and kitchen area walls were opened and a new structural beam added to make one grand room with abundant natural light and strong connections to the outside environment. A new bocce court was added on the ocean side of the house to “expand the party” down the yard.
REMODELER MAGAZINE GREEN BUILD
Partners
NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR: REGIONAL
ARCHITECT: Harrison Design Associates
AWARD
PHOTOGRAPHY: Jake Cryan
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CHRYSALIS: REGIONAL AWARD WINNER: BEST
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
C O N T E M P O RA RY M ESA R ES I D E N C E A N D A D U New Contemporary Home & Guest House
Project Highlights 2,997 SF CONTEMPORARY HOME 499 SF GUEST HOUSE After successful careers in the Bay Area, these former UCSB graduates found a small house on a lot with a view of the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara’s now-hip Mesa neighborhood. The original house was demolished to make way for a two-story house on the sloping lot, with an accessory dwelling unit below. The upper level of the house, at street level, has three bedrooms, a kitchen and living room. The “great room” opens onto an ocean-view deck through two large pocket doors. The master bedroom can look through the living room to the same view. The owners, acting as their own interior designers, incorporated lots of color with wallpaper accent walls in each bedroom, and brilliant tiles in the bathrooms, kitchen, and at the fireplace. The large built-in dining table in the kitchen provides a great gathering place for family and guests. Unique design features of the home include largeformat concrete tile floors and a beautiful natural cedar ceiling.
ARCHITECT: Thompson Naylor Architects PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch Photography
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Partners
Featured Project
OCEANFRONT C O N T E M P O RA RY R E M O D E L Whole House Remodel with Spectacular Ocean Views
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
Project Highlights 5,192 SF OCEANFRONT HOME 5 BEDROOM, 6.5 BATH
What started as a project to update interior finishes turned into a whole home remodel of this 5,192 square foot, three level home overlooking the ocean. The most dramatic upgrade was to replace all of the old transom windows and doors, along with outdated metal railings on the balconies, that obstructed the spectacular views. The main living area was upgraded with stunning large format marble tile flooring and a dramatic modern linear fireplace. The kitchen was reconfigured to open access to the dining area and upgraded with high-end finishes, including a large waterfall island featuring a wood inset seating area. The exterior of the home was redesigned with glass replacing the metal railings on all three levels, a dramatic new entrance, and updating old columns with a more contemporary design.
Partners DESIGNER: Michelle Pelech Interiors PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
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ARCHITECT: Ryan Brockett Architecture
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
M I D - C E N T U RY MODERN REMODEL Award-Winning Green Home
“Awesome. Tasteful! I could live in this house. Bravo! - National Association of the Remodeling Industry Contractor of the Year Judge
Project Highlights 2,559 SF HOME 697 SF GUEST-HOUSE 818 SF WORKSHOP
This remodel preserved the house’s mid-century modern sensibility while improving its shell. The roof-line was changed from a steep gable to a butterfly form, which became a unifying theme for the house, guest-house, and workshop. Updated finish elements added a touch of style. Green was the order of the day, from reclaimed mahogany accents, to solar and high-efficiency heating, cooling, and plumbing systems, to drought tolerant native landscaping.
Awards & Publications COVER FEATURE: VENTANA MONTHLY Innovative Design PROFESSIONAL REMODELER DESIGN AWARDS NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR: NATIONAL
Partners
AWARD
ARCHITECT: Thompson Naylor
AWARD
PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
CHRYSALIS: REGIONAL AWARD WINNER
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NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR: REGIONAL
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
H I G H E F F I C I E N CY B E AC H H O U S E An Escape from Urban Life
- Jeff B. and Lorraine T., Clients
Project Highlights 4,000 SF BEACH HOUSE This family had owned their beach house for 10 years before they decided to remodel, using it for summer vacations, family gatherings, and an escape from urban life. Once the kids grew up, the family’s lifestyle changed. The owners wanted to spend quality time at the beach house and needed a general contractor to make overdue repairs in order to create a more comfortable and updated home. As the general contractor, we suggested exterior finishes that would make the home more durable and able to withstand the sometimes harsh marine conditions. Beyond a new PVC roof and copper gutters, Allen installed a deck made of corn husks, coconut and rice hulls instead of wood, eliminating the need for refinishing over and over again. The remodeled home is now energy-efficient and produces a majority of its own power, thanks to a high performance shell, high efficiency insulation, high-efficiency windows, thermal buffer construction, and a 3.5 kW solar system. Four hundred square feet of “green roof” is a refreshing addition to the breathtaking ocean views from the master bedroom.
Partners
ARCHITECT: Keith Nolan PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
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“I wanted to make the house warmer and have better circulation. I wanted to improve on the non-architectural look of the house. All those things [Allen was] able to nail...I was very, very happy with the superintendent...He really pulled it all together and came through for us. I was very satisfied.”
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
M O D E R N V I L L A R E T R E AT Tropical Environment Reminiscent of Seychelles Islands
- Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis Architects
Project Highlights 1,628 SF VILLA
This house was transformed from a classic California-ranch-style beach bungalow into a modern villa retreat. The client’s vision was to create a tropical environment and open-air dwelling reminiscent of her childhood home in the Seychelles Islands, off the eastern coast of Africa. Stone from the Dominican Republic, a metal roof, and lush landscaping create a modern retreat. Interior living spaces open to generous outdoor patios, fountains, and a walled garden.
Awards & Publications
CHRYSALIS: NATIONAL AWARD WINNER MASTER DESIGN AWARD QUALIFIED REMODELER MAGAZINE CHRYSALIS: REGIONAL AWARD WINNER0 PROFESSIONAL REMODELER DESIGN AWARDS NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR: REGIONAL
Partners
ARCHITECT: Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis PHOTOGRAPHY: Ciro Coehlo
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“Superb quality. Client committed. Allen is the only choice for quality service.”
