It Takes a Team: Homebuilding in Santa Barbara
Architect Anthony Spann talks about the benefits of design/build.
Anthony Spann was first turned on to building design by his draftsman father in his native Chicago, where he went on to earn a degree in architecture from the University of Illinois. About 15 years ago, he joined forces with Harrison Design in Santa Barbara, and he has since also served on the Montecito Board of Architectural Review and the City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission.
Ask anybody in the industry: Homebuilding and remodeling in Santa Barbara can get complicated. Having a strong team throughout the design/build process can help immensely, says Spann. For more on that, we checked in with him about the benefits of getting owners, architects, and builders on the same page early on to ensure a successful project.
In terms of services, what’s different about building a home in Santa Barbara? Here’s one example: In L.A., for instance, almost every general contractor we’ve worked with has an estimating department — two or three people, and all they do is estimate. In Santa Barbara, there are only a few contractors with estimating departments, and that’s where we try to steer our new clients.