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
C O N T E M P O RA RY H I L L S I D E R ES I D E N C E Built to Withstand Fires
Project Highlights 2,292 SF HILLSIDE RESIDENCE
As the conceptual building masses took shape, the architect was inspired to punch small openings into the south elevation, positioning them primarily for light infiltration, not to see out of. The goal was to compose a seemingly random-looking arrangement of the window fenestrations, even though their placement had a specific purpose in relation to each respective interior space.
Partners
ARCHITECT: Burnell, Branch & Pester Architecture PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
When a contemporary residence was first discussed, the owners expressed a desire to have the house not be as exposed to the street as their previous home. While their primary motivation was privacy, an added advantage was reducing solar heat gain on the southern exposure. The original concept was to bring some light in from the south, with the majority coming from the north along with fabulous views of the canyon and mountains nearby.
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The original A-frame home on this hillside lot was destroyed by wildfire. Working together with their architect and builder, their rebuilt contemporary residence boasts few, if any, fire susceptible, “weak links.”
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
F I R E R ES I S TA N T CA N YO N H O M E Contemporary Fire Loss Rebuild
One of the owners’ goals was to produce as much of their own energy needs as possible. An 8.64 kW PV system provides the majority of the electricity this home consumes.
Project Highlights 1,765 SF MAIN HOME 1,431 SF GARAGE / OFFICE
The original home on this canyon lot was destroyed by wildfire which created the unanticipated opportunity for the owners to build a new, contemporary, fire-safe home with numerous green elements. This home was also designed to take advantage of cooling breezes – extremely important in this canyon location. Key elements include: • Large overhangs to provide shade & reduce heat gain. • Large retracting doors on the east & south facing walls allow cooling breezes into the home. • Ceiling fans that circulate air to further cool the interior.
ARCHITECT: Bree Medley Design PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
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Partners
Other sustainable elements include passive solar design, LED lighting throughout, on-demand water heating, floors made from renewable cork and bamboo, and a greywater system that carries rinse water from the washing machine and two outdoor showers to irrigate landscaping on the hillside behind the home.
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
S O P H I S T I C AT E D C O N T E M P O RA RY D ES I G N Small Budget Fire Rebuild
“Thanks for being the nicest and most professional people in town to work with. We do very much enjoy working with all of you.” -
Peter Becker, Architect
Project Highlights 2,426 SF CONTEMPORARY HOME
The original home on this property was destroyed during the 2008 Tea Fire. In order to meet the clients’ restricted rebuilding and design budget, the architect suggested a contemporary style. The design’s straight and simple lines make it one of the most cost effective architectural approaches. Floor-to-ceiling picture windows providing stunning views of Santa Barbara Channel. Beautiful, yet durable, strand-woven bamboo floors and granite counter-tops contribute to the contemporary feel of the space. The finished product is more sophisticated than what anyone imagined the design budget could support.
Partners
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Randy Franks PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
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ARCHITECT: Peter Becker Architect
Featured Project
C O N T E M P O RA RY HILLSIDE HOME
Contemporary Design Elements with Fire Resistant Features
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
“I was very satisfied with the professionalism of the company and with them understanding transparancy.” - Steven H, Client
Project Highlights 2,000 SF FIRE SAFE HOME
This new 2,000 sq. ft. contemporary hillside home was constructed on a lot where the original home was destroyed in the 2009 Jesusita Fire. With that history in mind, architect Peter Becker designed a custom home with classic contemporary design elements as well as fire resistant features that will give the home a greater chance of survival should another wildland fire occur. Home features include:
ARCHITECT: Becker Henson Niksto PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
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Partners
- Urethane finished exterior decks that are not only fire resistant but waterproof as well. - Large roof extensions over south facing windows that provide shade and reduce heat gain in summer months. - Decorative bands of painted, cement board trim creating horizontal and vertical bands of color on all faces that add to the contemporary style of the home. - Large floor-to-ceiling windows allow abundant natural light into interior spaces. - 18 ft. ceilings in the living room and master bedroom create the illusion that the spaces are larger than they are.
Featured Project
BUILDALLEN.COM | LICENSE #503300
M O D E R N C OAS TA L H O M E Whole Home Remodel
“Adding new large framed windows and a wrap around deck took advantage of the home’s location near the water.” - Allen Construction
Project Highlights 2,605 SF WATERFRONT HOME WITH WRAP AROUND DECK
The goal of this remodel was to upgrade and update this three bedroom, three bath coastal home. Years of inundation by coastal tides and periodic flooding from the adjacent creek had caused significant wear and tear on the original structure, including corrosion on the entire electrical and plumbing infrastructure..
Partners ARCHITECT: Pacific Architects PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Bartsch
Surprisingly, the original home had few windows. The remodel opened the interior of the home to create a modern grand room with stunning ocean and creek views, framed by new floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors. A large fiber cement deck - perfect for entertaining or taking in the area’s breathtaking sunsets - was built to last. A stainless steel cable handrail system, lighting fixtures, gates, downspouts, and hose bibs contribute to the exterior’s modern aesthetic.
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The home sits on wood pilings as tidal surges frequently inundate the entire area below the house causing it to be damp six months of the year. And, for three of those months, there is actual standing water below the house. As a result, all work performed under the house had to be scheduled around high and low tides.
B U I L D A L L E N . C O M | 805.884.8777 | LICENSE #503300
201 N Milpas St | Santa Barbara, CA 93103